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)
Grandaddy
Judy Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burning so brightly
How do they keep themselves warm on such a night
See all the fiddlers twirling while he plays his violin
Laughing and shouting
Have you seen anything like it in all your life
Grandma was cold and chide when we get in
Promise me you'll never tell, ya know your secret's safe with me
I can be trusted
Wrap me up in your winter coat
Wrap me up so tight
I never will feel the cold
I'll be safe tonight
Can we go down to the railroad track and watch the train go by
Shining like silver
I hear the whistle, the train is on it's way
Hold me up over your shoulder so that I can see the light
Over the pine trees
How I would like to go riding on the train
Tell me the story again about the time you went away
You went to Chicago, no one knew where you were
Why did you ever come back here after you had run away
I'm glad you did sir
Wrap me in your winter coat
Wrap me up so tight
I never will feel the cold
I'll be safe tonight
When you were young you sailed up on the sea.
Wrap me up in your winter coat,
Wrap me up so tight,
I never will feel the cold.
I'll be warm tonight
Grandaddy tell me the names of all the stars up in the sky
Is there a heaven?
Do you think there is a life after we die?
Why do some people have all the gold and silver they can spend?
Others have nothing.
It isn't fair and I've always wondered why.
Can I hold the match while you light your pipe?
I love the smell of tobacco in the air.
Tell me again about how it was before I came to be
In the old country
Wrap me up in your winter coat
Wrap me up so tight
I never will feel the cold
I'll be warm tonight
Wrap me up in your winter coat
Wrap me up so tight
I never will feel the cold
I'll be warm tonight
"Grandaddy" by Judy Collins paints a touching picture of a child spending time with her grandfather, affectionately known as Grandaddy. The song opens with the Grandaddy and the child observing the gypsies dancing around a fire in the night, mesmerized by their warmth and energy. They watch the fiddlers twirl around, and can't help but laugh and shout as they take in the scene.
As they return home, the child worries about facing a cold reception from her grandmother, but Grandaddy reassures her that their secrets are safe. He promises to wrap her up tight in his winter coat so that she never feels the cold. The two then dream about watching a train go by and sailing on the sea, all while asking important questions about the nature of life and the world.
The song is a touching tribute to the bond between a grandparent and grandchild, and touches on themes of love, connection, and wonder. Collins' evocative lyrics and tender vocals provide a powerful emotional core to the song, expressing the deep love and respect that the child and Grandaddy feel for each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Grandaddy look at the gypsies dancing in the firelight
Grandaddy observes the gypsies dancing around the fire which is illuminating bright colors.
Burning so brightly
The fire is burning with great light and heat.
How do they keep themselves warm on such a night
Grandaddy is curious to learn how the gypsies stay warm on a chilly night.
See all the fiddlers twirling while he plays his violin
Grandaddy is amazed at the fiddlers dancing and playing the violin at the same time.
Laughing and shouting
The gypsies are having a joyful time while they dance and play the violin.
Have you seen anything like it in all your life
Grandaddy wonders if he has ever witnessed such a cheerful sight in his entire life.
Grandma was cold and chide when we get in
When they return home, grandma would scold them for staying out late in the cold weather.
She'll want to know what we've done and where we've been
Grandma will inquire about their activities and whereabouts while they were away.
Promise me you'll never tell, ya know your secret's safe with me
They make a pact to keep their secrets between them, ensuring their trustworthiness.
I can be trusted
The artist assures that their words can be believed, and they are a reliable person.
Wrap me up in your winter coat
The singer requests to be hugged tightly to keep them warm.
Wrap me up so tight
The artist wants to feel the warmth of the hug as snugly as possible.
I never will feel the cold
The singer believes that the embrace will keep them so warm that the cold will not affect them.
I'll be safe tonight
The singer feels protected from the cold and other dangers inside the warm hug.
Can we go down to the railroad track and watch the train go by
The singer wants to go to the railway track and observe the passing train.
Shining like silver
The train is reflecting light from its exterior, appearing like silver.
I hear the whistle, the train is on it's way
The artist can hear the sound of the whistle, indicating that the train is approaching.
Hold me up over your shoulder so that I can see the light
The singer requests to be lifted for a better view of the light produced by the train on top of the trees.
Over the pine trees
The train's light passes over the pine trees, indicating its distance from the singer.
How I would like to go riding on the train
The artist wishes to travel on the train to explore new places.
Tell me the story again about the time you went away
The artist wants to listen to the story of their grandaddy's travel experience once again.
You went to Chicago, no one knew where you were
Grandaddy traveled to Chicago, and his whereabouts were unknown to his family and friends.
Why did you ever come back here after you had run away
The singer is curious about why Grandaddy chose to come back after running away.
I'm glad you did sir
The artist expresses gratitude to Grandaddy for coming back and being a part of their life.
When you were young you sailed up on the sea.
The singer recalls a time when Grandaddy traveled on the sea in his youth.
Wrap me up in your winter coat
The singer wants to feel the warmth of Grandaddy's winter coat around them.
Wrap me up so tight
They desire a tight embrace for maximum warmth and protection from the cold.
I never will feel the cold
The artist believes that the warmth of the coat will keep them so snug that the cold won't affect them.
I'll be warm tonight
The artist thanks Grandaddy for embracing and making them feel warm and secure.
Grandaddy tell me the names of all the stars up in the sky
The singer wants to learn the names of all the stars in the sky from Grandaddy.
Is there a heaven?
The singer asks Grandaddy if there is a place called heaven.
Do you think there is a life after we die?
The artist queries Grandaddy about the possibility of life after death.
Why do some people have all the gold and silver they can spend?
The artist wonders why some people have an abundance of money while others have nothing.
Others have nothing.
The artist realizes that some people have little money compared to others who have it all.
It isn't fair and I've always wondered why.
The singer finds the inequality of wealth unfair and has questioned it frequently.
Can I hold the match while you light your pipe?
The artist wants to hold the match while Grandaddy lights his pipe.
I love the smell of tobacco in the air.
The singer enjoys the scent of the tobacco smoke in the air.
Tell me again about how it was before I came to be
The singer wants to know more about Grandaddy's past before they were born.
In the old country
The singer wants to know about what happened in the old country before their birth.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JUDY COLLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind