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
Higher And Higher
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From pools that engulf me are letting me know
That star storms will break round the earth at my feet
And angels will dance through the heavens' wide streets
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside of me
I watch as you outshine the charlatan fold
Catch me, staring, frozen to life
You've come and delivered and taken outside
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside of me
Your face is magic, am I here dreaming?
Capture me, torture me, I am here waiting
Send out your soldiers, armies of wonder
Capture me, torture me, I am here waiting for love
Wandering minstrels are fogging my brain
And weird intellectuals are doing the same
Clouding and threatening I watch as they come
Like hordes of Black Angels dripping with blood
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside of me
Your face is magic, am I here dreaming?
Capture me, torture me, I am here waiting
Send out your soldiers, armies of wonder
Capture me, torture me, I am here waiting for love
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Higher and higher and higher and higher (waiting for love)
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Higher and higher and higher and higher
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
Higher and higher and higher and higher
Higher and higher the feelings they fly (waiting for love)
Higher and higher and higher and higher
The lyrics to Judie Tzuke's "Higher And Higher" portray a sense of awe and wonderment towards love and the person the songwriter is addressing. In the first stanza, the songwriter describes how the whispers that surround them are telling them that something incredible is about to happen, and that even the heavens will be moved by the power of the love they feel. This is reinforced in the chorus, which speaks of the feelings growing deeper and more intense, lifting the songwriter higher and higher towards an almost transcendent state of being.
In the following stanza, the songwriter speaks directly to the person they are addressing, remarking on their beauty and how they outshine anyone else around them. The bridge speaks to the power of the emotions involved, with the songwriter feeling not just captivated but tortured by the intensity of their feelings. The final stanza brings in a sense of danger and uncertainty, as the songwriter describes various ominous figures coming for them, but again the chorus repeats the idea of the love lifting them higher and higher.
Overall, the lyrics of "Higher And Higher" paint a picture of love as an incredible force that can transform and elevate one's life, but also a force that is intense enough to be both beautiful and frightening.
Line by Line Meaning
Whispers like velvety soft falling snow
Soft whispers surround me, like the gentle touch of snowflakes.
From pools that engulf me are letting me know
I am surrounded by a feeling of deep immersion or a sense of being completely enveloped, which tells me something important.
That star storms will break round the earth at my feet
The universe aligns to show that something great is about to happen around me.
And angels will dance through the heavens' wide streets
Celestial beings will celebrate the coming of this great event.
Deeper and deeper they crawl down inside of me
These feelings are not just external, they are deeply rooted and consuming inside of me.
In fingers of trees and valleys of gold
I observe the beauty of nature, the way that trees and valleys are shaped and how they glow like gold.
I watch as you outshine the charlatan fold
I marvel at how you shine brighter than those who feign greatness, those who pretend to be who they are not.
Catch me, staring, frozen to life
I am so entranced by your radiance that for a moment, time stands still and I am frozen in your sight.
You've come and delivered and taken outside
You have rescued me from my own thoughts, taking me out of my own head and into a new reality.
Your face is magic, am I here dreaming?
The sight of your face fills me with wonder, as I question if this is all a dream.
Capture me, torture me, I am here waiting
I am willing to experience the highs and lows that come with these feelings, waiting eagerly for whatever comes next.
Send out your soldiers, armies of wonder
As I wait for the next thing, I ask for more amazing experiences like this one to come forth and capture me.
Wandering minstrels are fogging my brain
My mind is clouded by wandering artists and free-thinkers who make me question what is real and what is not.
And weird intellectuals are doing the same
My mind is also influenced by those who think differently and who push me to step outside of my comfort zone.
Like hordes of Black Angels dripping with blood
These people can be both helpful and dangerous, like dark angels with an edge of danger that threatens to pull me off course.
Higher and higher the feelings they fly
These feelings continue to rise, growing stronger with each passing moment.
Higher and higher and higher and higher (waiting for love)
This repeated line emphasizes the intensity of these emotions, and the fact that they are leading towards something greater, like waiting for love.
Contributed by Gianna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Su Taylor
Thank you for sharing. This is beautiful. The only song from Judie Tzuke I had known was 'Stay With me Till Dawn'. I had no idea how many treasures of songs she had.
jimrs2000
I was at this concert and got to meet Judie afterwards....awsome!!
Solo-Win
su voz me hipnotiza
Paula B
wow, great footage, superb vocals, i luv this song, but "for you" is la creme of jude's live act for me! x
KJStarry
Still love her
Martin Haughton
I am a die hard soul fan, have been for 30 years but every now and again a track by a white artist does do something special to me and Stay with me til dawn is one such track. I heard it on the radio the other day and I felt comppeled to come and check it out on youtube. Really nice love song, really great vocal, great strings. Is that you Judy (tzukeinfo) ? or are you a fan?
Paula B
think she invented this hairstyle, which is actually incredibly trendy right now, 30 odd years on from when jude first sported it x
John Routh
@Paula B Ah yes - Charlies Angels comes flooding back to my memory!
Paula B
@John Routh the farrah fawcett look
John Routh
Not so - my wife had the same thing back then. It has been suggested that was part of the attraction!