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
Outside
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I keep memories and they make me smile,
Inside my room, pillows filled up with feathers,
It smells like home and it’s there I feel safe,
Outside me, a world of joy, a world of pain I didn’t realize
Outside me, I had to go there, so that I could see with my own eyes,
Outside me, what can I do to help make a change?
Inside my room, where you told me your stories,
Sung me sweet lullabies, to send me to sleep,
Inside my heart, you put love and protection,
You've given me strength, so I could choose life
Outside me, a world of joy, a world of pain I didn’t realize
Outside me, I had to go there, so that I could see with my own eyes,
Outside me, what can I do to help make a change?
It's hard to be outside me...
It's hard to be outside me...
Like the leaves I will give myself to the wind,
No matter where I go, let the future come in,
It’s hard to be outside me, it’s hard to be outside
"In Outside In," Judie Tzuke explores the theme of contrast between the safety and familiarity of one's personal space and the unpredictable nature of the outside world. The first stanza describes the sanctuary of the singer's room, where memories and comforts reside. This place is associated with warmth and security, as represented by the softness of the feather-filled pillows. However, as the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the limitations of this space and the need to venture out into the real world. The phrase "Outside me" repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the separation between the inner self and the outside world. The singer admits to being sheltered from both the good and bad aspects of life and realizes the value of experiencing the world first-hand. This realization is underscored by the repetition of the phrase "It's hard to be outside me."
The second half of the song suggests a willingness to take risks and embrace change, as represented by the image of leaves being carried by the wind. The singer acknowledges that the future is unknown, but is willing to let it unfold naturally.
Overall, "Outside In" is a contemplative song about the push-and-pull between safety and risk, and the realization that growth often comes from challenging oneself and leaving the comfort zone.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside my room is a box full of treasures,
My room is a place where I store precious memories and other possessions which bring me happiness and comfort.
Where I keep memories and they make me smile,
The memories I have stored in my room make me happy every time I remember them.
Inside my room, pillows filled up with feathers,
My room is a cozy place filled with soft, comfortable pillows stuffed with feathers that make it feel like home.
It smells like home and it’s there I feel safe,
The familiar smell from my room makes me feel secure, protected and comfortable.
Outside me, a world of joy, a world of pain I didn’t realize
Beyond my comfortable room, there is a diverse world full of both happiness and suffering surprises, which I had not comprehended before.
Outside me, I had to go there, so that I could see with my own eyes,
To gain personal understanding, I had to step outside of my comfort zone and discover the world for myself.
Outside me, what can I do to help make a change?
Now that I have seen the challenges and opportunities outside of my room, I am motivated to get involved and help transform things for the better.
It’s hard to be outside
It is not easy to experience new things and situations that take me beyond my comfort zone and present me with new challenges to adapt to.
Like the leaves I will give myself to the wind,
Just as leaves detach from a tree and go wherever the wind takes them, I am ready to surrender myself to whatever the future has planned for me.
No matter where I go, let the future come in,
I am ready and open to whatever the future may hold, even if it takes me to unexpected places.
It’s hard to be outside me...
It remains a challenge to explore outside of my comfort zone and allow myself to grow and learn beyond what I already know about myself.
Contributed by Caleb O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.