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
Wonderland
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Giving my opinion to whoever's there
Going round in circles, trying to stop the tears
Who do I think I'm kidding?
Who said life was fair?
Well we all are searching for our little piece of the great illusion, that elusive beast
Just a little romance in an ugly world
There's no written word
We keep our secrets
Shut down the pain
Hide the strain
If we all believe in Wonderland why do we make it such a hell?
If we all believe in Wonderland how come it's lies we tell?
Do we still believe in miracles? If we can only find the key
Could it be there's a Wonderland?
Please, God, there has to be.
In Judie Tzuke's song "Wonderland," the artist portrays the struggle many people face to find their place in a society that can be cruel and unforgiving. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is always available to offer advice to others but is struggling to cope with the emotional toll of their own life. The singer is lost in their own world, going around in circles, trying to stop the tears, and questioning if they are kidding themselves to believe life can be fair. The theme of searching for something special, for a sense of purpose, is encapsulated in lines like "Well, we all are searching for our little piece of the great illusion, that elusive beast. Just a little romance in an ugly world, who do I think I'm kidding? There's no written word."
The chorus of the song questions why, if we all believe in Wonderland, we make it such a hell. The idea of Wonderland represents hope, belief, and optimism, and the song suggests that it is these same qualities that we bury beneath the lies we tell ourselves. The lyrics suggest that we all keep secrets, hide our pain and strain, and struggle to maintain a façade of happiness. However, the song also offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that if we can only find the key to unlock the mystery of Wonderland, we may discover that there is magic and wonder in the world after all. The song seems to be a call to open our eyes to the beauty around us and not give in to despair or cynicism.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the phone keeps ringing and I'm always here
Despite feeling overwhelmed, I am constantly available to those who seek my opinion or presence
Giving my opinion to whoever's there
I freely offer my perspective to anyone who seeks it
Going round in circles, trying to stop the tears
Despite my efforts to stay composed, I find myself caught in an emotional spiral
Who do I think I'm kidding?
I am acknowledging the futility of trying to maintain a facade or deceive myself
Who said life was fair?
I am reflecting on the harsh reality that life is not always just
Well we all are searching for our little piece of the great illusion, that elusive beast
As humans, we are all seeking some semblance of happiness, but it often feels unattainable
Just a little romance in an ugly world
Even amidst the ugliness and chaos of the world, we long for some beauty and love
Who do I think I'm kidding?
Again, I am acknowledging that I cannot fool myself or others for long
There's no written word
Despite our attempts to create order and understanding through language, some things cannot be expressed in words
We keep our secrets
We often hide our true thoughts and feelings from one another
Shut down the pain
We try to suppress or numb our emotional pain
Hide the strain
We try to hide the physical and emotional toll that life can take on us
If we all believe in Wonderland why do we make it such a hell?
Despite our desire for happiness and beauty, we often create chaos and suffering in our own lives
If we all believe in Wonderland how come it's lies we tell?
Even as we claim to believe in goodness and wonder, we deceive ourselves and others with falsehoods and half-truths
Do we still believe in miracles?
I am questioning whether we still have faith in the possibility of extraordinary, positive events
If we can only find the key
I am suggesting that there may be a solution or a path to happiness, if we can only discover it
Could it be there's a Wonderland?
I am expressing a tentative hope or belief that there may be a better reality beyond this one
Please, God, there has to be.
I am making a desperate plea for some kind of salvation or redemption
Contributed by Declan A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.