Judee Sill

Asylum SYLA 8751 1971

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1. Crayon Angels 02:35 (1969 Blimp Music)
2. The Phantom Cowboy 01:40 (1970 Blimp Music)
3. The Archetypal Man 03:35 (1971 April-Blackwood Music)
4. The Lamb Ran Way with the Crown 03:10 (1970 April-Blackwood Music)
5. Lady-O 03:10 (1969 Blimp Music)
6. Jesus Was a Cross Maker 03:20 (1971 April-Blackwood Music)
7. Ridge Rider 04:28 (1971 April-Blackwood Music)
8. My Man On Love 03:23 (1969 Blimp Music)
9. Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos 1969 Blimp Music)
10. Enchanted Sky Machines 02:40 (1969 Blimp Music)
11. Abracadabra 01:50 (1969 Blimp Music)

Reviews

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS March 4, 1972

JUDEE SILL (Asylum)

Still largely an unknown quantity in this country, Judee Sill is destined to develop into a powerful force in the near future and she’ll be playing dates in Britain next month including a concert with America at the Festival Hall.

She has in fact the composing and tale-telling talent of a Melanie, the flair for lyrical interpretation of a Judy Collins plus a great deal that’s strictly her own.

The backings are largely acoustic but augmented on a few tracks by beautifully scored strings.

Judee commands considerable respect in the States, as is shown by the fact that Graham Nash was involved in the production and Rita Coolidge is one of the backing voices. Her message to us on the sleeve is “May you savor each word like a raspberry”.

Well, savour each word I most certainly did. But this album deserves a bouquet, not a raspberry. It’s fine stuff.

Derek Johnson.

DAILY MAIL March 3, 1972

Michael Cable, Disc Reviews

Judee Sill: Judee Sill (Asylum SYLA 8751)

JUDEE SILL— who makes her concert debut in this country later in the month — is the first really exciting new talent to emerge on the pop scene in 1972.

Her appearances with Dave Crosby and Graham Nash gave her a high advance reputation which this first album proves totally justified.

Life has been far from smooth for Judee. Her father died when she was very young and her mother a few years later of alcoholism. On the same day that her brother died of pneumonia, she herself took an over­dose of heroin.

As a result of these experiences she turned to religion and there is a strong religious theme running through a number of the tracks on the album.

The best numbers are ‘Jesus Was a Cross Maker’ and ‘The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown’ although it is probably a mistake to pick out individual songs from an LP that has few, if any, weak points.

DISC & MUSIC ECHO March 4,1972.

JUDEE SILL This is a marvellous album vocally and musically. She starts a song with a smooth, easy-flowing finger-style acoustic guitar and gradually the backings build up. There is a quasi-classical feel to all her songs which are inventive, difficult but have amazingly commercial hook lines that could make Greenaway-Cooke gnash their teeth with envy.

On “The Phantom Cowboy” she brings in the classical backing and follows it through with a vocal fugue.

It is one of those albums that is so good, that new things to say crop up every bar and one could end up saying too much.

Saying no more, warning only that her lyrics are tremendously complicated, I beg you to listen to “Jesus Was A Crossmaker” which could say more about this album than a million words. GP.

RECORD MIRROR: JUDEE SILL

Judee Sill (Asylum SYLA 8751)

Recently seen with Crosby and Nash, this girl has a very simple style and delivery that makes a fantastic, honest feeling generate. From fully orchestrated to subdued backings, her voice and the poetic lyrics suit each nicely. Best combination is light backing and her clean, timely picking out on a nylon Spanish guitar out front. She’s one of the best female clawhammer pickers I’ve heard and songs like ‘Crayon Angels’ and ‘The Phantom Cowboy’ demonstrate sheer magic. No wonder Graham William Nash (also the producer) saw something here. She’ll be as big as Joni Mitchell with no sweat. L.G.

