The Lost Genius of Judee Sill (2014 BBC Radio Documentary)
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2014
- "I coulda sworn I heard my spirit soarin'
Guess I'm always chasin' the sun
Hopin' we will soon be one
Until it turns around to me, then I try to run"
Ruth Barnes delves into the extraordinary story of the musician Judee Sill.
The first act signed to David Geffen's Asylum Records in the early 1970s, Judee Sill produced two astonishingly beautiful albums in her lifetime.
Seemingly emerging from the Laurel Canyon scene, her music wove a diverse tapestry of influences - from gospel piano to Bach, rhythm and blues to country, forty-part vocal harmonies blending into piano ballads...
So why did Judee Sill disappear from view? Ruth Barnes traces Judee's peculiar life story - hearing tales of armed robberies, reform school and addiction, alongside musical invention and heartstopping songs.
With contributions from family, friends, lovers and devotees of her music including JD Souther, XTC's Andy Partridge, Jim Pons, Tommy Peltier and 'Whispering' Bob Harris.
Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4 
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As a teenager in the 70s I thought Judee Sill belonged to me alone. I never heard a whisper of her in any publications, and of course never on the radio. Years--decades--went by, and I never forgot her but I just imagined she was living in obscurity somewhere. She always had an edge to her that I couldn't put a finger on, and it didn't help that I knew absolutely nothing about her outside of her songs. That changed with the internet, and finally in the mid-2000s I found out the whole tragedy of her life as a counterpoint to the beauty of her music. I was stunned--it was like a knife through the heart, that this woman whose music I'd never forgotten had been dead for all of my adult life. I'm so pleased that her music has lived on and more people are discovering her. Bless you, Judee Sill. I wish somebody could have saved you.
beautiful comment, thank you
Saw her in Chicago. Backing up Cat Stevens at the Auditorium Theater in January 1972. He was good. She was great.
why the heck have i not heard of her!!! i grew up in the 70's and had the radio on ALL DAY... i do not remember her. she is a wonderful song writer! def a genius. seems a voice and talent from God.
"The Kiss," and "Jesus Was a Crossmaker," -- astonishing songs by this singer-songwriter and how they were sung by Judee. Even her live versions with Judee at the piano were incredible. Her lyrical vocal pronunciation -- original. Absolutely marvelous. Many of her songs are wonderful but I keep coming back to those two. The female Nick Drake in some ways. Many never heard of her and when they do they wonder why she didn't have a wider following. Had she lived, I feel she would have become a major artist. Up there with Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell and Dory Previn. I find her work stunning -- still do, after all these years.
Someone gave me Judee’s album in the ‘70’s. Never the same again. Pure genius.
Pretty similar to Nick Drake's story in that she sold tiny amounts while she was alive but was rediscovered long after her death. Fortunately great music finds a way.
Legendary woman and musician whose work is truly timeless. She will touch more and more souls as the years go on
I knew Judy in the 70's. A friend of Lynn Blessings and I knew at the time she was an angle on earth. We were so sad when she died. God bless your sharing of this amazing women
Joshua Leutz I've always wanted to know if she gave up music completely after she was dropped by David Geffen. Did she keep writing music or did the drugs take over completely? What did she do with her time? There's virtually nothing in the public domain about her final years.
wow you really knew Judee?
While the Nick Drakes of this world get All the garlands after passing, Judee Sill And Laura Nyro, for that matter continue to be ignored within the general public. Sad days.
"It's just too beautiful, it's perfect." -The Kiss
That is a divinely inspired Song. It can't happen any other way.
***** Absolutely agree!
I thought that the first time I heard it, and here's Andy Partridge saying the same thing. Maybe I have got good taste!
***** I couldn't agree with you more.
JamesScottGuitar Couldn’t agree more, it’s one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard.
As long as you're not specifying any post-bronze-age middle-eastern 'divinity', I can get behind that thought.
I have both original vinyl albums, my treasures. The vocal, the guitar the piano................. on ly Judee Sill could makr that sound. Just wonderful!
Joanna Newsom recently cited Judee as 'a criminally underappreciated songwriter', and that's where I learned about her. Joanna was right.
Joanna Newsom is just a pseudo intellectual exploiting her waifish looks and talent for confusing her "delvers" by throwing out strange words, that are just obtuse enough to confuse the hipsters to think she really is saying something deep and meaningful! A fan of different vocal styles myself, I must say Joanna's voice is just awful and comes straight from her wallet of a heart! Judee Sill, is pure talent, lyrically and vocally ! @least Joanna Newsom, said something honest and true, she was oh so right about Judee Sill ! may she Rest in Peace!
That's where I learned about her too! Got to meet Joanna back in 2011. Super nice lady.
+Donna Gosdantian
You sound incredibly bitter and pathetic. It's sad that you can't appreciate the art of Judee without having to trash another great artist. They're both geniuses, and I'll leave it at that.
I remember hearing her when I lived on the Isle of Wight. I haunted the girl in the local record shop until she got the LP's in. Although an atheist, I loved her music - so beautiful and spiritual, nearly converted me. But what a tragic story surrounding her. Died far too young.
