Judy Collins is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the 1960s and has had an enduring career in folk and pop music for over 50 years. She is known for her eclectic tastes and poetic lyrics. Determining her “biggest hit” requires looking at record sales, chart performance, critical acclaim, and lasting cultural impact.
Background on Judy Collins
Judy Collins was born in 1939 in Seattle, Washington. She learned piano at an early age and was drawn to folk music as a teenager. In 1961 at age 22, Collins released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, which featured traditional songs and covers of contemporary folk artists. She went on to release over 25 studio albums between 1961-2017.
Collins was known for her crystal clear soprano voice and bold musical arrangements. She was an early champion of songwriters like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman, helping bring their songs to a wider audience. Collins was also politically active, using her music to promote social causes like civil rights and opposition to the Vietnam war.
“Send in the Clowns” – 1975
Many regard Collins’ rendition of “Send in the Clowns” in 1975 as her signature song and biggest commercial hit. “Send in the Clowns” was written by Stephen Sondheim for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music. Sondheim praised Collins for transforming his song “from a theatrical piece into an introspective, emotional ballad.”
Collins’ version reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August 1975. It spent nearly six months on the chart and was nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards. The song appeared on Collins’ album Judith and became her first gold single, selling over one million copies.
The lyrical, melancholy song connected with audiences and came to define Collins’ style as an interpretive folk singer. She performed the song at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration ceremony, cementing its reputation as her signature tune.
Lyrics and Meaning
The lyrics of “Send in the Clowns” contain clever wordplay and bittersweet emotion. On one level, it’s about the irony and inopportune timing of life. More metaphorically, it’s about chances that are missed or arrive too late:
Isn’t it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Collins’ tender vibrato brought out the despair and vulnerability in the lyrics. Her version magnified the theme of looking back with regret or disappointment, which resonated strongly with audiences.
“Both Sides Now” – 1968
Another Collins hit that is regarded as one of her finest recordings is “Both Sides Now.” Written by Joni Mitchell, Collins’ cover of the song was released on her 1967 album Wildflowers. It was issued as a single in November 1968 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Both Sides Now” captured the 1960s zeitgeist with its meditation on changing perspectives through life experience. Mitchell wrote it at just 24 years old while Collins’ more mature vocals (she was 29) added richer shades of wisdom and emotion. The lyrics contrast the innocence of youth with the inflated dreams and disillusionment of aging:
Moons and Junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that wayBut now it’s just another show
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away
Like “Send in the Clowns,” Collins took a cerebral song and turned it into an emotional tour de force. Her vocal control and ability to connect with the lyrics led many listeners to feel they were hearing the song for the first time, even though it had been penned months earlier.
Other Notable Hits
While “Send in the Clowns” and “Both Sides Now” stand out as Collins’ biggest commercial successes, she landed numerous other songs on the Billboard charts between 1962-1981:
Song | Year | Peak Position |
---|---|---|
“Turn! Turn! Turn!” | 1965 | #69 |
“Someday Soon” | 1968 | #55 |
“Who Knows Where the Time Goes” | 1968 | #46 |
“Chelsea Morning” | 1969 | #78 |
“Amazing Grace” | 1970 | #15 |
“Cook with Honey” | 1973 | #32 |
“Send in the Clowns” | 1975 | #36 |
“Hard Times for Lovers” | 1979 | #65 |
Other well-known Judy Collins songs like “Suzanne” and “In My Life” were fan favorites but did not actually chart on the Hot 100 list. However, they received extensive radio play and helped define Collins as an influential voice in folk-pop.
Critical Reception
In addition to commercial success, critics consistently praised Collins’ musicality and interpretive abilities. Reviewing Wildflowers in 1968, Billboard magazine said she ” handles lyrics in a superior, sensitive fashion” and called the album “a treasure house of songwriting and professional performing.”
Rolling Stone remarked that Collins’ recordings gave folk songs “a veneer of sophistication and intelligence and some of the finest arrangements being heard in pop music.” Her crystal voice and gift for finding emotional nuance was widely admired and considered a touchstone of the 1960s folk revival.
Legacy and Influence
Judy Collins’ lasting contribution was taking the poetry of modern folk songwriters and elevating it into mainstream popularity through the purity of her voice and the depth of her interpretations. She brought a classical musician’s discipline to folk material and influenced many younger singers like Joan Baez.
Beyond record sales, Collins helped bring recognition to singer-songwriters and give folk music a new currency in the popular lexicon. Songs like “Both Sides Now” may have been overshadowed by Collins’ celebrated version. She also inspired covers by artists from Willie Nelson to Barbara Streisand.
Judy Collins succeeded in making folk music accessible and relatable for larger audiences. Songs like “Send in the Clowns” transcended their original context thanks to Collins’ ability to connect with the emotional core beneath the lyrics. For these reasons, her versions of beloved folk anthems continue to be definitive decades later.
Conclusion
Judy Collins’ biggest commercial hit as a single was clearly “Send in the Clowns” from 1975. It reached higher chart positions, had broader crossover airplay, and sold over a million copies. The timing and lyrical poignance perfectly aligned with Collins’ musical strengths.
“Both Sides Now” also represented a major hit and critical achievement for Collins in 1968. It spoke to her emergence as an important voice in folk-pop and underscored her skills as an interpretive singer.
While “Send in the Clowns” was Collins’ biggest chart hit, she contributed numerous songs that became beloved folk standards thanks to her tender and intelligent renderings. Her body of work in the 1960s and 70s exerted enormous influence and helped craft the landscape of modern folk and pop. She imbued music with sensitivity, heartache, joy, and wisdom that touched the souls of generations.