Play Me Backwards
Joan Baez

You don't have to play me backwards
To get the meaning of my verse
You don't have to die and go to Hell
To feel the Devil's curse

Well, I thought my life was a photograph
On the family Christmas card
Kids all dressed in buttons and bows
And lined up in the yard

Were the golden days of childhood
So lyrical and warm
Or did the picture start to fade
On the day that I was born

I've seen them light the candles
I've heard them bang the drum
And I've cried Mama, I'm cold as ice
And I got no place to run

Let the night begin, there's a pop of skin
And the sudden rush of scarlet
There's a little boy riding on a goat's head
And a little girl playing the harlot

There's a sacrifice in an empty church
Of sweet lil' baby Rose
And a man in a mask from Mexico
Is peeling off my clothes

I've seen them light the candles
I've heard them bang the drum
And I've cried Mama, I'm cold as ice
And I got no place to run

So, I'm paying for protection
Smoking out the truth
Chasing recollections
Nailing down the proof

You don't have to play me backwards
To get the meaning of my verse
You don't have to die and go to Hell
To feel the Devil's curse

I'll stand before your altar
And tell everything I know
I've come to claim my childhood
At the chapel of baby Rose

I've seen them light the candles
I've heard them bang the drum
I've seen them light the candles
I've heard them bang the drum


  Purchase "Play Me Backwards"   Purchase Entire Album   Email Video to Friends   Play Youtube "Play Me Backwards" Video   Play Spotify "Play Me Backwards" Song   View Wikipedia "Play Me Backwards" Entry   Receive Emails for Future Joan Baez Lyrics

Email:

  Link to "Play Me Backwards"   Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more
  See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by Joan Baez

