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
Welcome To The Cruise
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't want no clouds to fill my skies, no more goodbyes
I know that this time you have come to me, and run in on me
Good love is running in on me
Don't try to dim my eyes, don't ever try to live my life
Welcome to the cruise
Welcome to the cruise, cruise
Love come down and run in on me
No words from me will change your ways, I want to tell you that
Nothing that I see will change your days, nothing will change
'Cause I know this time you have come to me, come to run with me
I know that you will run with me
Don't try to take my time, don't question what is on my mind
Welcome to the cruise
Welcome to the cruise, cruise
Come on down and run in with me
Come on down and run in with me
Don't want no darkness in my days, I've got to tell you that
Don't want no clouds to fill my skies
Don't want the earth, no crooked lies, don't want the night
No more goodbyes
The lyrics to Judie Tzuke's song "Welcome to the Cruise" express a desire for positivity and love to enter the singer's life. The lyrics repeat the phrase "don't want" to indicate what the singer wants to avoid in her life. She doesn't want any darkness or clouds to fill her days or skies. She also doesn't want to say any more goodbyes. The singer expresses that good love has finally come to her and it's running right into her life.
The next verse talks about how the singer knows that her love interest has come to her and is willing to run with her. She doesn't want anyone to try to dim her eyes or control her life. The chorus again says "welcome to the cruise" and invites the person to come run in with her. The final lyrics repeat the singer's desires to avoid darkness and clouds in her life and not to be lied to or say any more goodbyes.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't want no darkness in my days, I want to tell you that
I don't want negativity or sadness in my life.
Don't want no clouds to fill my skies, no more goodbyes
I don't want anything that will bring me down or make me say goodbye to something/someone I love.
I know that this time you have come to me, and run in on me
I am aware that love has finally found me and has made itself present in my life.
Good love is running in on me
I am experiencing the joy of good, true love in my life right now.
Don't try to dim my eyes, don't ever try to live my life
I won't allow anyone to bring me down or tell me how to live my life.
No words from me will change your ways, I want to tell you that
I know that nothing I say will change someone else's choices or behavior.
Nothing that I see will change your days, nothing will change
Even if I see something problematic or wrong with someone, it won't change them; change must come from within.
'Cause I know this time you have come to me, come to run with me
I'm certain that this person who has entered my life now wants to experience life with me, and not just be a bystander.
I know that you will run with me
I believe that the person will join me on my journey through life, and we'll face everything together.
Don't try to take my time, don't question what is on my mind
I won't allow anyone to waste my time or criticize my thoughts.
Come on down and run in with me
I want you to join me in experiencing and enjoying life to the fullest.
Don't want the earth, no crooked lies, don't want the night
I don't want any negativity or deceptiveness in my life; I want light and truth.
No more goodbyes
I don't want to say goodbye to anything anymore; I want to hold onto every good thing in my life.
Welcome to the cruise
Welcome to a journey full of love and positivity.
Welcome to the cruise, cruise
Continuing to welcome more love and positivity in my life.
Love come down and run in on me
Experiencing true and genuine love that is coming into my life now.
Love come down and run in on me
Experiencing true and genuine love that is coming into my life now.
Contributed by Liam C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.