When Naomi Judd found herself pregnant, she quickly got married but not to the father of her first child, daughter Christina Ciminella. Christina, born May 30, 1964, became known as Wynonna Judd when the mother-daughter duo stormed the country charts in the 1980s.
After Naomi Judd divorced, she moved from Hollywood, back to Morrill, Ky., with Wynonna and another daughter Ashley. There, she worked as a nurse in a local infirmary. Outside working and school hours, she and the children would sing anything from bluegrass to showbiz standards for their own amusement. However, when Wynonna nurtured aspirations to be a professional entertainer, her mother lent her encouragement, to the extent of moving the family to Nashville in 1979. Naomi's contralto subtly underlined Wynonna's tuneful drawl.
In addition to many performances on Ralph Emery's morning television show, Naomi elicited an audition for RCA Records while tending a hospitalized relation of label producer Brent Maher. With a past that read like a Judith Krantz novel, the Judds -- so the executives considered -- would have more than an even chance in the country market. An exploratory mini-album, which contained proved the executives correct. The single "Had a Dream (From the Heart)" peaked at No. 17 in 1984. Later that year, the Judds scored their first of 14 No. 1 hits with "Mama He's Crazy."
Self-composed songs included Naomi's 1989 composition "Change of Heart," dedicated to her future second husband (and former Elvis Presley backing vocalist) Larry Strickland. Meanwhile, Maher co-wrote hits such as 1985's Grammy-winning "Why Not Me," "Turn It Loose," "Girls Night Out," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Ol' Days)" and "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain."
Most Judds records exhibited an acoustic bias and a penchant for star guests that included the Jordanaires on "Don't Be Cruel," Emmylou Harris on "The Sweetest Gift," Mark Knopfler on his "Water of Love" and Bonnie Raitt playing slide guitar on the album Love Can Build a Bridge. In 1988, the pair became the first female country act to found their own booking agency (Pro-Tours), but a chronic hepatitis infection forced Naomi to retire from the concert stage two years later.
The Judds toured America in a series of farewell concerts before Wynonna began her solo career. Wynonna got off to a strong start, as her first two singles both went to #1. Her 1994 single "Girls With Guitars" featured Naomi (as well as Lyle Lovett) on backup vocals.
In 1998, The Judds appeared in a commercial for the retail chain Kmart, singing Wynonna's single "Woman To Woman".
In 1999, Wynonna reunited with her mother for a New Year's Eve concert in Phoenix. The following year, the duo recorded four new tracks for a bonus disc issued with Wynonna's album New Day Dawning, and undertook a multi-city tour. The results were issued as the album Reunion Live. A 2004 single, "Flies On The Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)" was recorded with Naomi; however, the single was credited as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd" instead of "The Judds".
Sleepless Nights
The Judds Lyrics
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I cry for you
And wonder who
Is kissing you
Oh, these sleepless nights
Will break my heart in two
Somehow through the days
I don't give in
I hide the tears
That wait within
Oh, but, then through sleepless nights
I cry again
Why did you go?
Why did you go?
Don't you know?
Don't you know
I need you?
I keep hoping you'll
Come back to me
Oh, let it be
Please let it be
Oh, my love, please end
These sleepless nights for me
My love, please end these sleepless nights for me
The Judds' song "Sleepless Nights" talks about a person who can't sleep and misses their former lover. The song's verses follow a pattern of emotions, starting with a sad declaration of the sleepless nights that the person is experiencing while they are thinking about their ex-lover. They then show their feelings of longing to know who their ex-lover is with now, asking if someone is kissing them. This sets up the chorus, which expresses how the sleepless nights are breaking the person's heart, but they are masking their emotions during the day. The second verse repeats the structure of the first, but they then beg their former lover to come back to them and end the constant sleepless nights.
The songwriters carefully craft each line to reflect the depth of emotion experienced by a heartbroken person. The Judds' use of melody and harmony further amplifies the message conveyed by the lyrics. The production is minimal, allowing the focus to remain on the lyrics and melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Through these sleepless nights
Amidst many sleepless nights
I cry for you
I shed tears for you
And wonder who
While I am sleepless, I wonder who is kissing you
Is kissing you
I am curious if someone is kissing you
Oh, these sleepless nights
These sleepless nights are causing me pain
Will break my heart in two
These sleepless nights are causing me immense pain and heartbreak
Somehow through the days
During the day, I somehow manage to maintain composure
I don't give in
I try not to give in to my emotions
I hide the tears
I conceal my tears
That wait within
The tears that I hold back and wait to release later
Oh, but, then through sleepless nights
But then, during another sleepless night
I cry again
I start crying again
Why did you go?
I am questioning why you left
Don't you know?
Do you not realize
Don't you know I need you?
I desperately and clearly need you in my life
I keep hoping you'll
I continuously hope that you will
Come back to me
Return to me
Oh, let it be
Oh, please let it happen
Please let it be
I am pleading with the universe to let it happen
Oh, my love, please end
My love, please bring an end to
These sleepless nights for me
These painful and sleepless nights that I am enduring
My love, please end these sleepless nights for me
My love, I am begging you to end the pain of these sleepless nights
Lyrics © HOUSE OF BRYANT PUBLICATIONS, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind