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)
Home Before Dark
Judy Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put in my favorite Levis
Laid my mandolin beside the door
Said to momma
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
Bought a ticket to New York City
I watched the sun go down
Across the plains from Denver
Lord, how the western sky can burn
Met a boy in the darkness
Handsome, tall and heartless
I loved him like an eagle loves the wind
Till I heard him say
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be alright
And you'll be fine without me
I'll be home before dark
My daughter looks like him they say
To me she looks like momma
I see an eagle's shadow in her eyes
Last night at her birthday
We blew the candles out together
I wonder will she take me by surprise
When she says momma
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be alright
And you'll be fine without me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be home before dark
The song "Home Before Dark" by Judy Collins is a poignant reflection on the journey of life and the importance of home. Starting with the image of packing up and leaving, Collins juxtaposes the excitement of travel with the reassurance of home. She lays her mandolin beside the door, telling her mother not to worry as she'll be back before dark. The reference to her favorite Levis indicates a sense of comfort in the familiar, even as she embarks on a new adventure.
As she travels to New York City, Collins meets a boy who captures her heart. However, he proves to be heartless, and she hears him echo her own words: "Don't worry about me, I'll be home before dark." This repetition creates a sense of circularity, as Collins sees herself reflected in this man, and recognizes that her sense of security and comfort comes from her own commitment to returning home.
The final verse brings the song full circle, as Collins reflects on her daughter and the legacy she will leave behind. She wonders if her daughter will also leave and return, saying the same words she once did.
Overall, "Home Before Dark" is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on the duality of human nature: the desire for adventure and the need for home. Through vivid imagery and emotional honesty, Collins captures the essence of the human experience, reminding us of the timeless importance of family and roots.
Line by Line Meaning
I packed up my bags
I put all my belongings into my luggage
Put in my favorite Levis
I placed my favorite jeans inside my bags
Laid my mandolin beside the door
I put my musical instrument next to the exit
Said to momma
I spoke to my mother
I won't be long
I will return home soon
Don't worry about me
You don't have to be anxious about me
I'll be home before dark
I will come back before it's dark outside
Bought a ticket to New York City
I purchased a pass to travel to New York
One way out and no return
There is no possibility to come back once I leave
I watched the sun go down
I observed the sunset
Across the plains from Denver
From Denver, I saw the lands with no hills or mountains
Lord, how the western sky can burn
I marveled at the reddish-orange sky in the west
Met a boy in the darkness
I encountered a guy in obscurity
Handsome, tall and heartless
He was physically attractive, but had no sympathy
I loved him like an eagle loves the wind
I had intense feelings for him, like an eagle soaring in the sky
Till I heard him say
Until the moment he told me
I'll be home before dark
He said he will come back before nightfall
I'll be alright
I will be okay
And you'll be fine without me
You will manage well without me
My daughter looks like him they say
People say that my child resembles him
To me she looks like momma
But I see much of myself in her
I see an eagle's shadow in her eyes
I see an image of a bird of prey in her gaze
Last night at her birthday
On her last birthday
We blew the candles out together
Together we extinguished the candles on her cake
I wonder will she take me by surprise
I am curious if she will shock me
When she says momma
If she tells me
I won't be long
She will be back soon
Don't worry about me
And there's no need for me to worry
I'll be home before dark
She promises to return before the day ends
I'll be alright
I will be okay
And you'll be fine without me
And you will manage well without me
I'll be home before dark
I will return before it gets dark outside
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID LUBELL BUSKIN, JUDY COLLINS, ROBIN BATTEAU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Swinderman
Such a beautiful song
Gerardo Filho
Uma linda canção..
Gerardo Filho
Voz doce...
elora angelea
I packed up my bags
Put in my favorite Levis
Laid my mandolin beside the door
Said to momma
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
Bought a ticket to New York City
One way out and no return
I watched the sun go down
Across the plains from Denver
Lord, how the western sky can burn
Met a boy in the darkness
Handsome, tall and heartless
I loved him like an eagle loves the wind
Till I heard him say
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be alright
And you'll be fine without me
I'll be home before dark
My daughter looks like him they say
To me she looks like momma
I see an eagle's shadow in her eyes
Last night at her birthday
We blew the candles out together
I wonder will she take me by surprise
When she says momma
I won't be long
Don't worry about me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be alright
And you'll be fine without me
I'll be home before dark
I'll be home before dark
Dog Lover
A fabulous song
kimble hough
Hey Judy, great track. Go Judy