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 Written Word
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as it's you that's in control
You want to make my life like yours
Are you trying to buy my soul?
And if I get up off the floor
You want me to reach out for your hand
And speak when I'm spoken to
Why don't you hear me, are you even listening?
My voice will be heard.
I'm coming up shouting, but in my own way,
Hidden in the written word.
What are you saying,
Telling me I am wonderful?
I can move mountains
As long as I do it all your way.
I'll dance to your tune
And somebody else will pay.
Why don't you hear me, are you even listening?
My voice will be heard.
I'm coming up shouting, but in my own way,
Hidden in the written word.
The Written Word by Judie Tzuke speaks to the power dynamic in a relationship where one person thinks they know what is best for the other. The singer is addressing this person directly, accusing them of wanting to control every aspect of her life, including her thoughts and actions. The line "Are you trying to buy my soul?" is particularly pointed, suggesting that the other person's desire for control is so great that they are essentially trying to purchase the singer's very self.
The second stanza of the song continues this theme, with the singer suggesting that the other person wants her to be a reflection of themselves, rather than an individual with her own thoughts and desires. The line "So the world thinks you're the man" suggests that the other person's motives are not pure, and that their desire for control is driven more by a desire for social status or power.
Finally, the chorus of the song is an assertion of the singer's own agency and power. She declares that her voice will be heard, but that she will do it "in her own way," hidden in "the written word." This suggests that she will not be silenced, but also that she will find her own way to express herself, potentially through writing or other forms of self-expression.
Overall, The Written Word is a powerful statement against controlling relationships and a defense of the importance of individual agency and self-expression.
Line by Line Meaning
You want to save me
You have a desire to rescue me from something.
As long as it's you that's in control
But only if you are the one who is calling the shots.
You want to make my life like yours
You aim to mold my life into a replica of your own.
Are you trying to buy my soul?
Is your end goal to have complete control over me, even if it means buying my loyalty?
And if I get up off the floor
If I manage to pick myself up after a setback,
You want me to reach out for your hand
You expect me to depend on you for help and support.
And speak when I'm spoken to
You want me to only speak when spoken to, like a subordinate.
So the world thinks you're the man.
So that the world perceives you as a strong and dominant figure.
Why don't you hear me, are you even listening?
I feel like you are ignoring me and not paying attention to what I am saying.
My voice will be heard.
But know that my opinions and thoughts will be eventually made known.
I'm coming up shouting, but in my own way,
I may be expressing my disagreement or opposition, yet I will find a way to do it on my own terms.
Hidden in the written word.
By hiding my true thoughts and feelings in written form.
What are you saying,
What is it that you are trying to imply or express to me?
Telling me I am wonderful?
Are you simply flattering me to get me on your side?
I can move mountains
You try to convince me that I am capable of accomplishing anything, but with your guidance.
As long as I do it all your way.
Only if I follow your methods in achieving success.
I'll dance to your tune
I am willing to conform to your wishes.
And somebody else will pay.
But at a cost to someone else, not necessarily you.
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.