  'Nu Bello Cardillo   (Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around   (Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around   'nu Bello Cardillo   A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall   A Heartfelt Line Or Two   A Mi Manera   A Satisfied Mind   A Song For David   A Stranger in My Place   A Swallow Song   A Young Gypsy   Adeste Fidelis [Instrumental]   Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around   All in Green Went My Love Riding   All In Green Went My Love Riding (E. E. Cummings)   All My Trails   All My Trials   All My Trials, Lord   All the Pretty Little Horses   All The Pretty Little Horses (Negro Lullaby)   All The Weary Mothers Of The Earth   Amazing Grace   Amsterdam   And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda   Angeline   Angels We Have Heard on High   Angels We Have Heard on High [Instrumental]   Annabel Lee   Asimbonanga   Astrapsen (The Sun Is Risen)   At\u00c3\u00a9 Amanh\u00c3\u00a3   Até Amanhã   Até Amanhã   Autumn Leaves   Ave Maria (Sung in German)   Away In A Manger   Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You   Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 -- Aria   Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti   Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti   Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 1   Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 2   Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, Pt. 3   Banks of the Ohio   Barbara Allen   Battle Hymn of the Republic   Be Not Too Hard   Before The Deluge   Best of Friends   Birmingham Sunday   Black Is The Color   Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair   Blessed Are   Blessed Are...   Blowin' in the Wind   Blowing in the wind   Blue Sky   Boots of Spanish Leather   Boulder to Birmingham   Boulder to Birmingham [Electric]   Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella   Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella [Instrumental]   Brothers in Arms   Burgundian Carol   Caleb Meyer   Cambodia   Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)   Careless Love   Carrickfergus   Carry It On   Caruso   Casida Of The Lament   Catch the Wind   Catch the Wind [#]   Children And All That Jazz   Children of Darkness   Children Of The 80's   China   Christmas In Washington   Coconuts   Colours   Colours (Live)   Colours [Duet With Donovan]   Comandante Che Guevara   Come All Ye Fair   Come All Ye Fair & Tender Maidens   Come All Ye Fair and Tender Maidens   Copper Kettle   Copper Kettle (Live)   Coventry Carol   Crack In The Mirror   Cry Me a River   Cucurrucuc\u00c3\u00ba Paloma   Cucurrucuc� Paloma   Cucurrucucú Paloma   Cucurrucucú Paloma   Daddy, You Been on My Mind   Danger Waters   Dangling Conversation   Day After Tomorrow   De Colores   Dear Landlord   Deck the Halls   Deck the Halls [Instrumental]   Diamonds & Rust   Diamonds And Rust   Do Right Woman, Do Right Man   Don't Blame My Mother   Don't Cry For Me Argentina   Don'T Think Twice Its Al   Don't Think Twice Its Al (Live)   Don't Think Twice, It's All Right   Donna Donna   Down In Yon Forest   Down In Yon Forrest   Drifter's Escape   Drug Store Truck Drivin Man   East Virginia   Edge Of Glory   El Preso Numero Nueve   El Rossinyol   Eleanor Rigby   Elvis Presley Blues   Engine 143   Esquinazo Del Guerrillero   Famous Blue Raincoat   Fare Thee Well   Fare Thee Well (10,000 Miles)   Farewell Angelina   Farewell, Angelina   February   February (Live)   Fennario   Fennario [#]   Fifteen Months   Finlandia   Fishing   Fishing (Live)   Flora the Lily of the West   For All We Know   For Sasha   Forever Young   Fountain Of Sorrow   Free At Last   Freight Train   Gabriel And Me   Gacela Of The Dark Death   Geordie   Geordie (Live)   Georgie   Ghetto   Glad Bluebird Of Happiness   Go 'Way From My Window   Go 'way From My Window   God Is God   Good Christian Kings [#][Instrumental]   Good King Wenceslas   Good King Wenceslas [Instrumental]   Gospel Ship   Gospel Ship (Live)   Gossamer   Gracias A La Vida   Green, Green Grass Of Home   Guantanamera   Gulf Winds   Hand To Mouth   Happy Birthday, Leonid Brezhnev   Heaven Help Us All   Hello In There   Help Me Make It Through The Night   Henry Martin   Henry Russell's Last Words   Here's to You   Here's To You   Hickory Wind   Hickory Wind (Extended Version)   Honest Lullaby   House Carpenter   House Carpenter (Live)   House Of The Rising Sun   Hush Little Baby   Hush Little Baby [#]   I Am A Poor Wayfaring Stranger (Duet With Mimi Far...   