Judee Sill - Heart Food

Asylum SYL 90061973

Thanks to John Lane for the loan of the sleeve and lyric sheet.

Sleeve notes:

This album I dedicate with love to David Omer Bearden

All songs composed, arranged and orchestrated by Judee Sill, with the exception of the words to "When the bridegroom comes" which were written by David Omer Bearden.

Produced by Henry Lewey and Judee Sill

Audio alchemy by Henry Lewey

Special assistance by Eddie Lynn

Art direction and design by Anthony Hudson

Cover lettering by Bob Maile

Photographs by Ken Bright

Musicians:

David Bearden, Lynn Blessing, Gene Cipriano, Vince De Rosa, Douglas Dillard, Oma Drake, Assa Drori, Buddy Gene Emmons, Jesse Erlich, Chris Ethridge, Ron Fulsom, Harris Goldman, Jim Gordon, Bobbye Hall, Goria Jones, Ray Kelly, William Kurasch, Leonard Malarsky, Spooner Oldham, Richard Perissi, Bill Plummer, Emil Richards, Ralph Schaeffer, Louie Shelton, David Schwartz, Carolyn Willis, Tibor Zelig

Review by Greg Burk

Review by Dominique Leone

Review by Bruce Robinson

1. There's a Rugged Road
2. The Kiss
3. The Pearl
4. Down Where the Valleys Are Low
5. The Vigilante
6. Soldier of the Heart
7. The Phoenix
8. When the Bridegroom Comes
9. The Donor

There's A Rugged Road

There's a rugged road on the prairie,
Stretchin' all across the last frontier
There a stranger strives, solitary,
Blessed is the lonesome pioneer

Roll on, roll on, roll on
Night birds are flyin'
Come on, the light is gone
Hope's slowly dyin',
Tell me how you come ridin thru,

Still surveyin' the miles yet to run,
On the long and lonely road to Kingdom Come.....
He can blaze the trail tho' the rumblin'
Dims his guidin' light to just a spark
When the hour is low, he comes tumblin'
But when the moon is high he gives his heart

Gainin' steady till this round is run,
On the long and lonely road to Kingdom Come....
People far below, chasin' pleasures,
Offer him directions on the run.
Prophets on the path offer treasures
And tho' he's mighty hungry, he takes none

Blindly faithful but followin' none
On the long and lonely road to Kingdom Come....

When the sun goes down at the right time,
He comes a-windin' thru the purple haze
Just a feather's toucn in the night time,
But it'll color all my weary days.
Shinin' finer than this earthly sun,

On the ragged, rugged road to Kingdom Come
On the ragged rugged road to Kingdom Come....

The Kiss

Love, risin from the mists,
Promise me this and only this,
Holy breath touchin' me
Like a wind song,
Sweet communion of a kiss

Sun, siftin' thru the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swoopin' down
Just to show me
How to give my heart away

Once a crystal choir
Appeared while I was sleepin'
And called my name
And when they came down nearer
Sayin', "Dyin' is done",
Then a new song was sung
Until somewhere 
We  breathed as one
(and still I hear their whisper)

Stars, burstin' in the sky
Hear the sad nova's dyin' cry,
Shimmerin' memory
Come and hold me
While y'show me how to fly

Sun, siftin' thru the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swoopin' down
Just to show me
How to give my heart away

Lately sparklin' hosts
Come fill my dreams descendin'
On firey beams
I've seen 'em come clear down
Where our poor bodies lay,
Soothe us gently and say,
"Gunna wipe all your tears away". 
(and still I hear their whisper)

Love risin from the mists
Promise me this and only this,
Holy breath touchin' me
Like a wind song,
Sweet communion of a kiss.....

The Pearl

I've been lookin' for someone
Who sells truth by the pound
Then I saw the dealer and his friend
Arrive, but their gifts looked grim,
Now I'm tired of hanging on,
Waitin' for a showdown
Don't y'see I gotta ride 'em out
Cuz the pearl's just around the bend
Beautiful pearl, o when will you reappear?
Mysteries unfurl and become so clear,
When I feel you near...
I found a way outside myself
To make my spirit climb,
And I coulda shinnied on up
But my rope was made of wind
I appreciate the words,
But I won't be there at showtime
Don't y'see I gotta ride them out
Cuz the pearl's just around the bend
Beautiful pearl, o when will you reappear?
Mysteries unfurl and become so clear,
When I feel you near...
When my backyard weeds grew high,
I hoped that they would hide me,
But I felt that the pearl was near
Cuz I thought I saw it shine,
I was lookin' all around
When I felt it there inside me
And I see a possibility 
That its been there all the time...

Down Where The Valleys Are Low

Down where the valleys are low, there's a refuge so high
And down where the coldest winds blow, there the warmest winds hide
And deep in the forest of woe, sweet deliverance is nigh
And deep in the heart there's a rose that a glimmer keeps guidin'

Till the heaven's song begins the holy files a-burnin'
And the harmony is set to weave a silver sermon
And my heart's aflame until the blessed rhythm's churnin'

Make me climb till the mountains are under me
And sorrow's behind
Send  a sign on the shadows of my memory
Put out the dark, cuz the 
Light's so fine
Feed the flame, till the weakness posessin' me
Is baptised with fire, and the beast is slain

Push me on from the danger that's pullin' me
And holds me so strong...
Send a song on the wind to deliver me
Take me and rise, when the
Fire is on.....
Take the reins, and the loneliness fillin' me
And make my fear fuel, and the fuel hi-octane

Lead the way thru the glories deceivin' me
And reverie's sway.....
Thru the day when the hereafter's holdin' me
Lend me a hand and I won't delay
Send a ray thru the seven veiled mysteries
And break their sweet spell,
And their links of chain....

