Though born in Seattle, Washington (where she spent the first ten years of her life), she moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1949. As a child Collins studied classical piano with Antonia Brico, making her public debut at age 13 performing Mozart's Concerto for Two Pianos. It was the music of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the traditional songs of the folk revival of the early 1960s, that piqued Collins' interest and awoke in her a love of lyrics. Three years after her debut as a piano prodigy, she was playing guitar. She eventually made her way to Greenwich Village, New York City, where she busked and played in clubs until she signed with Elektra Records, a record label with which she was associated for 35 years. In 1961, Collins released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, at the age of 22.
At first she sang traditional folk songs, or songs written by others, in particular the social poets of the time, such as Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, and Bob Dylan. She recorded her own versions of seminal songs of the period, such as Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Pete Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn". Collins was also instrumental in bringing then little known composers to a wider public; for example, she recorded songs by Canadian poet Leonard Cohen, and Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
With her 1967 album Wildflowers, she began to record her own compositions, the first of which was entitled "Since You've Asked". This album also provided Collins with a major hit, and a Grammy award, with her version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now", which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1968's Who Knows Where the Time Goes was produced by Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills & Nash), with whom Collins was romantically involved at the time (she is the "Judy" of the Stills-written CSN classic "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"). It had a mellow country sound, and included Ian Tyson's "Someday Soon" and the title track, a Sandy Denny song which has been covered by several artists.
By the 1970s, Collins had a solid reputation as an art song singer and folksinger. She had also begun to stand out with her own compositions. She was also known for her broad range of material: her songs from this period include the traditional gospel song "Amazing Grace", the Stephen Sondheim Broadway ballad "Send in the Clowns" (both of which were top 20 hits as singles), and her own compositions such as "My Father" and "Born to the Breed".
In 1979 she posed nude on the album "Hard Times For Lovers".
In more recent years, Collins has taken to writing, producing a memoir, "Trust Your Heart" in 1987, and two novels. Though her record sales are not what they once were, she still records and tours. One of her more recent albums is a collection of songs based on her novel Shameless. She performed at US President Bill Clinton's first inauguration in 1993, singing "Amazing Grace" and "Chelsea Morning". (The Clintons have stated that their daughter Chelsea was named after Collins' recording of the Joni Mitchell song.)
Activism
Like other folk singers of her generation, Collins was drawn to social activism. She is a representative for UNICEF and campaigns on behalf of the abolition of landmines. Following the 1992 death of her son Clark Taylor at age 33 after a long bout with depression and substance abuse, she has also become a strong advocate of suicide prevention. Her 2003 book, Sanity & Grace, chronicles her recovery from her son's suicide and attempts to provide some comfort and guidance to other families dealing with the loss of a loved one to suicide. She describes the "Seven T's" as a means for going through this process of recovery: Truth, Therapy, Trust, Try, Treat, Treasure, and Thrive. The Truth is that there should be no guilt in suicide; Therapy helps people express their emotions and seek grief counseling; Trust is the effort to believe that one can make it through the loss and keep a belief in life and in the future; Try means to stay away from drugs and alcohol or any excess--including overeating--as a means to deal with the loss and pain; Treat means to take care of the mind, body, and spirit with exercise and meditation; Treasure means to keep the memory of the moments to be treasured, and for this Collins recommends writing and keeping a journal; and Thrive means to be positive, hopeful, open to love and others, and continuing to know that you can rebuild your life on a basis of hope.
Awards and recognition
Grammy Award, Best Folk Performance or Folk Recording, "Both Sides Now", 1968
Grammy Award, Song of the Year, "Send in the Clowns", 1975
Nominated with Jill Godmillow for an Academy Award for the documentary "Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman" (1975), about her classical piano instructor, conductor Antonia Brico.
Discography
Maid of Constant Sorrow (1961)
The Golden Apples of the Sun (1962)
Judy Collins #3 (1964)
The Judy Collins Concert (1964)
Judy Collins' Fifth Album (1965)
In My Life (1966)
Wildflowers (1967)
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (1968)
Whales and Nightingales (1970)
Both Sides Now (1971)
Living (1971) (Live)
Colors of the Day (1972) (Greatest Hits)
True Stories, and Other Dreams (1973)
Judith (1975)
Bread and Roses (1976)
So Early in the Spring (1977) (15th anniversary collection)
Hard Times for Lovers (1979)
Running for My Life (1980)
Times of Our Lives (1982)
Home Again (1984)
Trust Your Heart (1987)
The Stars Of Christmas (Selected Especially For Avon) (1988)
Sanity and Grace (1989)
Fires of Eden (1990)
Baby's Bedtime (1990)
Baby's Morningtime (1990)
Judy Sings Dylan... Just Like a Woman (1993)
Come Rejoice! A Judy Collins Christmas (1994)
Shameless (1994)
Voices (1995)
Christmas at the Biltmore Estate (1997)
Forever: An Anthology (1997)
Both Sides Now (1998)
Classic Broadway (1999)
All on a Wintry Night (2000)
Judy Collins Live at Wolf Trap (2000)
Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (2004)
The Essential Judy Collins (2004)
Portrait of an American Girl (2006)
Videography
Baby's Bedtime (1992)
Baby's Morningtime (1992)
Junior playing the operator of a home for unwed mothers opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger
Christmas at the Biltmore Estate (1998)
The Best of Judy Collins (1999)
Intimate Portrait: Judy Collins (2000)
Judy Collins Live at Wolf Trap (2003)
Wildflower Festival (2003) (DVD with guest artists Eric Andersen, Arlo Guthrie, and Tom Rush)
Bibliography
Trust Your Heart (1987)
Amazing Grace (1991)
Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival and Strength (2003)
Famous Blue Raincoat
Judy Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm writing you now just to see if you're better
New York is cold, but I like where I'm living
There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening.
