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.
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temporary
Judie Tzuke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What was the right thing to do?
And I was always there whenever
Something was hurting you
So we can use words like "forever"
Playing with the truth
But you should know that if you're happy
I'm standing by the waters edge
Hoping that you're gonna swim
A rolling lessons you have learned
Finally kicking in
So we can use words like "forever"
Playing with the truth
But you should know that if you're happy
I'll be happy, too
Don't think that I don't realize
That you're gonna leave
I've always known it's temporary
That was good enough for me
Wish we could rewind time
Start over again
Good things like that never last
And I'm okay with that
So we can use words like "forever"
Playing with the truth
But you should know that if you're happy
I'll be happy, too
Don't think that I don't realize
That you're gonna leave
I've always known it's temporary
Temporary
Judie Tzuke's 1981 hit song, Temporary, is a beautiful ballad that speaks to the fleeting nature of relationships. In the song, Tzuke addresses a person who has left her, questioning if they made the right decision. She reflects on their relationship and the times she was always there to comfort them whenever they were hurting. Tzuke admits that they often used words like "forever" and played with the truth, but what's important is that they both find happiness.
The song's melancholic tone is emphasized when Tzuke sings of standing by the waters edge, hoping that the person she has lost will swim back. She acknowledges that they have learned life's lessons and that it's time for them to move on. In the chorus, she repeats the phrase that she can accept their temporary nature, that she always knew they wouldn't last, and that it was still enough for her.
In the last verse of the song, Tzuke expresses her desire to rewind time and start things over again. She knows that good things like their relationship never last, but she has made her peace with that. She concludes the song by reiterating that she wants her ex to be happy, and she will be too.
Overall, Temporary captures the feeling of holding onto something for as long as you can, even though you know it won't last. It's a bittersweet reminder that all things come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
You run away so sure
You left without a doubt in your mind.
What was the right thing to do?
Did you make the right decision in leaving?
And I was always there whenever, Something was hurting you
I was your support system whenever you needed it.
So we can use words like "forever", Playing with the truth
We can say we will stay together forever, but it may not be true.
But you should know that if you're happy, I'll be happy, too
I want you to be happy, even if it means without me.
I'm standing by the waters edge, Hoping that you're gonna swim
I'm waiting for you to take a risk and come back to me.
A rolling lessons you have learned, Finally kicking in
You have learned from your mistakes and it's starting to show.
Don't think that I don't realize, That you're gonna leave
I know that you will eventually leave me.
I've always known it's temporary, That was good enough for me
I was aware that our time together was limited but it was still worth it.
Wish we could rewind time, Start over again
I wish we could go back to the beginning and do things differently.
Good things like that never last, And I'm okay with that
I understand that good things don't always last and I accept that.
Temporary
Our time together was fleeting and impermanent.
Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.