The Vigilante

I see the vigilante watchin' in the deep o' the night,
I always find him where his hear is, he's fightin' the good fight
He's got his eyes on the horizon, reachin' higher,
He's got his eyes on the horizon, and his boots on his feet.

When I was stranded at the crossroads it was dismal and grey,
And when I asked him for directions he showed me the good way,
And if the sky is swirlin' still his pace never swerves
Because his heart is always faithful, reachin' higher
Because his heart is always faithful to the captain he serves...

So when the storm of deception is roundin' the bend
Y'know the vigilante's watchin', and he won't let it in...

Tho' I have seen him climbin' mountains with so heavy a load
He always lends a helpin' hand and he walks on the good road,
It often makes me wonder how he wins with such ease,
But then he keeps his vigil constant, and he's aimin' to please

So when illusion's approachin' and danger is nigh,
Y'know the vigilante's watchin' and he won't let it by

I've seen him fight the fiercest foe utnil it's forces divide,
Cuz he's the fairest of them all and he chooses the good side,
So when the tempters tease and try to make him unsure,
Y'know the fires of war are burnin', reachin' higher,
Y'know the fires of war are burnin', but his weapons are pure

So when the clouds of confusion can creep into view
Y'know the vigilante's watchin', and he won't let 'em thru..

Soldier Of The Heart

Soldier of the hear, howdja git so strong?
Soldier of the heart, take me along
Soldier of the heart, howdja git so true?
Soldier of the heart, I'm marchin' with you

The battlefield's so cold
Take my heart as a token
I'd love to give it to you

Flyin' after a faraway cry
I wandered to a brink so high
Plungin' down to the last degree
The next think I knew
I came to, and saw
He was carryin' me

Soldier of the hear, howdja git so fine?
Soldier of the heart, I wish you were mine
Soldier of the heart, howdja git so true?
Soldier of the heart, I'm marchin' with you

The battlefield's so cold
Take my love as a token
I long to give it to you

Flames arise from the sword in his hand,
We'll march in over no-man's land,
And burn the enemy's stolen throne,
I'll carry your gun till it's done,
And we can go rollin' back home

Soldier of the hear, howdja git so right?
Soldier of the heart, take me tonight
Soldier of the heart, howdja git so true?
Soldier of the heart, I'm marchin' with you

The battlefield's so cold
Take my promise to warm you
I'm gunna give it to you

Flames came rippin' thru battle torn skies,

Tho' wounded, I tried not to cry
I said, "So long, I guess I'll be leavin' you".
But when I peeked in on the end,
I saw he was pullin' me thru

Soldier of the hear, howdja git so strong?
Soldier of the heart, take me along
Soldier of the heart, howdja git so true?
Soldier of the heart, I'm marchin' with you
Soldier of the heart, I'm followin' you...

The Phoenix

(April Music 1969)

The sun was red, and the fires were roarin',
Stars aligned and the webs were spun.
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 ......

On phosphorous wings the Phoenix floated
The fires froze and the sea was hushed
And when I tried to speak, the sun imploded
And the war will wate in my guts,
Till the devil bites the dust,
I never saw him losin' a race,
But I think he must....

The great storm raged and the power kept growin',
Dragons rose from the land below
And even now I wonder where I'm goin'
Ever since a long time ago,
I've tried to let my feelins show
I'd like to think I'm being sincere,
But I'll never know

When The Bridegroom Comes

See the bride and the spirit are one,
Then won't you who are thirsty invite Him to come?
With your door opened wide,
Won't you listen in the dark for the midnight cry?
And see when your light is on that the bridegroom comes

Into cold outer darkness are gone
Guests who would not their own wedding garment put on
Tho' the chosen are few, won't you tarry by your lamp till He calls for you?
And pray that your love endure till the bridegroom comes

When the halt and the lame meet the son,
And He sees for the blind, and He speaks for the dumb
Let their poor heart's complaint
Like the leper turned around who has kissed the saint,
Lift like a trumpet shout, and the bridegroom come.

See the builders despising the stone,
See the pearl of great price and the dry desert bones
By the Pharisees cursed,
Be exultant with the rose when the last are first,
And see how his mercy shines, as the bridegroom comes

Hear the bride and the spirit say come,
Then won't you who are weary invite in the Son?
When your heart's love is high,
Won't you hasten to the place where the hour is nigh?
And see that your light is on, for the bridegroom comes

The Donor

I'll chase 'em to the bottom
Till I've finally caught 'em
Dreams fall deep...
Where voices come a-chimin'
Moanin' and a-rhymin'
Warning me, their words are
Ringin' and a-whinin'
Hear 'em weep...
Songs from so deep
While I'm sleepin'
Seep in....
Sweepin' over me
Still the echo's achin'
"Leave us not forsaken"

Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison
Kyrie eleison, eleison,
Eleison, eleison
Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison

So sad, and so true
That even shadows come
And hum the requiem...

O waters of the moon
Your vapors swirls and swoon
Your wake is wide...
And sorrow's like an arrow
Shootin' straight and narrow
Aimin' true, it's sting goes
Reachin' to the marrow,
Silence cried...

Now songs from so deep,
While I'm sleepin',
Seep in...
Sweepin' over me
Still the echo's achin'
"Leave us not forsaken"

Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison
Kyrie eleison, eleison,
Eleison, eleison
Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison

So sad, and so true
That even shadows come
And hum the requiem...

Kyrie eleison...
Kyrie eleison...