I Am A Wanderer   I Dream of Jeannie/Danny Boy   I Dream Of Jeannie/danny Boy [medley]   I Dream of Jeannie\/Danny Boy [medley]   I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine   I Live One Day At A Time   I Pity The Poor Immigrant   I Saw The Vision Of Armies   I Shall Be Released   I Shall Be Released (Extended Version)   I Still Miss Someone   I Wonder As I Wander   I'm With You   If I Knew   If I Were a Carpenter   If I Wrote You   If I Wrote You (Live)   If You Were A Carpenter   Ilego Con Tres Heridas   Imagine   In Geurnica   In Guernica   In My Time of Need   In The Morning Light   In the Pines   In The Quiet Morning   In the Quiet Morning (For Janis Joplin)   Isaac & Abraham   It Ain't Me Babe   It Ain't Me Babe   It's All Over Now, Baby Blue   It's All Over Now, Baby Blue   Jack-A-Roe   Jackaroe   Jackaroe (Live)   James & The Gang   Jericho Road   Jerusalem   Jesse   Joe Hill   John Riley   John Riley [*]   Juan De La Cruz   Just A Closer Walk With Thee   Kingdom Of Childhood   Kitty   Kumbaya   Kumbaya (Live)   La Colombe -- The Dove   La Llorona   La Llorona (The Weeping Woman)   Lady Di And I   Lady Gay   Lady Mary   Las Madres Cansadas   Lass From The Low Country   Last, Lonely and Wretched   Last, Lonely, And Wretched   Legend Of A Girl Child Linda (Previously Unrelease...   Legend Of The Girl Child Linda   Less Than The Song   Less Than the Song [*]   Let It Be   Let Your Love Flow   Light A Light   Lily   Lily Of The West   Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts   Lincoln Freed Me Today (The Slave)   Little Drummer Boy   Little Moses   Llego Con Tres Heridas   Llego Con Tres Heridas (I Come With Three Wounds)   Lonesome Road   Long Bed From Kenya (Live)   Long Black Veil   Long Black Veil [#]   Longest Train I Ever Saw   Lost, Lonely And Wretched   Love Is A Four Letter Word   Love Is a Four-Letter Word   Love Is Just a Four Letter Word   Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word   Love Minus Zero / No Limit   Love Minus Zero/No Limit   Love Minus Zero\/No Limit   Love Song For A Stranger   Love Song To A Stranger   Love Song To A Stranger, Part Ii   Lowlands   Luba, The Baroness   Lucifer's Eyes   Man Smart, Woman Smarter   Manhã de Carnaval   Manha De Carnaval (Live)   Manha De Carnaval/te Ador   Manha de Carnaval\/Te Ador   Many A Mile To Freedom   Maria Dolores   Marie Flore   Marriott, U.S.A.   Mary   Mary Call   Mary Hamilton   Mary Hamilton [Stereo][Multimedia Track]   Mary's Wandering   Matty Groves   Me and Bobby McGee   Mercy Bound   Michael   Michael Row Your Boat Ahore   Milanese Waltz/ Marie Flore   Milanese Waltz/Marie Flore   Milanese Waltz\/ Marie Flore   Minister Of War   Minister Of War (Translated From The Chinese By Ar...   Miracles   MLK   Money For Floods   Money For Floods (Live)   Moscow On Hollywood Boulevard   Motherland   My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains   My Lord What A Morning   Myths   Myths   Natalia   Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer   Night They Drove Old Dixie Down   No Expectations   No Man Is An Island   No Man Is An Island (John Donne)   No Mermaid   No Mermaid (Live)   No Nos Moveran   No Woman No Cry   North   North Country Blues   O Come, O Come Emmanuel   O Come, O Come, Emmanuel   O What A Beautiful City   Oh Brother   Oh Happy Day   Oh Happy Day [*]   Oh Happy Day [Electric]   Oh, Brother!   Oh, Had I A Golden Thread   Oh, Happy Day   Old Blue   Old Gospel Ship   Old Welsh Song   Old Welsh Song (Henry Treece)   Once I Had A Sweetheart   Once I Had A Sweetheart (Live)   Once I Knew A Pretty Girl   One Day At A Time   One Tin Soldier   One Too Many Mornings   Only Heaven Knows   Only Heaven Knows (Ah, The Sad Wind Blows)   Outside The Nashville City Limits   Outside The Nashville City Limits   Pack Up Your Sorrows   Pajarillo Barranqueno   Pal Of Mine   Paso Rio   Paso Rio (I Pass a River)   Pauvre Ruteboeuf   Plaisir d'Amour   Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee)   Please Come To Boston   Poor Wayfaring Stranger   Portland Town   Pretty Boy Floyd   Prison Trilogy   Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose)   Put Your Hand In The Hand   Queen Of Hearts   Queen Of Hearts (Live)   Railroad Bill   Railroad Boy   Rainbow Road   Rake And Rambling Boy   Ranger's Command   Ranger's Command   Recently   Rejoice in the Sun   Requiem   Restless Farewell   Reunion Hill   Rexroth's Daughter   Rexroth's Daughter   Rider, Pass By   Ring Them Bells   Rock Salt and Nails   Rock, Salt