You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record.
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear
Did you ever go clear?
Ah, the last time we saw you you looked so much older
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
You'd been to the station to meet every train
And you came home without Lili Marlene
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life
And when she came back she was nobody's wife.
Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth
One more thin gypsy thief
Well I see Jane's awake --
She sends her regards.
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
I'm glad you stood in my way.
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me
Your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free.
Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes
I thought it was there for good so I never tried.
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear --
The song Famous Blue Raincoat by Judy Collins is a narrative from one man to another. The singer begins by stating it is four in the morning, the end of December, and is writing to see if the other man is feeling better. The cold winter in New York is pointed out, but the singer still loves the place where he lives, particularly Clinton Street, because of the music played there. The narrative then takes a turn to the other man, who is building a little house in the desert and living a meaningless life. The man's state of being is wished well, and it's further mentioned that Jane had come by with a lock of the man's hair. The hair was taken from the night when he planned to go clear, and it is inquired of whether he actually did go clear.
The singer then reminisces about the last time he saw the other man and how he looked older and wore his famous blue raincoat, ripe at the shoulder. The other man was at the station, hoping to meet every train, but returned home without Lili Marlene. The singer's woman had also been treated to a part of the other man's life, and when she returned, she was no longer with him. The song ends with the singer stating that he misses the other man, forgiving him, and thanking him for taking trouble from his woman's eyes. If the other man comes, Jane, and the singer are still there, and his enemy is sleeping, while his woman is free.
Line by Line Meaning
It's four in the morning, the end of December
The time is late and the year is coming to a close.
I'm writing you now just to see if you're better
I'm reaching out to check up on your well-being.
New York is cold, but I like where I'm living
The weather is chilly, but I enjoy my location.
There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening.
There's constant sound on Clinton Street in the evenings.
I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert
I've heard that you're constructing a home in a remote desert location.
You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record.
I hope that you're keeping a record of your life, even though it may feel purposeless at the moment.
Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
Jane visited me and brought a lock of your hair.
She said that you gave it to her
Jane stated that you gifted her with the hair.
That night that you planned to go clear
The night that you planned to rid yourself of negative emotions.
Did you ever go clear?
Did you successfully rid yourself of that negativity?
Ah, the last time we saw you you looked so much older
When we last saw you, you appeared much more aged.
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
Your well-known blue coat had a tear at the shoulder.
You'd been to the station to meet every train
You went to the station to greet all of the trains.
And you came home without Lili Marlene
You returned to your residence without a special someone named Lili Marlene.
And you treated my woman to a flake of your life
You gave some of your time and attention to my significant other.
And when she came back she was nobody's wife.
When she returned, she was no longer married to anyone.
Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth
I envision you with a rose being held between your teeth.
One more thin gypsy thief
You appear to be a cunning and untrustworthy individual.
Well I see Jane's awake --
I think Jane is currently awake.
She sends her regards.
She passes along her greetings and well-wishes.
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer
What is there to say to you, my sibling and my figurative assassin?
What can I possibly say?
What words could I use that would potentially be effective or worthwhile?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
I suppose I long for your presence and I am willing to pardon you.
I'm glad you stood in my way.
I am grateful that you temporarily hindered or obstructed me due to the likely consequences of my actions.
If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me
If you are ever in the area, whether for Jane's benefit or mine,
Your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free.
Your adversary is currently asleep, and his significant other is unattached.
Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes
Thank you for alleviating her troubles or worries.
I thought it was there for good so I never tried.
I believed that the problem was permanent, so I did not attempt to fix it.
And Jane came by with a lock of your hair
Jane visited me again and brought another lock of your hair.
She said that you gave it to her
Jane claimed that you gifted the lock of hair to her.
That night that you planned to go clear --
That same night that you intended to rid yourself of negative emotions...
Contributed by Alyssa S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mrmusicfromthestars
She sings this just so well. Love it. Used to have the album. Very underated performer. Very good songwriter as well.
Texadon - Andromeda Cripps
I learned this heart-tugging song from this album, but recently found out Joan Baez sang it too. Her version is nice with other instruments, but I really appreciate how Judy doesn’t alter the lyrics. and at the end of the day, it doesn’t need anything more than guitar to sell the lyric! Very very good ❤️
exaudi33
Exquisite interpretation of an amazing song.
David Overmire
One of my favorite LC songs, first time hearing Judy's take.....ah, beautiful.....what else?....D.
J
Bellissima! 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿
Janice Coker
best version.
Susan Glick
Rest in Peace, L Cohen