MELODY MAKER

JUDEE SILL: “Jesus Was A Cross Maker” (Asylum). Here ‘tis, my favourite song from the album. More than any performance I can think of in recent times, it fills me with a protective emotion. It’s a record that should be played sparingly and with care. No deejay interrup­tions please, just let it be heard. A beautiful tune and performance, it has a clever construction that flows along with inspired logic. CW

SOUNDS

“MAY YOU savour each word like a raspberry” is Judee Sill’s sign off on the sleeve of this, her very first, album. Well it would be impossible not to savour each word — or each note either for that matter. What’s also impossible — to believe more than anything — is that fact that apparently Sill had such a hard time trying to get record companies interested in her. Their loss is Asylum’s gain. For this is a beautiful album in every sense of the word. More Judee Sill seems to have so much going for her that it’s impossible not to consider her as a contender for the same kind of place in music today as Joni has achieved. Not only does she have a pure untampered voice and very special kind of quirky pronunciation but her style of writing is quite unique. Melodically her songs are intensely strong, often breathlessly constructed jobs, lyrically she manages to bring a charm and sincerity to semi-religious sentiments so that they stand true and firm —untampered by the concessions that normal contem­porary writers make in such cases. “Crayon Angels” and “The Phantom Cowboy” set the stage for her stories and the highlight of the album — a difficult choice believe me — must be “Jesus Was A Cross Maker”, the one track produced by Graham Nash.— PA

 MELODY MAKER

JUDEE SILL: (Asylum). Judee is one of those breed of American girls who have taken to singing that one supposes were previously engaged in quietly knitting at home and rocking gently back and forth on the chair in the porch Now Judee, and dozens like her, have quietly put down their knitting, placed their spectacles firmly on the end of their snub noses, and taken up the acoustic guitar, bent on putting their bubbling thoughts into song. This musical manifesta­tion of women’s lib has been of great value and im­portance, and shows that while the menfolk have been bawling their gauche and inarticulate lyrics these past four score years and ten, the Judees have been storing up a treasure house of poetry and song. Judee has a more American voice than Joni Mitchell, and she gently rolls her R’s around with an attractive swinging motion. Her lyrics have a homely but none the less imaginative quality, as she sings of phantom cowboys and Jesus. One of the best songs here is “Jesus Was A Cross Maker.” which was produced by Graham Nash. She interprets each song with a gentle firmness that probably surprises her kinfolk Her accompaniment is strictly non rock, but the orchestra­tions retain a funky yet tasteful flavour, and even swing a mite here and there. She tends to be rather Iimited in her choice of keys and her moods are mainly introspective, without the flashes of humour one welcomes in Miss Mitchell. But a beautiful and highly recommended album. - C.W.

Lyrics

Crayon Angels 

Crayon Angel songs are slightly out of tune
But I'm sure I'm not to blame.
Nothin's happened but I think it will soon,
So I sit here waitin' for God and a train,
To the Astral plane.

Magic rings I made have turned my finger green.
And my mystic roses died.
Guess reality is not as it seems,
So I sit here hopin' for truth and a ride,
To the other side.

Phony prophets stole the only light I knew,
And the darkness softly screamed.
Holy visions disappeared from my view,
But the angels come back and laugh in my dreams,
I wonder what it means.

The Phantom Cowboy

I have seen the phantom cowboy ride,
His trail of dust is in my dreams.
With an eagle on his shoulder thro the clouds he glides
And sprints across the spatial streams.
But the ledge is steep, And the light is dark, Still I see him leap,
And he keeps on headin' for a star
That's not very far, he's travelin' on a silver filigree.

I've been waitin' at the eastern gate,
I waved my hand to flag him down.
I always hope to catch him but he just can't wait,
He's nor allowed to teach the ground.
But his touch can heal, When the light is dark, Doesn't need a shield,
Cuz he keeps on headin' for a star
That's not very far, he likes it all just because it's real.

