Judy Collins - Houses Lyrics






You have many houses, one for every season
Mountains in your windows, violets in your hands
Through your English meadows your blue-eyed horses wander
You're in Colorado for the Spring

When the Winter finds you, you fly to where it's summer
Rooms that face the ocean, moonlight on your bed
Mermaids swift as dolphins paint the air with diamonds
You are like a seagull as you said

Why do you fly bright feathered sometimes in my dreams?
The shadows of your wings fall over my face
I can feel no air, I can find no peace
Brides in black ribbons, witches in white
Fly in through windows, fly out through the night

Why do I think I'm dying sometimes in my dreams
I see myself a child running through the trees
Searching for myself, looking for my life
Looking everywhere crawling on my knees
I cannot see the leaves, I cannot see the light

Then I see you walking just beyond the forest
Walking very quickly, walking by yourself
Your shoes are silver, your coat is made of velvet
Your eyes are shining, your voice is sweet and clear
"Come on" you say "come with me, I'm going to the castle"

All the bells are ringing, the weddings have begun
But I can only stand here-I cannot move to follow
I'm burning in the shadows and freezing in the sun

There are people with you living in your houses
People from your childhood who remember how you were
You were always flying, nightingale of sorry
Singing bird with rainbows on your wings





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Judy Collins Houses Comments
  1. S.... S....

    Cannot listen to this beautiful song without bawling my eyes out... anyone here feel the same? x

  2. C.... S....

    It is my favorite and most beautiful composition, lovely!
    It is also not a simple song, changes of time and has several bridges, i love it

  3. G.... B....

    I've seen her in concerts many times, she is always a sell out. She, I think is the best songstress of all that I've seen. A lovely songbird, who sings as if she were a flying lovely, beautiful bird. She loves to sing, and that is her gift, the love, and depth of every note, and nuance! An amazing, creative talent!

    G.... B....

    By your first sentence, I take it that you mean her concerts always sell out, not that she is a sell out. I've also seen her a number of times-over 10, which is much more than I've seen any other artist or group.
    I agree very much about her songwriting! I think she is greatly underrated as a songwriter and I told her once in an email that I think she's an excellent songwriter. However, like her music in general, I think her real gift is how she can touch something deep inside. Whether it's a song she wrote like Houses or The Life You Dream or one of her many excellent covers, like Both Sides Now or the Coming of the Roads, this is what shines through her music most for me.

  4. G.... B....

    This album btw reached Platinum, and is her best! Love "Judith".

  5. G.... B....

    Dreamlike, haunting melody, fairyland like, visionary, floating vibrations through thin air, and like a whisper.....singing in a foggy like place out worldly. Fantastic orchestra, wonderful lyrics, & my personal favorite!

  6. w.... b....

    Oh/Ooh? Beautiful.

  7. w.... C....

    Some of the most beautiful songs have been recorded by Judy Collins. :)

  8. N.... f....

    ♥♥♥♥♥ Wonderful song.

  9. A.... M....

    Trying times with beautiful music...

  10. L.... B....

    Judy collins who k own where the time gods

  11. A.... M....

    Her response to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (about Stephen Stills)

  12. H.... L....

    I never heard this song in all the years I have heard of Judy Collins but when I heard about it in the Sunday Morning story on her tour with ex-beau Stephen Stills, I clicked on this entry and to me it's a very beautiful and well written song. It's a shame that it never made Billboard's Hot 100. To me, it's one of her greatest songs.

    H.... L....

    Howard Luloff same here

  13. �.... �....

    I was just a little baby when this album was released... I remember my mother listening to it and later on, when I was old enough to use the record player, I would listen to it on my own. I used to sing it to myself as I walked through the woods in Colorado as a boy. Then I lost track, having forgotten this music. A few months ago, my mother passed and I stumbled upon this music once again; it's like it never left my mind. I remember every note and word. So funny the secrets your mind tucks away in rarely-used corridors.

  14. a.... ....

    Another favourite of mine.

  15. J.... D....

    I came across this album in a charity shop recently. Happily I still have a "retro" record player so can play it. Only 50p too.

