Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Jesus Was a Cross Maker - Judee Sill

Jesus Was a Cross Maker - Judee Sill
3:29
Judee Sill, 1971
Written by Judee Sill

Judee Sill, a singer-songwriter with a beautiful voice, never hit the big time and died of a drug overdose at 35.  Sad!  This song was written after a bad relationship (with California songwriter JD Souther ), and ha since been covered by Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt, Cass Elliott, and the Hollies.  "Blinding me, his song remains, reminding me / He's a bandit and a heart breaker / Oh, but Jesus was a cross maker."  The vocals are luminous, but what really elevates the track is the restless arrangement. The drummer changes pace, nudging the song forward in subtle surges, building a series of small crescendos that mirror the emotional push-and-pull of the lyrics. It feels alive, like the song itself is wrestling with its own feelings.

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