Play Me Backwards

Play Me Backwards is an album by the American musician Joan Baez, released in 1992.[2] The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording.[3] Baez supported it with an international tour.[4]

Play Me Backwards
Studio album by
Joan Baez
ReleasedOctober 1992
RecordedNashville, 1992
GenreFolk-pop, country pop
Length36:19
LabelVirgin[1]
ProducerWally Wilson, Kenny Greenberg
Joan Baez chronology
Speaking of Dreams
(1989)		 Play Me Backwards
(1992)		 Rare, Live & Classic
(1993)

In 2012, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the album's original release, Play Me Backwards was reissued, digitally remastered, and including new liner notes; three bonus tracks—recorded during the original sessions, but not included on the original release—were included: "The Trouble With the Truth", "Medicine Wheel" and a cover of Bob Dylan's "Seven Curses".

Production

Recorded in Nashville, the album was produced by Wally Wilson and Kenny Greenberg.[5][6] Baez sought out material after being dismayed with the songs pitched to her; she spent 14 months trying to find the right songs.[7][8] The album's first single, "Stones in the Road", for which Baez shot a video, is a cover of the Mary Chapin Carpenter song.[9][10][11] "Through Your Hands" was written by John Hiatt.[12] "I'm with You" is about Baez's son, Gabriel.[13]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
The Indianapolis Star[15]
Rolling Stone[16]

The Boston Globe called Play Me Backwards "mostly an album of mature, surprisingly percussive folk-pop love songs that marks her finest work since her Diamonds and Rust album of 1975."[17] The Sun-Sentinel wrote that "Baez's erstwhile hyper-quivering soprano thankfully does not flutter so much, and has deepened marvelously with age."[6]

The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "a surprisingly relaxed, rhythmic and modern set that sounds like it could have been recorded by any one of a number of today's folk-and country-flavored pop female singer-songwriters."[18] The Indianapolis Star noted that "Baez's voice sounds as pure as ever."[15]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Joan Baez, Wally Wilson and Kenny Greenberg, except where indicated.

  1. "Play Me Backwards"
  2. "Amsterdam" (Janis Ian, Buddy Mondlock)
  3. "Isaac and Abraham"
  4. "Stones in the Road" (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
  5. "Steal Across the Border" (Ron Davies)
  6. "I'm with You" (Baez)
  7. "I'm with You" (Reprise) (Baez)
  8. "Strange Rivers" (John Stewart)
  9. "Through Your Hands" (John Hiatt)
  10. "The Dream Song"
  11. "The Edge of Glory"

Personnel

References
  1. Brozan, Nadine (14 Oct 1992). "Chronicle". The New York Times. p. B8.
  2. Galvin, Peter (Nov 1992). "Play Me Backwards by Joan Baez". Interview. 22 (11): 44.
  3. "Joan Baez". Recording Academy. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  4. "Joan Baez Getting Active in Music Business Again". Orlando Sentinel. Reuters. 6 Nov 1992. p. A2.
  5. Holden, Stephen (24 Oct 1992). "Joan Baez Goes Back To Her Folk-Club Roots". The New York Times. p. 1:17.
  6. Lannert, John (19 Nov 1992). "Baez Is Back". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3E.
  7. Catlin, Roger (20 Nov 1992). "With new album out, Joan Baez has plenty to play in Springfield". Hartford Courant. p. B4.
  8. Plotnikoff, David (17 Jan 1993). "Joan Baez: a folk singer not a fossil". Toronto Star. p. D6.
  9. Flick, Larry (27 Nov 1992). "New Baez album melds folk with rock". St. Petersburg Times. p. 11B.
  10. Barnes, Harper (21 Mar 1993). "Protest Still Hooks Baez". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 3F.
  11. Willman, Chris (22 Oct 1992). "Joan Baez Blends Old, New". Los Angeles Times. p. F7.
  12. Joyce, Mike (15 Nov 1992). "Joan Baez: 'Play Me Backwards'". The Washington Post. p. G9.
  13. Hentoff, Nat (13 Jan 1993). "On Disc: Baez is back". The Wall Street Journal. p. A2.
  14. "Play Me Backwards Review by Kelly McCartney". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  15. Schoch, Eric B. (27 Nov 1992). "Joan Baez: 'Play Me Backwards'". The Indianapolis Star. p. B9.
  16. "Joan Baez Play Me Backwards". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  17. Morse, Steve (6 Nov 1992). "Joan Baez and Judy Collins are back on the move in the '90s". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe. p. 43.
  18. Heim, Chris (27 Nov 1992). "Joan Baez and James McMurtry". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. M.
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