Judie Tzuke (born Judie Myers, 3 April 1956, in London) is an English singe… Read Full Bio ↴Judie Tzuke (born Judie Myers, 3 April 1956, in London) is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.

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

That's Where My Heart Used To Be
Judie Tzuke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You may think you know me well.
Taking in all that I can sell you I,
Change the labels when I choose.
Like dressing to impress,
A picture in an attic chest.
What makes you think that I'd tell you
The way I feel, the things I do, I'm
Just another lonely fool

A candle on a party cake.

See these eyes sighted and true,
Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
And these legs still carry me forward,
but see this space,
That’s where my heart used to be.

I can't give you what you want,
I could pretend to, but I won't, I'm
Just a room without a door,
Nothing inside worth looking for.

See these eyes sighted and true,
Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
And these legs still carry me forward,
but see this space,
That’s where my heart used to be.

Don’t think you’re reaching inside,
There's nothing left here to hide,
It’s only rain in my eyes.

See these eyes sighted and true,
Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
And these legs still carry me forward,
but see this space,
That’s where my heart used to be.

See these eyes sighted and true,
Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
And these legs still carry me forward,
but see this space,
That’s where my heart used to be.

See these eyes sighted and true,
Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
And these legs still carry me forward,

but see this space,
That’s where my heart used to be.

Overall Meaning

The song "That's Where My Heart Used To Be" by Judie Tzuke is a poignant reflection on the singer's emotional state. The lyrics suggest that the singer is hiding her true emotions, presenting an image of herself that is not entirely authentic. The line "taking in all that I can sell you" implies that the singer is putting on a show for others, portraying an image of herself that is more palatable than her true feelings. The line "what makes you think that I'd tell you the way I feel, the things I do" further emphasizes this idea, suggesting that the singer is not willing to open up to others about her true emotions.

The song also touches on the theme of heartbreak and emotional numbness. The line "nothing inside worth looking for" suggests that the singer feels empty and hollow inside, unable to offer anything of substance to others. The repetition of the line "see this space, that's where my heart used to be" drives home this idea, emphasizing the singer's emotional detachment and numbness.

Overall, "That's Where My Heart Used To Be" is a powerful and introspective exploration of emotional authenticity, heartbreak, and emotional numbness.

Line by Line Meaning

You may think you know me well.
You may have an understanding about me, but it may not be entirely true nor complete.

Taking in all that I can sell you I,
I am capable of influencing you by portraying a certain image to gain your approval or attention.

Change the labels when I choose.
I have the control to change and present myself in different ways depending on the situation or person I am with.

Like dressing to impress,
Just as one dresses in order to make a good impression, I present myself to make a good impression on others.

A picture in an attic chest.
The presentation I am portraying of myself is similar to a photograph stored away in a box, only taken out when needed.

What makes you think that I'd tell you
I am not obligated nor willing to reveal my true thoughts and emotions to anyone.

The way I feel, the things I do, I'm
My emotions and actions are personal and not something I readily share with others.

Just another lonely fool
Despite my ability to control my appearance and image, deep down, I am still struggling with loneliness and feelings of inadequacy.

A candle on a party cake.
I am the small, insignificant light or presence in the midst of a larger, seemingly joyful gathering.

See these eyes sighted and true,
My eyes may appear clear and honest.

Feel these arms, they’re holding you.
My physical touch may seem comforting and reassuring to you.

And these legs still carry me forward,
I am still moving forward and making progress in life.

but see this space,
However, there is an emotional and spiritual void within me.

That’s where my heart used to be.
My heart, or the core of my authentic self, has been replaced by this void due to my attempts to control and manipulate my image.

I can't give you what you want,
I am unable to provide you with what you desire or expect from me.

I could pretend to, but I won't, I'm
Although I am capable of pretending to meet your expectations, I am choosing not to do so.

Just a room without a door,
I am a closed off, impenetrable space without any means of true entrance or access.

Nothing inside worth looking for.
There is no genuine or valuable aspect to my inner self that warrants exploring or discovering.

Don’t think you’re reaching inside,
You may believe that you are making progress in understanding me better, but in reality, you are not.

There's nothing left here to hide,
There are no secrets or concealed aspects of my identity for you to uncover.

It’s only rain in my eyes.
The tears in my eyes are simply due to sadness and not a result of any intense emotional connection or attachment to you.