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
Submarine Boy
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You pulled back the covers and looked right through me
You saw beauty where I saw pain
I want to feel beautiful again
So dizzy in the sunlight no clouds across my sky
Wish I was with you my submarine boy
Under the water where you were mine and I was yours
My submarine boy
Let’s go diving
So slowly you touched me
Made me feel so alive and lovely
So little to lose, so much to gain
What made me leave you for the rain
I was happy in the sunshine
No shadows on my face
Wish I was with you my submarine boy
Under the water where you were mine and I was yours
I’ll always wonder did I make the right choice
My submarine boy
Let’s go diving
Your hand in mine
I kissed your face a thousand times
With the sun in our eyes and the sand in our shoes
I don’t know why I didn’t choose you
The lyrics to Judie Tzuke's song "Submarine Boy" speak to the experience of a person who feels broken and is seeking the embrace of someone who sees the beauty in them. The first stanza paints a picture of feeling vulnerable and exposed, as someone gently pulls back the covers and sees through their façade. The singer wishes to feel beautiful again and longs for a connection with a person who sees them for who they truly are. The second stanza describes a person who made them feel alive and lovely, but they left them for something uncertain or painful. This leads the singer to ponder whether leaving that person was the right decision. The chorus expresses a desire to be with their "submarine boy" under the water, where they were united and happy.
The metaphor of a "submarine boy" in this song may represent a sense of protection and safety that the singer longs for. Being underwater with this person means being away from the pressures of the outside world and, in a sense, being sheltered from the rain or pain referenced in the song. The ocean may also represent a sense of depth and mystery, which aligns with the complexity and depth of the singer's emotions. Ultimately, this song speaks to the human desire for connection and the struggle to balance what is safe and familiar with what is exciting and unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
So gently you moved me
You approached me with care
You pulled back the covers and looked right through me
You saw through my facade
You saw beauty where I saw pain
You found good where I saw bad
I want to feel beautiful again
I desire to feel attractive once more
So dizzy in the sunlight no clouds across my sky
I was elated in the sun without any worries
Wish I was with you my submarine boy
I long to be with my partner who loves diving
Under the water where you were mine and I was yours
In the deep sea, we belonged to each other
I’ll always wonder did I make the right choice
I'll always question if my decision was wise
My submarine boy
My man who loves diving
Let’s go diving
Let's swim deep
So slowly you touched me
You caressed me gradually
Made me feel so alive and lovely
You made me feel full of life and beautiful
So little to lose, so much to gain
There was little to risk and a lot to gain
What made me leave you for the rain
What convinced me to leave you for something unpleasant
I was happy in the sunshine
I was happy in the light
No shadows on my face
There were no dark areas in my life
Your hand in mine
We held hands
I kissed your face a thousand times
I kissed your face repeatedly
With the sun in our eyes and the sand in our shoes
With the sun blinding us and sand filling our shoes
I don’t know why I didn’t choose you
I'm unaware of why I didn't pick you
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bernie F
Your voice as wonderful and heart-melting as ever!
Sky Boswell
Loved this song the moment I first heard it. Thanks for making it available on YouTube. xxxx
kevin Newstead
lovely song from one of the best singers
MrButtonpresser
Lovely vocals ladies!!
Westcountry Wanderings
Fantastic song and performance. Lovely acoustics in this venue. Great musicians backing Judie too.
BlindPete Oz
Wonderful , as always Judie 🤗
michelle France
Beautiful. One of my favourite songs xx
Liza Maughan
I was there - it was wonderful. Can't wait to see you again in concert soon!!
Raymond Williams
Great live performance as always. Looking towards Judie touring up North. Wonderfull music ey up lass!
Angela Wheller
she just gets more beautiful with age, what an amazing voice and children xx