After an education in the arts, music and drama, by the age of 15, Tzuke spent most of her time writing poems which she turned into songs and playing folk clubs, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. She went to Island Records to try and get a record deal and after she'd played two songs was asked if she had any more. She replied that she had twenty, which she didn't, and they asked her to come back and record them the following week. She didn't return, but their interest made her realise that she could have a career in music.
In 1977 Tzuke went to see managing director David Croker at Elton John's label 'Rocket Records' as their motto was "a label for artists". She played them a few songs, one of which was "Stay with Me Till Dawn" and was immediately signed to the new label. Judie and collaborator Mike Paxman spent the next six months or so recording her first album Welcome to the Cruise at Air Studios in London, with producer John Punter.
The first single was released in the summer of 1978, entitled "For You" and was greeted with great critical acclaim and substantial air-play but only reached the top 40.
This was to all change with the release of the Welcome to the Cruise album and the single "Stay with Me Till Dawn". The song stayed in the UK charts for 16 weeks, and she made three live appearances on Top of the Pops. The song became a firm favourite and is still played regularly on radio in the U.K. It has appeared on dozens of compilation albums and regularly appears in lists of all time most popular songs.
With the success of her debut album, Judie and Mike put together the first Judie Tzuke band. Paul Muggleton on guitar and backing vocals and Bob Noble on keyboards, along with bass player John Edwards and drummer Jeff Rich.
Tzuke and her band then toured for the next 18 months and made her second album Sportscar at Virgin's Manor studios, in Oxfordshire.
In 1980, Tzuke and her band toured America for three months as support to Elton John. The tour was well received, but during the tour Elton John decided to change the US distribution for his Rocket label from MCA to the new Geffin label. MCA consequently decided to stop all tour support and promotion for the acts on the Rocket label, which meant that Judie was playing to huge audiences, including 450,000 people in New York's Central Park, but no-one knew who she was and her records were not available in the shops.
She recorded her third album I Am the Phoenix, followed by another lengthy UK tour which culminated in appearances headlining the Glastonbury CND Festival and some summer festivals in Europe. She then made the decision to leave Rocket and to sign with Chrysalis Records.
Judie was by this time selling out halls all over the UK and in parts of Europe. Her next album Shoot the Moon was recorded mainly at Rockfield studios in Wales and was released in 1982.
During the spring tour two sell out shows at the Hammersmith Odeon (now The Carling Apollo) were recorded and later that year the acclaimed live album Roadnoise was released.
Judie, Mike and Paul wrote new songs and went to Mayfair studios in London to record her fifth album, augmenting her stage band with a number of other musicians.
Throughout the late 80s and 90s, Judie has continued to record and tour, and has set up her own record label. In addition, she is now successfully writing songs for other artists.
www.tzuke.com
Cup Of Tea Song
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How far in the dark I had let myself go down
The mirror won't give me a smile
It hasn't done for a while
I'm still looking for the Sun
And somewhere along the way I got lost and
I wish I was found 'cause I can't get out of this
Dead end goes on for miles
I feel like life has poured a cold cup of tea on my head
Why can't I wake up when I was eighteen again?
When I was eighteen
Wish I was eighteen
I really don't want to know
It's taken a while to face up to who I've become
How did I fall so deep?
How could I not see that my world was fast asleep
Whatever way I turn
I can't get across the bridges I burned and
Seems there's no going back
All those dreams that I had were shattered
I feel like life has poured a cold cup of tea on my head
Why can't I wake up when I was eighteen again?
When I was eighteen
Wish I was eighteen
I feel like life has poured a cold cup of tea on my head
Why can't I wake up when I was eighteen again?
I feel like life has poured a cold cup of tea on my head
Why can't I wake up when I was eighteen again?
When I was eighteen
Wish I was eighteen
The Cup of Tea Song by Judie Tzuke is a melancholic and introspective song, which tells the story of a person who feels lost and disappointed with the way their life turned out. Through the use of metaphors, the lyrics express the pain and frustration of feeling trapped in a situation they can't escape from. The cold cup of tea pouring over the singer's head represents the bitter taste of disillusionment and regret that life has given them. The wish to turn back time and be eighteen again is a desire to relive the moments that felt alive, free, and full of promises, hoping to correct the missteps and avoid the mistakes that brought them to where they are.
The line "The mirror won't give me a smile, it hasn't done for a while" speaks to the absence of self-acceptance and self-love in the singer's life. They have lost touch with who they are and struggle to find meaning and purpose in their existence. The reference to the burned bridges and shattered dreams suggests that the singer might have made choices they regret and missed opportunities to fulfill their aspirations. The song is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the need to live it fully while we can.
Line by Line Meaning
I hope that it doesn't show
I hope that my struggles and disappointments are not apparent to others
How far in the dark I had let myself go down
The depth of my despair and sense of being lost
The mirror won't give me a smile
My unhappiness is evident in my appearance
It hasn't done for a while
I have been struggling with these feelings for some time
I'm still looking for the Sun
I am seeking hope and happiness despite feeling lost
And somewhere along the way I got lost and
I became disconnected from myself and my goals
I wish I was found 'cause I can't get out of this
I long to feel whole again and escape these feelings of despair
Dead end goes on for miles
My sense of despair and hopelessness seems never-ending
I feel like life has poured a cold cup of tea on my head
My current situation is unpleasant and unappetizing
Why can't I wake up when I was eighteen again?
I long for the carefree and hopeful days of youth
When I was eighteen
I remember a time when life seemed full of promise and excitement
Wish I was eighteen
I wish I could go back to that time and start again
I really don't want to know
I am hesitant to face the reality of my current situation
It's taken a while to face up to who I've become
I am coming to terms with the person I have become
How did I fall so deep?
I am struggling to understand how I ended up in this place
How could I not see that my world was fast asleep
I failed to notice the signs that I was losing myself and my passion for life
Whatever way I turn
I am seeking solutions to my problems from every angle
I can't get across the bridges I burned and
I regret the choices that led me to where I am now, and can't undo them
Seems there's no going back
I am resigned to the fact that what's done is done, and I must move forward
All those dreams that I had were shattered
I mourn the loss of the ambitions and aspirations I once held
Writer(s): MYERS JUDIE, MARK BEN
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.