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
On a Ship
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pushing me gently from side to side, rocking me
Through the porthole flying fish would dance
Floating like gliders above the surf, my first romance
I only lived in my father's eyes
A child not ready to break the ties
He fell in love with another girl
Heading southwards with the sun on board
The wind in my hair, I would dream of him, it seems absurd
Looking backwards it's so far away
Would I have loved him as much if he were here today?
I only lived in my father's eyes
A child not ready to break the ties
On a ship that sailed the world
He fell in love with another girl
The song "On a Ship" by Judie Tzuke tells the story of the singer reflecting on a past love while on a ship. Through the window, she can hear the sea "pushing her gently from side to side," almost as if the sea is rocking her to sleep. Through the porthole, she sees flying fish that dance above the surf - this image serves as a metaphor for the singer's first romance.
The singer reflects on the fact that she only lived in her father's eyes when she was younger; she was too young to break free from her father's grip on her life. She then reveals that while on this ship, her father fell in love with another girl.
The singer then reflects on her own past love, someone she dreamed of while on this ship. Looking back on that love, she wonders if she would have still loved them as much if they were still with her today. The song ends with the repetition of the verse about her father falling in love with someone else, leaving the singer feeling alone on this ship.
Overall, "On a Ship" is a song about reflection on past loves and the passing of time. The sea serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The singer reflects on the relationships in her life and wonders how each of them has changed over time.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the window I can hear the sea
I can hear the sound of the sea outside through the window
Pushing me gently from side to side, rocking me
The constant motion of the sea is making me sway gently from side to side
Through the porthole flying fish would dance
I could see fish gliding in the sea outside through a small window
Floating like gliders above the surf, my first romance
The sight of the fish floating on top of the water was like a romantic fantasy to me
I only lived in my father's eyes
I was just a child and my existence revolved only around my father's attention
A child not ready to break the ties
I wasn't prepared to let go of my attachment to my father yet
On a ship that sailed the world
I was on a ship that traveled around the world
He fell in love with another girl
My father fell in love with someone else while we were traveling
Heading southwards with the sun on board
We were sailing south with the sun shining on us
The wind in my hair, I would dream of him, it seems absurd
I would daydream about my father even though he had fallen in love with someone else, which seems irrational
Looking backwards it's so far away
When I think about it now, it seems like a distant memory
Would I have loved him as much if he were here today?
I question whether I would still love my father the same way if he were still alive and with me today
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
diogenesagogo
This should be played to every classically trained singer. YOU DON'T NEED TO VIBRATO THE HELL OUT OF EVERY DAMN NOTE. This lady achieves maximum emotional impact with no vibrato whatsoever. Absolutely mesmeric performance.
WorldsHandsomestMan1
They simply don't record 'em like this anymore -- one of the most magnificent album tracks of all time. Soaring vocals. . . majestic guitar solo. . . plus those Technicolor-meets-Cinemascope woodwinds and strings. Absolutely epic!
Andrew Hulson
Absoulutly
soundseeker63
One of times biggest mysteries how this album managed to avoid being a number one!
runningtap12
She is soooo brilliant and underrated! Love her!
runningtap12
Judie is one of those underated artists. She is brilliant!!!!!!
learntospell
40 years later and I still regularly listen to this album.
Jan Bird
I must have worn the vinyl out on this. And I can still remember all the words, and every note of the solo in the middle!
ropa511
One of the most under rated and forgotten about singers of all time.
jon sebastian
@althea dickerson Very true Althea. once heard never forgotten Judie was/ is like a breath of spring air