And Nails   Rock, Salt and Nails [#]   Rose Of Sharon   Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands   Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Low Lands   Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands   Sag' Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind   Sag' Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind   Sagt Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind   Saigon Bride   Sail Away Ladies   Sailing   San Francisco Mabel Joy   San Francisco Mabel Joy   Satisfied Mind   Scarlet Ribbons   Scarlet Tide   Seabirds   Seven Bridges Road   Seven Curses   Sgt. Pepper's Band   Shes A Trouble Maker   Silent Night   Silent Running   Silkie   Silver Dagger   Simple Twist Of Fate   Since You've Asked   Sing Low Sweet Chariot   Sing Me Back Home   So We'll Go No More a-Roving   So We'll Go No More A-Roving   Song of Bangladesh   Speaking Of Dreams   Steal Across The Border   Stephanie's Room   Stephanie's Room   Stewball   Still waters ar Night   Still Waters At Night   Stones In The Road   Stones in the Road [*/#][#]   Strange Rivers   Streets of Laredo   Suzanne   Suzanne [Acoustic]   Swallow Song   Sweet Sir Galahad   Sweeter For Me   Swing Low Sweet Chariot   Swing Low, Sweet Chariot   Swing Low, Swing Chariot   Take Me Back To The Sweet Sunny South   Te ador   Te Recuerdo Amanda   Te Recuerdo Amanda (I Remember Amanda)   Tears In My Eyes   Tears Of Rage   The 33Rd Of August   The Altar Boy And The Thief   The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti   The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti, Pt. 1   The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti   The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part One   The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part Three   The Ballad Of Sacco And Vanzetti, Part Two   The Bells Of Gethsemani   The Brand New Tennessee Wal   The Brand New Tennessee Waltz   The Brand New Tennessee Waltz   The Carol Of The Birds   The Cherry Tree Carol   The Crimes Of Cain   The Dangling Conversation   The Death Of Queen Jane (Child No. 170)   The Dream Song   The First Noël [#]   The First Noel   The Greenwood Side   The Hitchhikers' Song   The Hitchhikers' Song   The Lady Came From Baltimore   The Land of a Thousand Dances   The Last Thing On My Mind   The Last Thing On My Mind (Extended Version)   The Lily of the West   The Little Drummer Boy   The Lower Road   The Mockingbird Song (Hush Little Baby)   The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress   The Night They Drove Old Dixie   The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down   The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down [Live]   The Partisan   The Railroad Boy   The Restless Farewell   The Riddle Song (feat. Pete Seeger)   The Riddle Song (Very Early Joan)   The River In The Pines   The Sad Wind Blows   The Salt Of The Earth   The Song At The End Of The Movie   The Swallow Song   The Sweet Sunny South   The Tramp on the Street   The Trees They Do Grow High   The Unquiet Grave   The Unquiet Grave (Child No. 78)   The Walls Of Redwind   The Walls of Redwing   The Water Is Wide   The Water Is Wide [*/#][#]   The Water Is Wide [#]   The Wild Mountain Thyme   There But For Fortune   Three Fishers   Three Horses   Through Your Hands   Time Is Passing Us By   Time Rag   To Bobby   To Ramona (Live)   Tomorrow Is A Long Time   Tramp On The Street   Trees They Do Grow High   Trees They Grow High   Tumbleweed   Turquoise   Twelve Gates To The City   Txoria Txori   Virgin Mary   Virgin Mary [#]   Wagoner's Lad   Wagoner's Lad   Walkin' Down the Line   Walkin' Down The Line   Warriors Of The Sun   Water Is Wide   Wayfaring Stranger   We Shall Overcome   We Three Kings [#][Instrumental]   Weary Mothers   Welcome Me   Well May the World Go   What Child Is This   What Have They Done To The Rain?   What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby   When Time Is Stolen   When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin'   When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin'   Where Are You Now My Son   Where Have All The Flower   Where Have All The Flowers Gone   Where's My Apple Pie?   Who Do You Think I Am   Wild Mountain Thyme   Wild Mountain Thyme [#]   Wildwood Flowder   Wildwood Flower   Will The Circle Be Unbroken   Willie Moore   Winds Of The Old Days   Wings   Wings Of Fantasy   With God On Our Side   With God On Our Side (Live)   Yellow Coat   You Ain't Goin' Nowhere   You Ain't Goin' Nowhere   You're Aging Well