Tho' I'm sittin' in the grit and grime,
The spark of hope is in me strong.
I'm gunna try to get there in the nick of time,
And maybe I can ride along.
If I have no fear,
when the light is dark,
I can feel you near,
Tho' you keep on headin' for a star
That's not very far, please don't forgit,
If your way is clear, I'll be waitin' here

The Archetypal Man

Fleeter even than Mercury
He flies inside the walls he calls his own.
He came hidin' but now I see
He looks like everyone I've ever known
He comes bearin' a sacrifice,
I know him by the rose that's in his hand.
I've been listenin' to his advice,
I heat the words but I can't understand.

His moon mirage is shinin'
Shiftin' the things that he can't endure
But all through the Darkness his pain is pure.
Fleeter even than Mercury
He flies inside the walls he calls his own.
He came hidin' but now I see
He looks like everyone I've ever known
He comes beatin' a sacrifice,
I know him by the rose that's in his hand.
I've been listenin' to his advice,
I hear the words but I can't understand.

His moon mirage is shinin'
Through his veins flows a fool's gold flood
But through the rose in his hand. . . flows blood.

The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown

Once I heard a serpent remark,
"If you try to evoke the spark,
You can fly through the dark,
With a red midnight raven,
To rule the battleground,"
So I drew my sword and got ready,
But the Iamb ran away with the crown.
So I drew my sword and got ready,
But the lamb ran away with the crown.
Tho' the beast within me's a liar,
He made me glow with a strange desire,
And I rode on the fire, with a blue sacred opal
To bless the battleground,
But I turned to see its reflection,
And the lamb ran away with the crown.
But I turned to see its reflection,
And the lamb ran away with the crown.
Once a demon lived in my brow,
I screamed and wailed and I cursed out loud,
And I sailed through the clouds on ten crested cardinals
To guard my battleground,
But I laughed so hard I cried,
And the lamb ran away with the crown.
But I laughed so hard I cried,
And the lamb ran away with the crown.

Lady-O

While you sit and seek a crescent moon
Is layin' at your feet,
With hope that's made of sand,
You don't think you can
But you have held it all in your hand
Lady-O.
I've been tryin' hard to keep from needin' you
But from the start,
My heart just rolled and flowed
I've seen where it goes
And still somehow my love for you grows,
Lady-O.
So on my heels I'll grow wings,
Gunna ride silver strings
But I'll see you in my holiest dreams,
Lady-O.
I've been tryin' hard to keep from needin' you
But from the start,
My heart just rolled and flowed
I've seen where it goes
And still somehow my love for you grows,
Lady-O.
So on my heels I'll grow wings,
Gunna ride silver strings
But I'll see you in my holiest dreams,
Lady-O.

Jesus Was A Cross Maker

Sweet silver angels over the sea
Please come down flyin' low for me
One time I trusted a stranger
Cuz I heard his sweet song
And it was gently enticin' me
Tho there was somethin' wrong,
But when I turned he was gone.

Blindin' me, his song remains remindin' me,
He's a bandit and a heart breaker,
Oh, but Jesus was a cross maker.

Sweet silver angels over the sea
Please come down flyin' low for me

He wages war with the devil
A pistol by his side
And tho he chases him out windows
And won't give him a place to hide,
He keeps his door open wide

Fightin' him he lights a lamp invitin' him,
He's a bandit and a heart breaker,
Oh, but Jesus was a cross maker

Sweet silver angels over the sea
Please come down flyin' low for me

I heard the thunder come rumblin'
The light never looked so dim
I see the junction git nearer'
And danger is in the wind
And either road's lookin' grim

Hidin' me, I flee, desire dividin' me,
He's a bandit and a heart breaker.
Oh, but Jesus was a cross maker
Yes, Jesus was a cross maker
Sweet silver angels over the sea
Please come down flyin' low for me
One time I trusted a stranger
Cuz I heard his sweet song
And it was gently enticin' me
Tho there was somethin' wrong
But when I turned he was gone
Blindin' me, his song remains remindin' me,
He's a bandit and a heart breaker,
Oh, but Jesus was a cross maker.