I'm sure in my own mind, it was the _mythology_ involved in the Christian imagery she used which fired her creativity rather than any support for any primitive middle-eastern deity.
Andy Partridge is absolutely right about The Kiss. It had that same effect on me. I particularly like the OGWT live version.
About Judee: She didn't run away when she was 15. I met her in high school and she was my BFF..and was so smart and had a photographic memory. That school only accepted rejects from public school. I don't remember meeting Donna, her niece, but I did meet her father, Judee's brother, he was a herpetologist and died very young as well. I did know some of those interviewed in this video a long long time ago. She was so far ahead of her time we still haven't caught up.. Happy Birthday, Judee !
+Just Saying what is BFF best friend ?
+Rae Zola oh
Rae Zola
.....for life
+Just Saying
good 2 meet you
you tube ,,Rae Dawn, Ancestry Song...A'ho
take a listen,,,,,bless you,,,,, just saying
lucky you knew her so well ...
I have just discovered her through the Song for Judee by Laura Veirs in her new album with kd lang and Neko Case. The songs are so beautiful that I find myself in tears, especially when listening to The Kiss. The drug culture in the 70s has led to the death of a good number of musicians and singers. RIP Judee
Very cool!
Same here.
I found a copy of Heartfood with the DJ sticker on it at a college radio station that was getting rid of a bunch of stuff it didn't play. I picked it up because it was on Asylum and Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne were on that label. I wore this record out! For years, I picked up used copies at garage sales (her first album, too) and played them for innumerable friends WHO DIDN'T GET HER! I finally felt vindicated when her unreleased stuff was finally issued and Rhino reissued her two albums with extra tracks. When I lived in San Francisco, I actually tried to find her, so that I could tell her what an effect she had had on my life and music (I have never done this with/for anyone else, BTW). Years later, I learned that she had died around the time I was looking for her. Musically, my greatest regrets are that I never got to see her or Duke Ellington perform.
Parsi fal Here in the colonies college stations were pretty much the only ones playing Judee. I spun Lady-O twice an hour on our campus station in 1970. Was floored to hear an instrumental cover of Lady-O playing in the waiting room of a Dr's office in the late '70s. Wouldn't hear this tormented melody again until RUclips.
she's was a darned good guitarist too..
If Jesus was a crossmaker then Judee was a songmaker..RIP.
I only found out about Judee Sill recently (thanks to Andy Partridge). My god I love her music! Wonderful documentary.
Andy Partridge! I just found Judee Sills and am excited (but not surprised) to discover that one of my favorite musicians appreciates her too.
I stumbled upon her in 2014 while searching for sandy denny stuff. what a find!
Criminally unrecognized
It must have been around 1972 I bought Judee's first album. I don't recall a thing about why I bought it...I had never heard of her as far as I know and I had never heard her sing. When I moved countries some seven years ago I only too a half dozen albums of my collection of some 300 or so. Judee's was one of them. My interest in music and music collection was wide-ranging and I have heard so much music over the 68 years of my life so far... but none has had anywhere near the quality evidenced in just about every song Judee wrote and sang. I was very sad to hear of the litany of troubles Judee had in her short life. It makes me sigh and along with the guy who played 'The Kiss' at the end of the programme I cried. Beautiful sadness is an emotion...and Judee totally typifies that emotion. She was a real loss to all of those who treasure real honest emotion communicated with beautiful aesthetic. Buy her first album for an unforgettable experience, one which will have added poignancy once you know her story. Either on the Astral Plane, loping along through the cosmos or in your new life or lives... be well and be happy at last Judee.
...currently searching for her albums. I heard her music for the first time this week. Incredible haunting and long gone. (sighs)
She was an amazing artist. I remember her well and wish so much she were still here with us.
She is mighty like a goddess. A mighty soul. Crushing power. And childlike at the same time. It’s almost too much
I can certainly hear her influence all over Andy Partridge's music. She should get more credit for that actually as XTC's music is pretty well known.
Recently purchased the Asylum years double cd which is really gorgeous and overwhelmingly beautiful
One of my favorites from the early 70s. I have been singing Jesus was a crossmaker for the last 40 years.
I'm nuts for this woman, so bright, so talented .....
an undiscovered genius, I am privileged to have known her
The final moments of this documentary re so deeply beautiful.
WOW! How can I thank you enough for this? I have been telling people about the doc since it came out but as soon as it disappeared off the i-Player I thought it had been lost forever. I now have it back! Thank you! Been listening to Judee since Danny Baker used to play "Cross maker" on his show - she was an immense talent!
There's a page (pg. 181) about her in the 2017, David Yaffe book, A Portrait Of Joni Mitchell. Judee's early record deal with David Geffen's Asylum Records is outlined along with some information about her sadly complicated life. I hadn't heard of Judee prior to reading David Yaffe's book and was interested to learn about her. Her music is strange and beautiful.
