The Kiss
Judee Sill Lyrics


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ove rising from the mists,
Promise me this and only this,
Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
Sweet communion of a kiss

Sun sifting through the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swooping down, just to show me
How to give my heart away

Once a crystal choir
Appeared while I was sleeping
And called my name
And when they came down nearer
Saying, dying is done,
Then a new song was sung
Until somewhere we breathed as one
And still I hear their whisper

Stars bursting in the sky
Hear the sad nova's dying cry
Shimmering memory, come and hold me
While you show me how to fly

Sun sifting through the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swooping down, just to show me
How to give my heart away

Lately sparkling hosts
Come fill my dreams, descending
On fiery beams
I've seen 'em come clear down
Where our poor bodies lay,
Soothe us gently and say,
Gonna wipe all your tears away
And still I hear their whisper?

Love, rising from the mists
Promise me this and only this,




Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
Sweet communion of a kiss

Overall Meaning

The song "The Kiss" by Judee Sill is a poetic exploration of spirituality, love, and the interconnectedness of all things. The opening lines introduce the theme of love and its transcendent power, with imagery of love rising from the mists. The singer asks for a promise that love is the only thing that will come from this, with the holy breath being likened to a wind song. The theme of communion is introduced with the sweet communion of a kiss, symbolizing a merging or uniting of souls.


The second stanza begins with the imagery of the sun sifting through the grey, suggesting a breakthrough into something brighter and clearer. The singer asks to be reached by a ray of light, symbolizing the illumination of the heart. The sun silently swoops down to show the singer how to give their heart away, suggesting a surrender or letting go of attachments. The third stanza introduces the idea of a crystal choir that appeared to the singer while they were sleeping. This choir called the singer's name and announced that dying is done, suggesting a transformation and a transition into a new state. The song that they sang was heard by the singer and they breathed as one, suggesting a oneness and unity with the divine. The singer still hears their whisper, suggesting a continued connection to the divine realm.


The fourth stanza introduces the imagery of stars bursting in the sky, with the sad nova's dying cry being heard. This can be interpreted as a representation of the cycle of life and death, and the impermanence of all things. The shimmering memory is called upon to hold the singer while they are shown how to fly, representing an overcoming of limitations and a transcendence of the mundane. The final stanza introduces the sparkling hosts that come to fill the singer's dreams, descending on fiery beams. They come to soothe those who are suffering and wipe away their tears, suggesting a compassion and kindness toward all beings. The song ends with a repetition of the opening lines, emphasizing the theme of love rising from the mists and the promise that this is the only thing that will come from it.


Line by Line Meaning

Love rising from the mists,
The singer feels a deep love within themselves that's emerging from somewhere unknown and undefined, yet present all around them.


Promise me this and only this,
The singer is requesting to be assured of only one thing - that the love rising from the mists is real and will continue to exist.


Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
The love the singer feels is beyond the physical world, and they describe it as being like a holy, divine breath that touches them gently and peacefully, like a song carried by the wind.


Sweet communion of a kiss
The love the artist feels is like the intimate bond shared between two people as they kiss, a communion that's sweet and tender.


Sun sifting through the grey
The artist is describing a moment when the sun seems to be breaking through clouds and illuminating their surroundings, bringing light to darkness.


Enter in, reach me with a ray
The singer is asking the sun to come closer and reach them with its light.


Silently swooping down, just to show me
The sunlight is acting like a messenger, silently coming down to the singer and revealing something to them.


How to give my heart away
The sunlight is teaching the artist how to give their love freely and unreservedly, without fear or hesitation.


Once a crystal choir
The artist is recalling a vision or dream they had when they saw a choir of crystal beings.


Appeared while I was sleeping
The vision occurred when the artist was sleeping.


And called my name
The crystal choir addressed the singer personally, calling out their name.


And when they came down nearer
The crystal choir descended closer to the artist.


Saying, dying is done,
The crystal choir spoke to the singer and announced that death is over or no longer present.


Then a new song was sung
The crystal choir started singing a new song.


Until somewhere we breathed as one
The singer experienced a moment of unity with the crystal choir where they felt like they were breathing together as one entity.


And still I hear their whisper
The artist can still hear the crystal choir's message or song echoing in their mind.


Stars bursting in the sky
The artist observes stars exploding or shining very brightly in the sky.


Hear the sad nova's dying cry
The singer hears a dying star's cry or sound.


Shimmering memory, come and hold me
The singer is asking for a past memory or sensation to comfort them like an embrace, possibly referring to a lost love.


While you show me how to fly
The memory or sensation is also teaching the artist how to move on and 'fly' again.


Lately sparkling hosts
In recent times, the artist has experienced beings that are brilliant and dazzling.


Come fill my dreams, descending
These beings appear in the artist's dreams and seem to be descending towards them.


On fiery beams
The beings appear as if they're riding on fire.


I've seen 'em come clear down
The artist has seen these beings come closer and become more distinct.


Where our poor bodies lay,
The singer refers to the human body as being inadequate and imperfect.


Soothe us gently and say,
The sparkling hosts comfort the singer and speak words of reassurance.


Gonna wipe all your tears away
The comforting words promise to remove the singer's pain and sadness.


