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
The Flesh Is Weak
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And though I try hard to tame it
It's always fighting to be free
Sometimes I try to be open, but doors keep closing
I try to show that I'm okay outside
But inside I'm exploding
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
In the eye of the hurricane I seem to always live
I hold back affection with the friendship I can give
And when my heart's in a safe place, then I get reckless
I try to show that I'm okay outside
But inside I'm exploding
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
I know there's a tiger down inside of me
One foot in the doorway of my sanity
And when I call out to someone that I need helping
I try to show that I'm okay outside
But inside I'm exploding
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
Judie Tzuke's song "The Flesh Is Weak" is a poignant exploration of the inner conflict that exists in each human being. The central theme of the song revolves around the struggle between one's physical and emotional desires. The opening lines, "I know there's a tiger down inside of me, and though I try hard to tame it, it's always fighting to be free", depict the struggle of trying to suppress one's primitive instincts. The song conveys the message that no matter how much one tries to control their urges, they will always be at war with themselves.
The song progresses to explore the impact of this internal conflict on the singer's relationships. They feel that they are always holding back their affection, and when they do let their guard down, they become reckless. This emotional repression creates a disconnect between the singer and those around them, which is evident in the line, "I try to show that I'm okay outside, but inside I'm exploding".
The final verse highlights the singer's desperation to find help to deal with their inner turmoil but is unable to express themselves fully. The repetition of the phrase "The flesh is weak and the heart is willing" reinforces the idea that the singer's physical urges and emotional needs are in constant disagreement. The song ends with a sense of unease and unresolved tension, mirroring the ongoing battle between our physical and emotional selves.
Interestingly, Judie Tzuke's song "The Flesh Is Weak" was initially released as the B-side to her hit single "Stay With Me Till Dawn" in 1979. The song became a fan favorite and was later re-released as a single in its own right.
Line by Line Meaning
I know there's a tiger down inside of me
I am aware that there is a fierce and uncontrollable aspect of myself
And though I try hard to tame it
Even though I make an effort to control it
It's always fighting to be free
It continually resists any attempt to suppress or constrain it
Sometimes I try to be open, but doors keep closing
In certain situations, I endeavor to show my vulnerability, but circumstances prevent me from doing so
I try to show that I'm okay outside
I attempt to project an image of myself as being emotionally stable and coping well with life's challenges
But inside I'm exploding
However, in reality, my emotions are in turmoil and I'm close to losing control
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
My physical urges are difficult to resist, but my inner desires are strong and unyielding
In the eye of the hurricane I seem to always live
I feel as though I exist in a state of constant chaos or turmoil
I hold back affection with the friendship I can give
I am hesitant to express deeper feelings of love or attraction and instead settle for a platonic relationship
And when my heart's in a safe place, then I get reckless
When I feel secure and accepted, I may act impulsively and take risks
One foot in the doorway of my sanity
I am precariously balanced between emotional stability and insanity
And when I call out to someone that I need helping
If I reach out to someone for assistance
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
I struggle to resist my physical impulses, despite my strong inner desires
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
My battle between my physical and emotional impulses continues
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
I am still struggling to reconcile my inner turmoil
The flesh is weak and the heart is willing
The conflict between my physical and emotional desires persists
Contributed by Jasmine W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.