I’m going back to 1975 with a classic that, somehow, I’d never actually owned before: Joan Baez’s Diamonds & Rust.
The version on my turntable is the 2025 vinyl reissue from Universal Recordings – a fresh pressing of an album that sits right at the crossroads of Baez’s protest roots and a more intimate, personal style of songwriting. Originally released in April 1975, recorded that January in Hollywood, it runs just under 40 minutes and has rightly become one of the defining albums of her career.
And hearing it properly, on a good modern pressing, has been a real “how did I miss this?” moment for me.
The 2025 Vinyl Reissue – Packaging & Pressing
This new Universal edition keeps things pleasingly faithful to the original presentation.
You get the original artwork, with new liner notes on the back offering an introspective commentary on the songs – written by Bernard Gelb, who was the original executive producer.
Inside is a reproduction of the original inner sleeve with full lyrics – always a big plus for an album that lives and breathes through its storytelling.
The label design mimics the period A&M labels, which is a nice touch for those of us who love the details.
I would have liked a polylined inner sleeve (you know what I’m like about that!), so I’d definitely recommend picking one up yourself to keep the record in top shape. But aside from that, this is a very nicely put-together reissue.
Most importantly: it sounds excellent.
There’s an ultra-audiophile version out there for silly money, but I haven’t heard that one – and honestly, this Universal pressing already sounds superb. The vinyl was flat and quiet straight out of the sleeve. I don’t wash new records before I play them; if you tell me it’s been properly remastered and cared for, I’ll take you at your word and just put it straight on. And on that basis, this one passes with flying colours.
The Song That Everyone Knows… Via Judas Priest!
Let’s be honest: a lot of rock and metal fans come to Diamonds & Rust via an unexpected route – Judas Priest.
The title track, written by Joan Baez in November 1974, was inspired by her relationship with Bob Dylan and an out-of-the-blue phone call that sends her back a decade in time. It’s haunting, reflective, and beautifully written – one of her greatest songs and a highlight of 70s singer-songwriter music.
Priest picked it up and turned it into this powerful, dramatic metal ballad on Sin After Sin, and it’s been a staple of their set ever since, with various live versions becoming fan favourites.
Their version is superb in its own right, but going back to Joan’s original after years of hearing it through that lens is quite something – you suddenly hear how strong the song itself is, in any arrangement.
And it doesn’t stop there. Blackmore’s Night also recorded a lovely version on Ghost of a Rose (2003), which feels very natural given Ritchie Blackmore’s folk leanings.
But this reissue gives you the chance to sit with the source, and that’s where the real magic is.
Track Highlights – Love, Memory and the Human Condition
What struck me straight away is how emotionally rich this album is. Yes, Joan Baez is famous as a political and protest singer, but on Diamonds & Rust there’s clearly been a nudge from the label to step away from overt politics and lean more towards personal, radio-friendly material. Rather than dilute her voice, it seems to have focused it.
A few tracks I want to single out:
“Diamonds & Rust”
The opener and centrepiece. A folk-rock masterclass, lyrically sharp and emotionally bruised. It’s reflective without being sentimental, and this pressing really lets the warmth of the vocal and the subtle orchestration come through.
“Jesse” (Janis Ian)
This one absolutely floored me. Written by Janis Ian, “Jesse” is one of the most aching, melancholy songs ever written – and it can’t have been an easy decision to record it when Ian’s own version was still so recent.
But Joan does it beautifully. Her voice is so pure and organic; she gives the song space to breathe and lets the emotion speak for itself. It’s every bit as heartfelt as Janis Ian’s version and fits perfectly within the album’s atmosphere of reflection and longing.
“Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer”
A Stevie Wonder/Syreeta Wright composition, and again, not an obvious choice to cover if you’re worried about being compared to the original. But Baez delivers it with such tenderness that it becomes one of the emotional anchors of side one.
“Children and All That Jazz” & “Winds of the Old Days”
These are Baez originals, and they show just how strong her own writing is at this point. “Children and All That Jazz” has a lightness and intimacy, while “Winds of the Old Days” looks back at the 60s and that whole era with a mixture of affection and melancholy.
“Simple Twist of Fate”, “Fountain of Sorrow”, “Blue Sky”, “Hello In There”
Covers of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, the Allman Brothers (Dickey Betts), and John Prine respectively – and they’re all handled with great care.
Joan has that rare ability to make other people’s songs feel like part of her own story.
“Dida” and the Closing Medley
“Dida” features vocal improvisation from Joni Mitchell – a wonderful little detail to have on here.
And then there’s the closing medley of “I Dream of Jeannie” and “Danny Boy”, which ends the record on something almost timeless and cinematic. “Danny Boy”, in particular, is beautifully done and feels like a quiet dedication to another time and generation.
The Musicians – Folk Royalty Meets LA Session Greats
One of the things that really drew me in as a guitarist was the playing on this album. This isn’t just “voice and acoustic guitar” – it’s a very tastefully arranged, musician-led record featuring some huge names from the LA studio scene:
Key Musicians
Joan Baez – vocals, acoustic guitar, Moog & ARP synths, arranger/producer
Larry Carlton – electric & acoustic guitar, arranger/producer
Dean Parks – electric & acoustic guitar
Wilton Felder, Reinie Press, Max Bennett – bass
Jim Gordon, John Guerin – drums
Larry Knechtel, David Paich, Joe Sample, Hampton Hawes – keyboards (piano, electric piano, harpsichord, Hammond organ)
Red Rhodes – pedal steel
Tom Scott – flute, saxophone, arrangements
Joni Mitchell – vocal improvisation on “Dida”
It’s basically a who’s-who of elite 70s session players, but they all serve the songs. Nothing is showy – it’s all about tone, feel, and giving Joan’s voice the right setting.
Discovering Old Classics in a New Time
One of the joys of where we are now – as music fans – is that we can go back and discover albums that, at the time, we simply passed by.
In 1975, there was so much going on in my life and in music generally that Diamonds & Rust just didn’t cross my path in the way it should have. Decades later, I’ve got the freedom and the curiosity to go exploring, and this reissue is a perfect example of why that matters.
We live in strange times. Put the news on and it can feel very dark. But then you put a record like this on the turntable, and suddenly you’re reminded that the human condition – the love, the loss, the hope, the memories – is all there in these grooves.
This album still sounds tremendous. It’s beautifully recorded, beautifully sung, and emotionally honest. It captures love, regret, memory, and resilience in a way that feels completely relevant in 2025.
If you’re someone who usually goes to one corner of your collection – maybe you’re always over in the hard rock or prog section – I’d encourage you to “go over there” for a change and spend some time with Diamonds & Rust.
Huge thanks to Universal Recordings for bringing an album like this back into circulation on vinyl.
And as always, thank you for being here with Now Spinning Magazine. Remember: music is the healer and the doctor. Keep spinning those discs, and I’ll see you at the Now Spinning Arms.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