And still I hear their whisper?
The artist is still able to hear the comforting words spoken to them by the sparkling hosts.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JUDEE SILL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@odiwan74

Verse 1]
Love rising from the mists
Promise me this and only this
Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
Sweet communion of a kiss

[Verse 2]
Sun sifting through the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swooping down, just to show me
How to give my heart away

[Bridge 1]
Once a crystal choir
Appeared while I was sleeping
And called my name
And when they came down nearer
Saying, "Dying is done,"
Then a new song was sung
Until somewhere we breathed as one
And still I hear their whisper

[Verse 3]
Stars bursting in the sky
Hear the sad nova's dying cry
Shimmering memory, come and hold me
While you show me how to fly

[Verse 4]
Sun sifting through the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swooping down, just to show me
How to give my heart away

[Bridge 2]
Lately sparkling hosts
Come fill my dreams, descending
On fiery beams
I've seen 'em come clear down
Where our poor bodies lay
Soothe us gently and say
"Gonna wipe all your tears away"
And still I hear their whisper

[Verse 1]
Love, rising from the mists
Promise me this and only this
Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
Sweet communion of a kiss



@thereubenlenkiewiczartgallery

When you discover an artist of Judee Sill's stature it's a rare joy. 

It's hard to define why she is such a good musician. For me, it's the strength of her writing but also her voice is exquisite and unique. It's clear that she had a huge talent tragically cut short.

When I first heard Judee I could not stop listening to her songs for days and the more I listen to a song such as Kiss or Pearl the more I hear. In the same way, when I first heard Nick Drake I felt like I was finding a friend. The depth of the emotions the music creates stays with you just like the first time you heard The Beatles or Bowie. They enrich your life.

Not wanting to change the subject from the amazing positive strength of Judee's musical legacy. However, it occurs to me that to many of the musicians and artists I deeply love have been badly affected by the criminalization of an aspect of their private lives. I'm thinking of Billy Holiday, Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, and countless others. It seems to me that far too many artists have been damaged by the terrible effects of backward thinking prejudiced laws against drug users. 

So many artists have died over the years from the endless war against drug users. A global war that can not be won until evidence-based treatments rather than value-based treatments are used and we stop treating the people who take drugs as criminals rather than people that need medical treatment. 

There is very good news is if treated properly a lot can be done to mitigate and reduce the horrific effects of criminalized drug use. Criminalization weaponizes the damaging effects of drug use across the world. It is one of the most devastating results of drug use. Take away the criminalization and treat the drug user with humane harm reduction in the same way we treat other medical issues and the evidence shows results are very good.  

The human cost over the past 50 years is incalculable and the results of the war on drugs are appalling. The growth due to criminalizing drug users shows global growth in use, organized crime, and of cause drug use globally. It has spread across America to South America to Africa, Asia, and China, and Russia over the past 50 years. Causing havoc to the communities and political processes. Lots of these countries had almost no drug problems before the criminalization of drugs. This is the direct result of the war on drugs that have been to fund criminal global violent organizations on a massive scale. It has given the worst elements of society the ability to make huge amounts of money all over the world. Just saying no is a facile slogan of the ignorant it requires much more thought and compassion. But it is not complicated on a basic level to decriminalize drug use and treat people with medical treatments instead of sending them to prison and taking away their hope.



@robjones2408

A talented vocalist/lyricist whose life was blighted by the most terrible shadows.
She should have been up there with Joni, but it wasn't to be.

Judee slipped into obscurity and penury, dying of a drug overdose in 1979 aged only
35. Many people weren't even aware of her death for years, she had become so
forgotten. Her two albums had been long deleted, but like the equally tragic
Nick Drake, the beauty of her music shone through.

She has now been granted the deserved recognition, she never truly received in her
short, painful life. The real heartbreak, is that Judee is not the first or the last to go
down that dreadful path.



All comments from YouTube:

@Mikino1976

Flawless pitch
Impeccable vocal phrasing while playing piano at the same time
Fascinating chord progression and melody
A timeless message that the world still needs to hear

@flowerbedmusic2674

Really good point about the vocal phrasing over the piano playing. It was more common place in the 70s. Floating a vocal melody loosely while paddling a regular rhythm with the fingers. Fortunately there was plenty enough of it to go back and listen to. :)

@eldoabrahamson

The world needs nothing.

@markcollins1497

Because it’s perfect as it is or because it’s beyond saving? And you know what that person meant by “the world” , right?

@pandalilpig

Discovered this artist today. It’s one of those musicians who turn your world upside down.

@MrCoalescent

What is it that is so heartbreakingly beautiful about this? Words struggle to do it justice: it seems to embody the tenderness of a mother’s lullaby, the breathtaking wonder of childhood Christmases, the melting ecstasy of young lovers’ first union and an almost self-sacrificial devotional surrender. The perfectly measured delivery, the serenity and the irresistible conviction are so powerful, they explode in the emotional centre like all the things you always wished you could ever feel - and the aftershocks go on reverberating long after this devotional piece is finished. Perhaps it offers a glimpse of the union we all, deep down crave: the end of the Human Condition’s exile, the coming home at last, somehow captured here in the net of her music, her voice, her words. For me, it breathes with the same delicacy and restraint as the gorgeous Adagio from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto (K622). Is this what we weep for? A brief glimpse of the ineffable we’re all denied? I’m relieved to see from other reactions that I’m not the only bloke who falls apart listening to this, even at the risk of having the piss ruthlessly taken, for admitting it and expressing it as best I can.

@harmoniabalanza

What is so heartbreakingly beautiful about ti? It describes an ecstasy that is rare and fleeting, actually an ecstasy that is not of this world. The power lies in its source , which is Sill as an individual artist. Her suffering was immense--as a drug addict, thief, and convict. All through that, she developed a profound Christian faith, and
the longing for salvation runs through all her music. This is one of the top ones, oh yeah.

@gammeltfossil

One of the best comments i have read on here. Bravo.

@alexandrakuhl

You're not alone - even though I'm not a bloke.

@jos9116

MrCoalescent I entirely agree... it’s a strangely perfect song. I’ve only recently heard it and I can barely thing about it without crying. But it also feels like I’ve always known this song.

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