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
Fall At Your Feet
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I feel like I'm moving inside him
Lying in the dark
And I think that I'm beginning to know him
Let it go
I'll be there when you call
And whenever I fall at your feet
Whenever I touch your slow turning pain
You're hiding from me now
There's something in the way that you're talking
Words don't sound right
But I hear them all moving inside you, go
I'll be waiting when you call
Hey and whenever I fall at your feet
Won't you let your tears rain down on me
Whenever I touch your slow turning pain
The finger of blame has turned upon itself
And I'm more than willing to offer myself
Do you want my presence or need my help
Who knows where that might lead
I fall
Whenever I fall at your feet
Would you let your tears rain down on me
Whenever I fall, ever I fall
The song "Fall at Your Feet" by Judie Tzuke is a haunting yet emotional ballad describing a love that is growing between two people. The lyrics start with Tzuke's character feeling intimately close to the person she's with, as if moving inside him, and sensing that she's starting to know him better. She lets her guard down and assures him that she's always there whenever he needs her.
As the song progresses, Tzuke's character is aware of the man distancing himself from her. She realizes that there's something in the way he's talking that's causing him to shut down, and that he's not sharing what is causing his distress. Tzuke is aware of the emotional pain that the man is going through, and she tells him that she'll be waiting for him whenever he's ready to talk.
The chorus of the song is the most powerful where Tzuke's character falls at the man's feet, and his tears rain down on her. Tzuke tells him that she's willing to be there for him and share his pain. She questions if he wants her presence or needs her help and places herself in a position of vulnerability. The song concludes with Tzuke's character acknowledging that she falls at his feet, and begs him to let his tears rain down upon her, showing that she's there to love and support him through the trials of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm really close tonight
Physically and emotionally close to the person she is addressing the song to.
And I feel like I'm moving inside him
Feels as if she is emotionally connecting with the person.
Lying in the dark
The scene is being set where both of them are in close proximity, probably during nighttime.
And I think that I'm beginning to know him
She is trying to make a real connection with this person and get to know him better.
Let it go
Asks him to relax and let things happen naturally.
I'll be there when you call
Assures the person that she will be there for him when he needs her.
And whenever I fall at your feet
Whenever she finds herself vulnerable or in need, she turns to this person.
You let your tears rain down on me
The person is open with their emotions and crying in front of her, making her feel that their relationship is vulnerable and intimate.
Whenever I touch your slow turning pain
Whenever she tries to bring relief to this person's unexpressed pain, it moves slowly.
You're hiding from me now
The person is avoiding her and not opening up to her anymore.
There's something in the way that you're talking
The person's behavior and words are changing, which seems to indicate that something is going on with him.
Words don't sound right
The person isn't speaking truthfully and something is off.
But I hear them all moving inside you, go
She can sense that there is something deeper beneath the surface-level replies.
I'll be waiting when you call
Assures him that she never left and is there whenever he needs her.
The finger of blame has turned upon itself
The blame is no longer being directed outward, but now inward.
And I'm more than willing to offer myself
She is willing to be there for the person, no matter what is needed and at whatever cost.
Do you want my presence or need my help
Asks him directly what he needs from her.
Who knows where that might lead
No one knows where this relationship may go, but she is willing to take the risk.
I fall
She knows that she is prone to falling for this person, but still trusts that it is worth it.
Whenever I fall at your feet
Repeats the refrain to reinforce the idea that she will always come back to this person when she needs him; she is vulnerable when she's with him.
Would you let your tears rain down on me
Asking the person to let their guard down and be vulnerable with her.
Whenever I fall, ever I fall
Repeats the end to reinforce the idea that she always falls each time she's around him.
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.