Related Songs

  Ghost Lair - Nice Cliques  Willow Pattern - Dolores O'Riordan  Birds Fly Backwards - Ed Harcourt  Stairs - Emily Jane White  Riding Shotgun - Anthrax  Dirty Harry (Scary Backwards Version) - Gorillaz  Intro - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony  Simone - Stone Roses  Back To Front - Eliza Doolittle  Falling Into You - Mae  Lady, Don't Fall Backwards - Peter Doherty  Lady Don\'t Fall Backwards - Pete Doherty  Lady Don't Fall Backwards - Babyshambles  Lady, Don't Fall Backwards - Pete Doherty  Lights Camera Action - A Cursive Memory  Pay the Toll - Anvil  Backmask - Mindless Self Indulgence  Backwards - Kendrick Lamar  Chevrolet DJ - Cole Swindell  Totem Pole - The Bongos  White Light (Scary Backwards Version) - Gorillaz  Backwards (Acoustic) - Hannah Montana  Backwards [Acoustic] - Hannah Montana  Backwards - Hannah Montana  Backwards - Rascal Flatts  Backwards - Coil  Backwards Is Backwards - Dimmer  Assoholic - 54-40  Driving Me Backwards - Brian Eno  Driving Me Backwards - Icehouse  Bring Me Backwards - Ellis Paul  Intro ( Tunnel Of Love )...  Backwards - Delight  Backwards - Mac Lethal  Backwards - Ana Voog  Backwards - Merriment  Backwards - After Edmund  Backwards - After Edmund  Backwards [*] - Christina Perri  Backwards - Mobb Deep  Backwards - Apartment 26  Backwards - Christina Perri  Backwards - Devon Baldwin  19/2000 (Scary Backwards Version) - Gorillaz  Slide Over Backwards - Donna Summer  Moving Backwards - Ben Rector  Nobody Knows - J. J. Cale  Intro ( Tunnel Of Love ) - Insane Clown Posse  Moving Backwards - 64revolt  Swollen Mistress - Knives Out!  Dim the Lights - Wild Ones  No Airplay - L.L. Cool J  No Airplay - LL Cool J  Water From Wine - Heather Nova  Upside Down - Bassnectar  Cassandra - Crüxshadows  Within You - Gus Gus  Feel Good Inc. (Scary Backwards Version)...  Feels Like We Only Go Backwards - Tame Impala  Dancin' Madly Backwards - The Flirts  Don’t Look Backwards - East India Youth  Switchblade Sounds Cool - Fairweather  Play Me - Harry Belafonte  Play Me - Petula Clark  Play Me - José Feliciano  Play Me - Josh Groban  Play Me - Kirko Bangz  Play Me - Nas  Play Me - Nancy Sinatra  Play Me - Usher  Play Me - Level 42  Play Me [#] - Neil Diamond  Play Me - Nas  Play Me - Korn  Play Me - Neil Diamond  Play Me - Nas  PLAY ME - Diamond Neil  Play Me - Boy George  Play Me - Miguel  Play Me - Alesha Dixon  Mad Dog - Black Lips  Phoney - George Dorn Screams  Cassandra - The Cruxshadows  Backmask (Our Pain, Your Gain)...  Secret - Firewater  Snakes And Ladders - Frank Tovey  Two small deaths by Wye Oak - Wye Oak  Running Backwards - Queensryche  Backwards And Forwards - The Family Crest  Step Outside - The Finches  Big Top - Alphabet Backwards  Rec & Play - I'm From Barcelona  Forwards Backwards - Cassette Kids  Backwards/Forwards - Sarah Jaffe  EverGirl - Play  Not The One - Play  When Love Is Bleaching Bad - Play  boyz lie - Play  Us Against the World - Play  Cinderella - Play  Is It Love - Play  Disco Hippie - Play  Sleigh Ride - Play  O Holy Night - Play  Silent Night - Play  Silver Bells - Play  The Christmas Song - Play  Under My Skin - Play  Girls Can Too - Play  Seven - Play  Honey to the Bee - Play  Hot - Play  What Is Love? - Play  Whole Again - Play  11 