There might be something to her complaint that Geffen didn't promote her 2 albums well. It's possible he didn't. Maybe he was side-tracked with his other major artists of that time: the Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and Bob Dylan (among others). That's some intense competition for an artist who wasn't as 70's FM radio friendly as some of her label mates ...and if that drove Judee crazy, it's understandable.
In fairness to David Geffen, he had (has) big ears and was astute at spotting artistic talent. He must have clearly recognized Judee's talent or he wouldn't have signed her.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for posting this. Like Judee Sill's music, a beautiful gift.
the beautiful Judee Sill thank you for sharing this
she was so far ahead of her peer group must have been so hard for her I mean all the other female artists in her day are good but so politically inclined and elite and I understand Judi and what she must have felt ......such hatred for the competitiveness of her peers
her work speaks for itself ....brilliance shines from above
Some great songs classic arrangements and a clear voice what else can be better
Thank you so much for this. Judee was everything you all have said she was and more. So talented, so inspired, there are no words. It's good to know people are still appreciating her.
Whoa, Graham, you are right about the Kiss. Perfect.
+Susan Emory That would be Andy Partridge.
Nice to see Judee's art celebrated.
I think the actor Judy Greer should play her in a movie about Sill's life.
Thank you for the documentary. Great to learn about the gentle soul of Judee Sill. Great voice and music.
She was no gentle soul. But she was a genius.
Thankyou for posting this - she is central to understanding the development and lineage of worthwhile music.
"Nikos Kazantakis (?)he's my favorite writer..."She was so SWEET,
kyrie liaison we learnt this in college choir ,she is amazing beautifully done there is a big story 2 it thats a very holy song
when i was performing in NYC in 1983 - a guy turned me on to Judee Sill and it knocked me out . Like Nick Drake or the band from the 70s Lazareth - just slipped under the radar screen . Thank God Bruce Cockburns similar spiritual music made it .
She appeared twice on the Old Grey Whistle Test i believe, but there was also an appearance on a BBC program called "In Concert" which had a running time of about 30 mins. I wonder if that still exists and if so why it has not emerged? I read somewhere that 17 episodes of the series were missing let's hope that Judee's is not one of them and that it surfaces soon.
thank you for posting this.
This is great, thanks for posting.
Check out Weird Scenes from Laurel Canyon by Dave McGowen for the dark reference about her life. Beautiful voice.
Judee Sill.............Beautiful woman.
Thank you!
The Donor, beautiful song
haunting.
Thank you!
A "Fallen Angel", indeed !!
Thanks so much for the upload. I hope more and more people discover Judee's genius.
interesting well made production . Learnt a lot
Thank you.
7:25 Ken Muse was reportedly a violent drunk minger and Judee fled that environment. Beautiful voice with a strong talent for writing. Thx for posting. Cheers.
why wasn't she promoted better what a remarkable talent
She apparently outed powerful mogul David Geffen which may have harmed the promotion of this most rarified of talents.
Magic... the kiss..
I came to know about her very recently. Sad and poignant history, Great artist. Still prefer Sandy Denny, who for me is unparalleled to anyone, but Sill deserves a most closer attention. She and Jackson C Frank are the most underrated american singers/songwrighters
+Ricardo Britto I also think Sandy Denny is superior, but it's really hard to put your finger on it why exactly.
Judee was an astonishing and dark genius, but so was Denny, who had a different kind of darkness. It may simply be the American vs British/Celtic heritages. Denny has a broader scope--landscape in her lyrics, you might say, and is slightly less polished in her melodies--Judee has the classical-church blended with almost pop-jazz thing, which is a bit self-conscious, though truly magnificent. Or it could be a matter of taste. Denny really broods. But they both have in common that they were definitely alone on their own planets.
+harmoniabalanza I compleely agree with you. Denny´s memory and works are having a strong revival by now. I hope Frank and Sill conquer the recognition they deserve. Both are greatly gifted artists.
Oh! Partridge, you soppy so and so...
ppl didnt get it no way ,,,,,gosh I feel bad 4 her ,,,,poor woman
The Lost Genius of Judee Sill (2014 BBC Radio Documentary): ruclips.net/video/T6cEreyGpYI/видео.html
No idea that "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" was about and for JD Souther.
kb1056 When Warren Zevon found that out, he sighed, “It’s JD’s world-we just live in it.”
Her mother may have even been the prototype for Betty Boo. They knda looked alike......She was pure southern.
Listen to The Silver in Her Crucifix by Jackie Leven. Another largely ignored songwriter.
what kind of accent is that she has? california?
Southern California I believe
I ve never heard such amazing vocals she was meant to be much bigger then this but maybe her heavenly voice is for us to bring back the Jesus tot he fore front of this crazy business
J.D. Souther dumped her, is what I read. He was a womanizer and wanted to hook up with Linda Ronstadt. Another nail in the coffin for Judee. I can't think about J.D. Souther in a positive way anymore since I read that.
Just renewed my contact with Judee, she sends a spiritual vibe to the soul...
"Nikos Kazantakis (?)he's my favorite writer..."She was so SWEET,