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)
Sons Of
Judy Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who is the child with no complaint
Sons of the great or sons unknown
All were children like your own
The same sweet smiles and the same sad tears
The cries at night, the nightmare fears
Sons of the great, sons unknown
All were children like yourown
But sons of tycoons or sons of the farm
All of their children run from your arms
Through fields of gold through fields of ruin
All of their chidren vanish too soon
In towering waves in walls of flesh
Among dying birds trembling with death
Sons of tycoons or sons of the farms
All of their children run from your arms
Sons of your sands or sons passing by
Children we lost in a lullaby
Sons of true love and sons of regret
All of their sons you cannot forget
Some build the roads, some wrote the poems
Some went to war, some never came home
Sons of your sons orsons passing by
Children we lost in a lullaby
So long ago, long, long ago
The song "Sons Of" by Judy Collins is a heart-wrenching reflection on the human condition and the universal experiences that connect us all. The lyrics speak to the commonality of all the different kinds of people in the world, emphasizing the shared bond of childhood innocence and life's inevitable hardships. The lines "sons of the thief, sons of the saint" highlight the dichotomy of good and evil in humanity, but ultimately remind the listener that all individuals were once just innocent children.
The song ultimately speaks to the ephemeral and fleeting nature of life. The final line "so long ago, long, long ago" emphasizes the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The repetition of the phrase "sons of" throughout the song serves as a reminder that all people are connected, despite their differences. Each son, a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment with loved ones.
Overall, "Sons Of" is a poignant reflection on the universality of the human experience and a reminder that we are all connected in our shared humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Sons of the thief, sons of the saint
Regardless of character or morality, all children are innocent
Who is the child with no complaint
The innocence and vulnerability of children
Sons of the great or sons unknown
All children have value, regardless of social status or recognition
All were children like your own
All children are deserving of love and care
The same sweet smiles and the same sad tears
Shared human experiences, regardless of background
The cries at night, the nightmare fears
The universality of childhood fears
So long ago
Reflecting on the passage of time and loss of innocence
But sons of tycoons or sons of the farm
The common thread of parenthood across all socioeconomic backgrounds
All of their children run from your arms
The inevitable cycle of life and death
Through fields of gold through fields of ruin
The fleeting nature of life, both in prosperity and hardship
All of their chidren vanish too soon
The tragedy of children dying prematurely
In towering waves in walls of flesh
The brutality of war and loss of life
Among dying birds trembling with death
The fragility of life and the interconnectedness of nature
Sons of tycoons or sons of the farms
The commonality of parental love across all backgrounds
All of their children run from your arms
The inevitability and tragedy of death
Sons of your sands or sons passing by
The fleeting nature of human relationships
Children we lost in a lullaby
The memories of lost loved ones
Sons of true love and sons of regret
The complexities of familial relationships and human emotion
All of their sons you cannot forget
The lasting impact of loved ones, regardless of their status or relationship
Some build the roads, some wrote the poems
The variety of human potential and achievements
Some went to war, some never came home
The tragedy of war and its impact on families
Sons of your sons orsons passing by
The fleeting nature of human relationships and the cycle of life and death
Children we lost in a lullaby
The memories of lost loved ones
So long ago, long, long ago
The sense of time passing and lost opportunities
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC BLAU, GERARD JOUANNEST, JACQUES ROMAN BREL, MORT SHUMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Brodsky
Haven't heard this in 42 years. Needed to hear it again for some reason tonight. Incredible moving. Great piano accompaniement. Still packs an incredibly poignant punch. Lovely voice. Many many thanks.
nmvince42
One of my favorite Judy songs with a powerful message. How many soldiers have to die before we learn?
Nick Doe
2.4 more :D
Steve Sanzari
Judy Collins was my favorite female folk artist,I remember the first time I heard this Album In the late 60’s when this Album came out I was going to Cape cod , perfect Album for the New England shores.
Gary Langenwalter
Had this running through my head tonight. So good to hear it!
beachman831
hauntingly beautiful...profoundly touches the heart and swirls about the mind...magical
patrick ryan
"swirls around the mind" - Yes! 6/2019
George Fos
Heard this song in South Vietnam while on patrol from a farmer market, 1969, Danang . Felt peaceful.
HollyD 002
Utterly beautiful!
hurdygurdyguy1
I tear up every time I hear this... especially the lines "...amid dying birds trembling with death..." and I see WWII clips of B-17s falling apart in flames, and Kamikaze planes being gunned down (and I know war is kill or be killed .. it still tears me up)