But while Waits' early life was tumultuous to say the least, that voice managed to prevail, and on her self-titled debut for the Radarproof label, we are shown why we are all the better for it. Just as capable of singing a torch song as getting down and dirty with the blues, Waits tackles a combination of covers and originals on her CD with passion that really should be displayed more in the music business.
Her choices for covers are as curious when one sees them listed on the CD cover as they are ultimately appropriate, once they have been heard. Tom Waits' "Get Behind the Mule," sizzles with mischief when the female Waits works her magic on it. Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells," a criminally overlooked track from his excellent "Oh Mercy" CD, is given beautifully reverent treatment by Waits, as is the Billie Holiday standard, "Yesterdays."
Just wait until you hear the longing in Waits' voice when she tackles Ray Charles' "Drown in My Own Tears." Among the originals, the song "The Ballad of Judith Anne" is the most intriguing.
Also good is "Ignatius," which closes out the CD.
The Ballad of Judith Anne
Hope Waits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never was much for peace and quiet dear
But I've walked the line every time like a good girl should
Until then the weight of those days made a difficult play
When you left for good
So now this bag of bones I've been known to carry
This bag of bones has gotten way too heavy
She was such a beautiful girl
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous eyes
But oh, I'm afraid we will never know from that faded look in her smile
It's such a shame, such a shame, such a shame,
How pictures can sometimes lie
So now this bag of bones I've been known to carry
This bag of bones has gotten way to heavy
All we have are pictures from the day when she was loved
Someone knows her deeply and holds the secrets I'd like to be privy of
But no one is left who remembers that girl
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous smile
Only my dreams piece together the scenes of a life she once had
Goodbye my sweet Judith Ann
All the things she signified have been buried since she died
Goodbye my sweet Judith Anne
This next stop is mine, and I'm travelling light
This next stop is mine, and I'm travelling light
The Ballad of Judith Ann is a melancholic song by Hope Waits that deals with themes of loss, memory, and unfulfilled curiosity. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer wishes she could hear the person in question through her good ear, implying some sort of hearing impairment. She laments her inability to enjoy moments of peace and quiet, perhaps suggesting an undiagnosed anxiety disorder or other mental health issues. Despite her inner struggles, the singer has always maintained a sense of responsibility and obedience, walking the line and doing what a good girl should do.
However, something has happened that has made the weight of past events too heavy to carry. Someone, likely Judith Ann, has left for good, leaving behind a weight that has become too much to bear. The titular character is described as a beautiful girl with mischievous eyes, but her life is shrouded in mystery. No one is left who remembers her, and the only evidence of her existence is in faded photographs that may not tell the whole story. The singer wishes she could be privy to the secrets of Judith Ann's life, but that is impossible now.
The last lines of the song suggest that the singer has reached a breaking point and is ready to let go of the heavy burden she has been carrying. She is travelling light to her next stop, leaving behind the weight of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Wish I could hear you out of my good ear
I wish I could hear your voice better and more clearly
Never was much for peace and quiet dear
I never enjoyed being calm and silent
But I've walked the line every time like a good girl should
I always followed the rules and expectations like a well-behaved girl
Until then the weight of those days made a difficult play
But the pressure and struggles of those times had made it hard for me
When you left for good
When you left permanently and never came back
So now this bag of bones I've been known to carry
Metaphorically, this burden of pain and sorrow that I carry with me
This bag of bones has gotten way too heavy
This burden has become too much for me to bear
She was such a beautiful girl
Judith Anne was a stunning woman
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous eyes
She had lovely curly hair, and her eyes sparkled with mischief
But oh, I'm afraid we will never know from that faded look in her smile
But I fear that we will never truly understand the sadness behind her faded smile
It's such a shame, such a shame, such a shame,
It's heartbreaking that we can't know and won't ever understand
How pictures can sometimes lie
Photographs can misrepresent the reality and complexity of a person's life
All we have are pictures from the day when she was loved
All we have are photographs from a time when Judith Anne was happy and in love
Someone knows her deeply and holds the secrets I'd like to be privy of
Somebody else knows Judith Anne well and has knowledge about her life that I want to have
But no one is left who remembers that girl
But there is nobody left who remembers who Judith Anne was as a person
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous smile
With her adorable curly hair and playful smile
Only my dreams piece together the scenes of a life she once had
Only in my dreams can I imagine the moments and memories of her past
Goodbye my sweet Judith Ann
Farewell, my dear Judith Anne
All the things she signified have been buried since she died
All the things that Judith Anne represented have been forgotten after her death
Goodbye my sweet Judith Anne
Farewell, my sweet Judith Anne
This next stop is mine, and I'm travelling light
I am moving on to the next chapter of my life without carrying this heavy burden with me
This next stop is mine, and I'm traveling light
I am moving forward towards the future without any extra weight on me
Contributed by Eliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@markwood3499
All that,and you never showed the scene that took it off the air.I hate liars.
@jillcrato1680
Clickbait!
@montgomeryrichard
@@jillcrato1680 Glad I read this before watching thanks!
@CromemcoZ2
Thank you!
@Kenobi5001
Thank you for taking the time to write this, this video may have my 'click' but it only has 34 seconds view time from me, I understand view time is important for the YouTube algorithm.
@johncharles2782
Exactly, this is just a load of bollloks.
@BobPagani
SPOILER ALERT: This video never tells you what scene supposedly forced "Bewitched" off the air.
@danw5414
They never do they always just show them in a skimpy outfits. I never watch any of this ** 'cause I know it's all fake. You think she ever swore that white dress that they're showing you, no way!
@redburtley6021
Thank you! You saved me 25 minutes!
@redstate502
aaaaaand that's why this video gets a 👎from me. 😆