Out of 10 - Play  2 Blocks Down - Play  Another Love Story - Play  everGirl - Play  You Found Me - Play  I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Play  Hand In Hand - Play  All I Want For Christmas Is You - Play  Just A Little - Play  O' Holy Night - Play  I Must Not Chase The Boys - Play  Ain’t No Mountian High Enough - Play  Let It Snow - Play  As Long As Theres Christmas - Play  Hopelessly Devoted - Play  Walk Out Backwards - Connie Smith  Things Fall Apart - Hell is for Heroes  Falling Over Backwards - Carmen Rasmusen  The Dark Side Of Indoor Track Meets - Falling Up  Walk Out Backwards - Rick Trevino  Falling Backwards [*] - Fairground Attraction  Falling Backwards - Fairground Attraction  Zedhead - Swervedriver  Moving Backwards - ATB  As He Looks Out to Sea - Sarah Kirkland Snider  Sitting With The Dog - Jimmy's Chicken Shack  I didn't Get My Dog Back - Jason Meadows  Mistakes - Breathe Carolina  Drug Tongue - Snake River Conspiracy  Burn, Don't Freeze - Sleater Kinney  Full Moon, Empty Heart [The Album Version]...  Full Moon, Empty Heart [Lunar Mix] - Belly (US)  Full Moon, Empty Heart [Lunar Mix] - Belly  Full Moon, Empty Heart - Belly  Feat. Aruna - George Acosta  Some Other Girl - Danielle Ate The Sandwich  Mile Markers - The Dead Weather   Backwards Again - Tammin Sursok  Walking Backwards - Sam Tsui  Spelled in Bones - Fruit Bats  The Great Event - Leonard Cohen  Rock The House - Will Smith  Rock The House...  Carl Sagan - Loch Lomond  Rock the House - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince  Kill The Silence - Hell is for Heroes  In Wonder - The Madness  Be There - Allstar Weekend  Train Going Backwards - Dramarama  Decipher Reflections From Reality...  Bad Cops and Charities - Play Radio Play  I Am A Pirate, You Are A Princess...  Compliment Eachother Like Colors - Play Radio Play  Some Crap About The Furniture - Play Radio Play  Penelopy Cover - Play Radio Play  There Are Cooler Ways To Die - Play Radio Play  1-2-3-Entertain - Play Radio Play  Sometimes I Doubt Your Commitment To Sparkle Motio...  Let It Shine - Play Radio Play  Without Gravity - Play Radio Play  Easy To The Slaughter - Play Radio Play  Juice Box, Paper Hat, and a Line of Pixie Stix...  Even Fairy Tale Characters Would Be Jealous...  Jello - Play Radio Play  Oh, Happy Neighbor! - Play Radio Play  Abe Lincoln’s Oldschool Alibi - Play Radio Play  Introduce Facts For The Sake Of Fiction...  I’m Guessing There’s A Pill For That...  We’ve Been Searching The Sky For Answers...  The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 - Play Radio Play  Forgiveness, The Enviable Trait - Play Radio Play  Elephants As Big As Whales - Play Radio Play  Bad Cops And Charities - Play Radio Play!  Compliment Eachother Like Colors...  I’m Guessing There’s A Pill For That...  My Attendance Is Bad But My Intentions Are Good...  Sometimes I Doubt Your Commitment To Sparkle Motio...  There Are Cooler Ways To Die - Play Radio Play!  Let It Shine - Play Radio Play!  Madi Don't Leave - Play Radio Play!  I Am A Pirate, You Are A Princess...  Decipher Reflections From Reality...  Some Crap About The Furniture - Play Radio Play!  Loco Commotion - Play Radio Play!  Bound To Get Caught - Play Radio Play!  Set Me in Motion - The Graduate