Her eponymous debut album was released to major acclaim in 1971 and was followed two years later by Heart Food. She recorded demos for a third album in 1974 and they were released in 2005 under the title Dreams Come True.
Sill was heavily influenced by Bach's metric forms and suites, while lyrically her work drew substantially on Christian themes of rapture and redemption.
Judee's father and brother both died in separate incidents when Judee was quite young. Her mother's subsequent marriage to Tom and Jerry animator Kenneth Muse was marked by heavy drinking, and this, combined with her rebellious nature, drove her away from home and into a life of crime and drug use in her teens.
Having learned her signature gospel-inflected keyboard style during her incarceration for writing bad checks, Sill kicked her heroin addiction and decided to pursue songwriting. Now a talented pianist, organist and guitarist, Sill returned to the West Coast where she encountered Graham Nash and David Crosby (touring with them for a time as their opening act) and David Geffen who offered her a contract with his nascent label. Her albums were received well by critics but found little commercial success. Judee struggled with drug addiction during phases again following a car accident and its resulting physical pain and dropped out of the music scene and died of a drug overdose in November of 1979.
It was through Geffen that she met Graham Nash, who quickly became a fan, and produced the first single for her album, "Jesus Was a Cross Maker." The rest of Judee Sill was orchestrated and produced by Bob Harris, Sill's ex-husband. Judee Sill was released in 1971 to immediate acclaim. Lushly orchestrated, the album featured Sill's voice in multiple overdubs, often in a four-part chorale or fugue. The album fit in well with the light rock/folk-rock underpinnings of what came to be known as the "Laurel Canyon sound" associated with other female singer-songwriters such as Carole King and Joni Mitchell (Mitchell, also signed to Asylum, was at work on Ladies of the Canyon at the time). A tour as the opening act for Nash and David Crosby exposed her intimate songwriting and skillful guitar playing to a larger audience, but her record failed to make much of an impact, despite the somewhat heavy airplay of "Jesus Was a Cross Maker." A self-professed perfectionist, one song could often take her a year to write, and it wasn't until late 1972 that Sill returned to record and release her second and last album, Heart Food. It too received enthusiastic reviews but did poorly commercially. Sill took over the chores of both orchestrating and arranging Heart Food, with the production relying more heavily on multilayered strings and lush expanse. Unable to draw a sizable crowd yet unwilling to play as a support act, Sill's name and moderate fame both receded, and she disappeared from view entirely. Rumors abound as to what happened next, although it is definitely known that she returned to her heroin addiction as well as becoming heavily involved with cocaine. Graham Nash has said that he learned as early as 1974 that Sill had died of an overdose, a claim that would later prove to be incorrect, but considering how closely the two had worked only a few years earlier it does illustrate just how completely Sill had dropped out by this time.
Her first success was the selling of her song "Lady-O" to The Turtles. Long after her death, she has been lauded by many musicians, including Jim O'Rourke who mixed the posthumous collection of unreleased material, Dreams Come True. Her two original albums have been reissued as a double CD with a number of live recordings and demos as bonus tracks.
The Archetypal Man
Judee Sill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
he flies inside the walls he calls his own
he came hidin' but now I see
he looks like veryone I've ever known
he comes bearin' a sacrifice
I know him by the rose that's in his hand
I've been listenin' to his advice
I hear the words but I can't understand
His moon mirage is shinin'
Shiftin' the things that he can't endure
But all through the Darkness his pain is pure
Fleeter than even Mercury
He flies inside the walls he calls his own
He came Hidin' but now I see
he looks like everyone I've ever known
He comes beatin' a sacrifice
I know him by the rose that's in his hand
I've been listenin' to his advice
I hear the words but can't understand
His moon mirage is shinin'
Through his veins flows a fool's gold flood
But through the rose in his hand...flows blood
In Judee Sill's The Archetypal Man, she describes a mysterious and enigmatic man who is faster than Mercury and can fly within the walls of his own home. Sill recognizes this man, as he looks like everyone she has ever known, and can identify him by the rose that he carries with him. He offers a sacrifice and gives advice, but despite her efforts to listen, she cannot comprehend the words that he is saying. His pain is pure and shines through even in the darkness. The moon mirage in him seems to be his shining light but it only amplifies his pain through the fool's gold flood. The rose in his hand flows with blood, an indication of his deep struggle, yet on the surface, he appears calm, collected, and austere.
This song is an introspective and perceptible exploration of an individual in a complex world; the man symbolizes a search for individuality amongst conformity. The rose in his hand symbolizes purity and love but also implies a darker side to it. The Archetypal Man's inability to be understood implies the difficulty of coming to terms with oneself and being understood by others.
Line by Line Meaning
Fleeter even than Mercury
Describing the speed of this man who moves even faster than a Greek God.
He flies inside the walls he calls his own
This man is so elusive that he finds his shelter even within the walls of his mind.
He came hidin' but now I see
Initially unnoticeable, the constant presence of this man is now apparent.
He looks like veryone I've ever known
The man appears to be a combination of everyone from the past.
He comes beatin' a sacrifice
Offering up a gift either peaceful or violent.
I know him by the rose that's in his hand
The rose in his hand is a symbol of his true intentions.
I've been listenin' to his advice
Hearing the words of wisdom that he shares.
I hear the words but I can't understand
Although listening, the true meaning of what he is trying to convey is still incomprehensible.
His moon mirage is shinin'
The reflection of the moon produces a mirage-like effect around him.
Shiftin' the things that he can't endure
Experiencing discomfort by things that he cannot control.
But all through the Darkness his pain is pure
In the midst of sorrow, his pain is true and real.
Through his veins flows a fool's gold flood
His life force is filled with deceptive materialism.
But through the rose in his hand...flows blood
The rose serves as a device for hiding bloodshed.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUDEE SILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
i r
Nobody will ever even approach her two records. Lyrically, arrangements, voice. This is what an actual artist sounds like. Judee was the best. There’s not a songwriter alive that could write like this.
Dewey Schneebly
By the way I rate this slide guitar solo the most beautiful in history.
Dewey Schneebly
You speak the truth here brother. Judee might be the greatest songwriter ever in terms of quality. She can only be outdone by Carole King but certainly not by Laura Nyro or Joni. The greatest era for female songwriters in history so far.❤
JamesScottGuitar
HOLY CRAP !
I can't believe I've never heard of her before.
Gorgeous.
Matt Hormann
I hadn't heard of her until a few years ago either. Her songs are so heartrendingly beautiful.
Sydney Fox
Yeah. I'm old enough that I REALLY can't believe I never heard of her. I like some of her stuff I've been clicking on. From what I'm reading it looks like David Geffen got mad at her after they had interpersonal issues, and since he had the power he decided to bury her professionally; then her personal problems saw to it that she buried herself. Geffen replaced her with Joni Mitchell. History is littered with every conceivable story. Who knows what she might have done if her music had been supported and produced better as time moved forward. Interesting! Like you, I CANNOT believe she's flown under the radar for all these years! Seems like kooky, messed-up, self-harming millennial types rediscovered her. She would attract that type. But interesting mix of quasi-religious, bluegrass, country, and 'singer-songwriter' poet stuff. Cheers!
TorkGirl8
Unfortunately, she died of a drug overdose at age 35.
Marco Antonio Tukoff
Incrível, amo essa voz, thanxs from Brazil, valeu!!!
Carlos André
Tão raro encontrar brasileiros que gostam dela. A voz dela é realmente incrível!
Justin I'Onn
Love you Judee!!! xxx