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
Lives In The Balance
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you know that you've seen it before
Where a government lies to a people
And there's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To the wars that are fought in places
Where their business interest runs
On the radio talk shows and the T.V.
You hear one thing again and again
How the U.S.A. stands for freedom
And we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends
These governments killing their own?
Or the people who finally can't take any more
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
There are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
Of the wars that are fought in places
Where we can't even say the names
They sell us the President the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us every thing from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
In "Lives in the Balance" by Judie Tzuke, the artist addresses a range of political issues, from government lies to war and the media's role in perpetuating a false narrative. The opening line captures the weariness of waiting for change to come, signaling an enduring frustration with the political status quo. The blood in the ink of the headlines refers to the violence and conflict that reporters often cover, while the sound of the crowd represents the masses who are affected by world events.
The artist then goes on to question the government's relationship with other nations, expressing skepticism toward claims of aiding a friend. She contrasts this with the reality of governments killing their own people, and how this can fuel anger and violence. Tzuke highlights the true victims of war in her chorus, children who are forced onto the front line and innocent people who are caught in the crossfire. The song ends with a call for accountability and a desire to know who is responsible for perpetuating the cycle of violence.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been waiting for something to happen
The singer is waiting for a significant and meaningful event to occur.
For a week or a month or a year
The length of time for which she has been waiting is indeterminate but significant.
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
The stories circulating in the media are violent and distressing.
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
The artist is being influenced by the opinions of a large group of people.
You might ask what it takes to remember
A reminder is needed to jog the memory and recall past events.
When you know that you've seen it before
The event being discussed is not new, and it has happened before.
Where a government lies to a people
The government is being dishonest with its citizens.
And a country is drifting to war
The nation is headed towards military conflict.
And there's a shadow on the faces
The people who are causing harm are deeply affected by guilt or shame.
Of the men who send the guns
The people who facilitate violence are responsible for the harm that results.
To the wars that are fought in places
The conflicts being waged by the military are occurring in distant and unfamiliar locations.
Where their business interest runs
The people who stand to benefit from these conflicts are motivated by financial gain.
On the radio talk shows and the T.V.
The media is used to promote a particular narrative to the public.
You hear one thing again and again
A repeated message is being presented to the public through various mediums.
How the U.S.A. stands for freedom
The united states is portrayed as a bastion of liberty and justice.
And we come to the aid of a friend
The U.S.A. is always willing to help its allies in times of need.
But who are the ones that we call our friends
The people who we identify as friends are not always deserving of that title.
These governments killing their own?
The nations we identify as friends may be using violence against their own citizens.
Or the people who finally can't take any more
The oppressed and disaffected citizens who resort to violence as a means of resistance.
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
The objects used by desperate people to mount a defense against their oppressors.
There are lives in the balance
The conflict being discussed has real consequences for the people involved.
There are people under fire
Innocent people are being injured, killed, or otherwise harmed by the conflict.
There are children at the cannons
Young and defenseless individuals are being used as instruments of war.
And there is blood on the wire
The violence and brutality of the conflict is evident in the aftermath of the battles.
They sell us the President the same way
The political candidates are promoted in the same manner as consumer goods and services.
They sell us our clothes and our cars
Consumer capitalism promotes the purchase of commodities as a central aspect of modern life.
They sell us every thing from youth to religion
The enticements of consumer culture are aimed at people of all ages and beliefs.
The same time they sell us our wars
The media and politicians encourage us to view military conflict as a worthwhile and meaningful endeavor.
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
The people who are responsible for instigating and promoting military conflict are hiding from the public eye.
I want to hear somebody asking them why
The singer wants someone to hold these shadowy figures accountable for their actions.
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
The same people who promote war are the ones who tell us who the bad guys are.
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
The instigators of conflict never have to suffer the consequences of their actions.
Contributed by Callie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.