  16. b.... ....

    This song is about Stephen Stills. I think it is one of her best.

    b.... ....

    I thought it was about the loss of her son? At least thats always been the story Ive heard. Regardless, it's pure beauty.

    b.... ....

    Born to the breed was about her son.

    b.... ....

    Her son died in ‘92...

  17. G.... M....

    This song is ultimate Judy.

  18. M.... M....

    I have seen her multiple times in concert, she tends not to sing the songs most personal and dear to her, Houses and Albatross never performed. I wonder why...

    Might be they take a lot out of you, and is emotionally draining. Maybe, pure speculation.

    The things that tend to touch us most are the things that tend to rare, and therefore precious in our lives.

    Jackson Browne skipped Sky Blue and Black in his last tour. Perhaps another case in point.

    By the way, Judy mentioned that she's done a duet with Jackson on her latest album. (During her current tour, which i attended in Las Vegas).

    M.... M....

    Mario McCash Well, the orchestration on this song is so specific, flute, english horn, warm strings...hard to really get that dreamlike, ethereal quality of the recording studio, on tour...unless the performer can afford to hire and travel with a small orchestra. Just a thought.

    M.... M....

    122avis

    Yes, to replicate the studio version you would all that additional instrumentation. However, she does have a solo piano only version of this song. She can always just do that while on tour, but rarely does.

    M.... M....

    She sang “Houses” with Stephen Stills at Ravinia in 2018. I was a puddle of tears on the floor.

  19. P.... ....

    Nosleep brought me here. Not that anyone gives a shit.

  20. j.... ....

    I have always loved this song.

  21. M.... T....

    hauntingly beautiful song and voice

    M.... T....

    Listen to her City of New Orleans.

    M.... T....

    I have I’ve loved everything she has recorded was lucky enough to have seen her in concert a few times!

  22. J.... D....

    WAS looking through some old records and found this - the "B" side to her version of Send in the Clowns which I must have bought it for back in the 70s. So haunting - though I don't understand the meaning.

    J.... D....

    Sometimes that isn't needed. It was just so magical, her interpretation of someone she admired and or loved.

    J.... D....

    written about Stephen Stills. Good Guardian article about it.

  23. M.... M....

    this album got me through an incredible difficult time in my life. I was a young soldier headed to Viet Nam. Her voice came to me often in the dark night, violence all around, death so close I could taste it on my ........... I can only hope the light of her voice continues to inspire....thank you Judy!

    M.... M....

    Are you sure your not thinking of another album? This album was released after the war was over...

    M.... M....

    wars are never over

    M.... M....

    @JD Chase I had wondered about that too. According to wikipedia, Judith was released on March 17, 1975. So it could have been the end of the Vietnam war.

    M.... M....

    Yes but that was the War between North and South Vietnam.... Americans left Vietnam in ‘73...

    M.... M....

    @JD Chase I have to wonder why I had the GI Bill then as I enlisted in the Navy in July of 1973. I know the helicopter and the evacuation of Saigon took place in 1975.

  24. W.... V....

    sehr schöne ballade

  25. M.... K....

    This is the most beautiful song and I remember listening to this when I was small from my Mum playing the "record" and then I would climb a high tree and sing it, like I was going to fly.  Love Judy Collins.  She let me dream!

    M.... K....

    I found Judys music when I was a teen and found her a whole generation after she was very popular. Where? In my Grandparents record collection. Someone gave them one of her albums. Her music hit me, it was so beautiful, it became my favorite all thru my teens and 20's. Then I lost touch with her music. Wasn't till computers came out and Youtube that I found Judy again. And even though it was generations since I heard her, I remember the music word for word, all these years later. And she was born on the same day I was, May 1st. It's my other connection to Judy!

  26. G.... ....

    So beautiful, but you left off the all important LAST NOTES!

  27. r.... ....

    Beautiful.  :)

  28. C.... ....

    Thank you so much for posting this! Are the last few seconds missing, or is it my memory that's off?

    C.... ....

    You're right about the last few seconds. Beautiful song nevertheless. I think it's her best, and she has many that are great.