Sweet silver angels over the sea
Please come down flyin' low for me

Ridge Rider

He rides the ridge between dark and light,
Without partners or friends
He's courageous enough to be scared
But he's too humble to win,
Bless the ridge rider,
The ridge he's ridin' is mighty thin.
I guess the ridge rider
Forgits he's travelin' with a friend.

He comes from under the cryptosphere,
Where the great sadness begins.
And he doesn't pretend to be brave.
Tho' the road's dusty and dim,
Bless the ridge rider,
The ridge he's ridin' is mighty thin.
I guess the ridge rider
Forgits he's travelin' with a friend.

Since the great fall he's been travelin' hard
Thinkin' bondage is sin.
Hopin' someday the path'll turn gold,
And the weight'll turn into wind
Bless the ridge rider,
The ridge he's ridin' is mighty thin.
I guess the ridge rider
Forgits he's travelin' with a friend.

He rides the ridge between dark and light
Without partners or friends
He's courageous enough to be scared,
But he's too humble to win.
Bless the ridge rider,
The ridge he's ridin' is mighty thin.
I guess the ridge rider
Forgits he's travelin' with a friend.

My Man On Love

One star remains in the false darkness,
Have you met my man on love?
One truth survives death's silent starkness.
Have you met my man on love?

No sorrow is like yours my friend,
Though silence is your tomb.
I'd take your every agony to
Save you from this doom.

But one star remains in the false darkness,
Have you met my man on love?
One truth survives death's silent starkness,
Have you met my man on love?

In your eyes is an echo of
What once was passion, my friend.
If I cried out loud, could you hear these words,
Resurrection waits within .

'Cuz one star remains in the false darkness,
Have you met my man on love?
One truth survives death's silent starkness,
Have you met my man on love?

Most high, most high, my man on love.
Most high, most high, my man on love.

Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos

Lopin' along thru the Cosmos,
And sideways I slide thro the square,
I'm hopin' so hard for a kiss from God,
I missed the sweet love of the air . .

A silver chariot soars
Thru mercury ripples of sky,
I'm lookin' so hard for a place to land,
I almost forgot how to fly...........

So keep on movin',
Or stay by my side, either way,
I'll tell you a secret
I've never revealed
However we are is O.K.

Enchanted Sky Machines

If I told you some secrets
Would you say I'm unreal?
I could easily love you
If you'd just let me feel.
I can't play forever
The games I've outgrown,
But just till enchanted sky machines
Take all the gentle home.
Just needin' to touch you
Is so hard to restrain,
Just waitin' for the time
Could maybe make me insane.
My heart is so hungry
Livin' on patience alone,
Please hurry enchanted sky machines
Take all the gentle home.
I believe the beginning
Won't be too far away.
The power's gittin' stronger,
I see signs every day.
So I'll swallow my yearnin
And won't let it be shown,
Until the enchanted sky machines
Take all the gentle home.
My desire is a rosebud
In the magic design.
I can't wait to feel it bloom
They'll be landin' anytime.
Then when the skeptics are wonderin'
Where all the faithful have flown,
We'll be on enchanted sky machines
The gentle are goin' home.

Abracadabra

Here's to the man
Who forgot his way home,
Who silently narrates
The confusion of his fight.
He fears the great truth
That would free him with its mercy
He hates his own darkness,
Dare he hide from this light?

Abracadabra, here's the key to the kingdom,
See thru the eyes that be behind yours.

Credits

Composed, arranged and supervised by Judee Sill
Produced by Henry Lewy, John Beck and Jim Pons
Audio Alchemy by Henry Lewy Orchestrated by Don Bagly and Bob Harris
David Geffen I Love You
Art Direction/Design: Gary Burden
Photography: Henry Diltz
Jesus Was A Cross Maker was produced by Graham William Nash and engineered by Larry Cox.
Background voices were supplied by Clydie King, Vanetta Fields and Rita Coolidge.