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
For You
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't find my way, changing every day, hope you're gonna find me)
Oh hope they're gonna find me, oh hope they're gonna find me)
(Here I am looking for love and affection
I keep on looking for love and affection
For love and affection
Oh I'm so lonely for love
Why is that when I wake up every day
Your words run into everything that I might say?
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
When the telephone rings my hands start to shake
Seems that I give so much more than I take
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
Pretty tunes don't mean a lot when I'm singing just for you
Don’t have to say a lot but it's all that I can do
And you know it's for you
But whatever you do doesn't change the way I feel
You're all that is love, you're everything real
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
Why is that when I wake up every day
Your words run into everything that I might say?
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
Here I am looking for love and affection
I keep on looking for love and affection
For love and affection
Oh I'm so lonely for love
Oh so lonely for love
The song "For You" by Judie Tzuke is about the feeling of loneliness and the search for love and affection. The singer is desperately waiting for someone to find her and hoping that her search for love will end soon. She feels lost and changed by her own emotions and desires every day, but still clings on to the hope that someone will come and rescue her from her solitude. The lyrics, "why is that when I wake up every day, your words run into everything that I might say?" suggest that the person the singer is waiting for might have spoken some words of affection to her earlier, and she cannot stop thinking about them, even when she wakes up in the morning.
The second verse of the song speaks about how the singer's every thought is consumed with the person she is waiting for. She is giving more than she takes, and even when she is singing pretty tunes, she is singing them only for this person. However, the singer's love for this person is unchanging, and she realizes that this person is her everything. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase, "Here I am looking for love and affection, I keep on looking for love and affection, for love and affection, oh I'm so lonely for love, oh so lonely for love," which showcases the yearning for love and the desperation to find it.
Line by Line Meaning
(Here they come again, here they come again, hope they're gonna find me
I can't find my way, changing every day, hope you're gonna find me)
Oh hope they're gonna find me, oh hope they're gonna find me)
The singer is lost and constantly changing, hoping someone will find her and bring some stability into her life.
(Here I am looking for love and affection
I keep on looking for love and affection
For love and affection
Oh I'm so lonely for love
Oh so lonely for love)
The singer is searching for love and affection but feels very lonely without it.
Why is that when I wake up every day
Your words run into everything that I might say?
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
The singer cannot stop thinking about someone and their words constantly permeate her thoughts and actions, even if she hasn't seen them in a while.
When the telephone rings my hands start to shake
Seems that I give so much more than I take
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
The singer gets anxious when the phone rings because she is always giving more to the other person than she is receiving. She still thinks about them all the time, even if nothing has happened between them recently.
Pretty tunes don't mean a lot when I'm singing just for you
Don’t have to say a lot but it's all that I can do
And you know it's for you
The singer is singing a song to the person she can't stop thinking about, and while it may not be the most beautiful or profound thing in the world, she hopes it conveys her feelings.
But whatever you do doesn't change the way I feel
You're all that is love, you're everything real
Every thought, every smile finds it way back to you
Every step that I take, anything that I do
Oh I haven't forgotten you
No matter what the other person does, the singer's feelings towards them will not change. To her, they are the embodiment of love and reality, and she continues to think about them all the time.
Here I am looking for love and affection
I keep on looking for love and affection
For love and affection
Oh I'm so lonely for love
Oh so lonely for love
The singer is still searching for love and affection to ease her loneliness, as nothing has changed since the beginning of the song.
Contributed by Matthew G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@emmajones9391
This is a Fucking masterpiece. She introduced me to harmonies when I was 7 yrs old and have never ever been able to get this song out of my head. Hats of judie. I’m a singer just been bringing up my son and not had the chances, but because of you and this track harmonies are my forte. Thankyou. Xccccccxxxxxxxx
@andrewbranch4918
Still no words to encompass the beauty and romance of this tune.57 years and when I think about the times we grew through and what we have now. I wanna be a silly little niave sprog again full of love adventure romance and the promise of a life that unfolds. Not the life of regime. Peace and love ✌️😁❤️💙💜💎
@rokit430
Well written. Yes it's like where have all those years gone. But they are not lost..with singers like Judi..a forever time🌈
@travisbickle1374
Disgracefully underrated, under recognised - hugely talented singer / songwriter.
@mhthmusicvideos
Agreed
@popehadrianthe4th648
This is a jolly amazing song, can’t believe it never charted. Let’s keep it our little secret.
@ambadad
What a joy is was a couple of years ago to hear Judie sing this live on the Woman To Woman tour with the sublime voices of Julia Fordham and Beverley Craven providing the backing vocals.
@sarac.3259
Yes - wasn't it such a fabulous show? (We were in London.) Couldn't believe how good they sounded together and "swapping" songs. Magical.
@miker4926
Judie is a massively underrated artist. I remember this song as a teenager, it's a real hidden gem. Love her other songs too. Glad to see she's recently teamed up with Beverly Craven and Julia Fordham named 'Woman to Woman' to create a new album.
@eamonholland5478
And now also with Rumer, saw them all last night in London, they did this stunning!!!