JUDY COLLINS – TIMES OF OUR LIVES

Once upon a time, just short of 30 years ago, a family lost its home in a fire. Well that can be said of lots of familes every day, but in this case, it was my wife, myself and our daughter, who was then 13. None of us was physically injured in any way, we even got our cat out. The only loss of life was a goldfish.  But we lost almost everything we owned.

I say almost, because I had just married my wife a few months before and was in the process of adopting our daughter.  I moved in with them, and the home did not have room for all of my stuff, so a lot of it got put in storage. About half of my records had moved in with me, about half had been stored, so after the fire, we still had the rest of my stuff, and most importantly, the music. As we both had copies of almost all Judy Collins' albums, my copies of those had been in storage. 

One album that helped get me through that period was the then-newest album by the phenomenal Judy Collins – Times of Our Lives.

Great Expectations (Hugh Prestwood) - One of those songs that I just needed then.  This is a song that fits in with many self-help programs. Including lyrics like “Down has never been a place I care to stay”, “I believe in beginning again, I expect to be winning again. I intend to have love in my life.” Hugh Prestwood is primarily known as a country songwriter, but Collins fell in love with his work and she recorded quite a number of his songs over the years, starting with “Hard Times for Lovers” in 1979

The Rest of Your Life (Judy Collins)  - A song about motherhood, and how it never ends. “Every mother has to let her child go, even though it may tear her apart. I can hear the lullabies I sang you – now you stand taller than my heart.” “Whatever you’re doing for the rest of your life, I’m here to tell you you can count on me.” I believe that Judy wrote this for her son, discussing how a mother has to let go – and yet never can.

Granddaddy (Judy Collins) – A song reminiscent of the Irish jigs that Judy heard from her father in her childhood, morphed into a tale of a child and her grandfather “Wrap me up in your winter coat, wrap me up so tight. I never will feel the cold, I’ll be safe tonight.” Astonishingly beautiful.

It’s Gonna Be One of Those Nights (Hugh Prestwood) – Another love song about a happy couple! “I think we’re gonna have one tonight, we’re gonna have one of those nights, we’re gonna have one of those star-spangled nights, one of those times of our lives. Tonight in this world, there’s gonna be just you and me, we’re gonna be falling in love – darling, just you wait and see. Again, a song that is uplifting and empowering.

Memory (T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn) – From “Cats”, the ballad of Grizabella sung by one of the most beautiful voices on the face of the earth. Perfection – what else can I say?

Sun Son (Anna McGarrigle) – the magnificent McGarrigle sisters will be getting more than one entry on this blog, but Anna wrote this wonderful homecoming tune “It’s the sun, son, shining on the water – it’s not Cairo, New York or Rome. It’s a matter of hours before you see your Mama, waiting for you back at home.”  Another magnificently uplifting tune (are we beginning to see a pattern in this album?)

Mama, Mama (Judy Collins) – Well, not every song has to be happy, and this song takes a very different tack. This is the story of a single mother who already has several children, “trying to raise a bunch of kids on nothing but love and guts.”  “Five kids are gonna drive me crazy, Lord, I can’t have another baby.” Suddenly you realize that she is making a night-time trip while her kids are sleeping to have an abortion. “Mama, mama you know how it feels, love never knows a season. Mama tell me you understand – the heart always has a reason.” A heartbreaking song.

Drink a Round To Ireland (Hugh Prestwood) – I can’t think of this song without thinking of a dear friend who passed away a few months ago, who once wrote a story inspired by the lyrics of this song. The song makes me cry, both for what it says and how it makes me feel.

DRINK A ROUND TO IRELAND

Music and lyrics by Hugh Prestwood

Father was a singing man, most of what he sang

Had to do with Ireland, the place from where he came.

Ireland of his childhood, Ireland of his spring

To return to Ireland was his dream.

Drink a round to Ireland boys, I’m home again.

Drink a round to Jesus Christ, who died for Irishmen.

I guess he left his dreams to me after he was gone

And there were many years to come when I sang my father’s song.

And so I came to Ireland, here I live today,

Lately I’ve been wondering why I stay.

Drink a round to Ireland boys, I’m home again.

Drink a round to Jesus Christ who died for Irishmen.

Dad, I think you’re fortunate your dreams did not come true.

I know that it would break your heart to see the things we do.

If you could see the murder here, if you could feel the pain

To see the way we live would bring you shame.

Drink a round to Ireland boys, I’m home again.

Drink a round to Jesus Christ who died for Irishmen.

Drink a round to Ireland boys, I’m home again.

Drink a round to Jesus Christ, who died for Irishmen.

Angel On My Side (Judy Collins) – Picking us back up, a song about how down times are followed by better times “Somewhere down the line I found myself upon that road, where the devil led me I would go. Lost, I was lost like a child in the dark drifting away with the tide. God only knows how I made it back home – I must have an angel on my side.”

Don’t Say Goodbye, Love (Judy Collins) – What it says – a woman begging her lover not to leave her. An odd place to close the album, (I think “Angel On My Side” would have been a better ending) but nevertheless a beautiful song. “Don’t Say Goodbye love, I couldn’t bear to hear it.”

For 30 years, I have turned to this album - and to Judy’s astonishing voice - in my times of need. As long as I live, I will love this collection of songs. Thank you, Judy.