Judy Collins Songs Ranked

Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer and songwriter with a career spanning over 60 years. She has known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records (which has included folk music, show tunes, pop music, rock and roll, and standards) for her social activism, and for the clarity of her voice. Collins has released 28 studio albums, 4 live albums, numerous compilation albums, and 4-holiday albums. Collins experienced the biggest success of her career with her recording of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” from her best-selling 1975 album Judith. The single charted on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1975 and then again in 1977, spending 27 non-consecutive weeks on the chart and earning Collins a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, as well as a Grammy Award for Sondheim for Song of the Year. In 2017, Collins’ rendition of the song “Amazing Grace” was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant”. In 2019, Judy Collins scored her first #1 album on an American Billboard Chart with Winter Stories at the age of 80 years old. Here are all of Judy Collins’ songs ranked.

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12. Born to the Breed (Judith, 1975)

“Ms Collins’s songs tend to be rather melancholy and poetic. In the original recordings, she frequently accompanies herself on the piano with highly romantic sweeping arpeggioes that keep the song in a constant fluid and floral motion..”

11. Turn, Turn, Turn! / To Everything There Is a Season (Judy Collins #3, 1964)

“I really love this song–it helps kill depression for me. Touching on the aspects of the quality of the product–I would have to say that the sound is very good. there’s no graininess or fuzz in the background–the volume is a little low so if I’m listening to this piece on my computer with earbuds I have to have my volume up pretty high to get a good clear sound–but I wouldn’t say sound is to big an issue with this recording. This recording has the original applause from Judy Collins’s onstage performance–I’m not too big on having excess sounds blended in with my music so I chopped out the clapping at the end and her intro at the beginning.”

10. Suzanne (In My Life, 1966)

“What can I say? This is the consummate performance of one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Judy Collins’ clear, musical voice is perfect for this lyrical, delicate, magical song. After 40 years, still spellbinding..”

9. Since You’ve Asked (So Early in the Spring, 1977)

“Shawn’s and Judy’ voices were so melodic, and matched so well, it made this song that I have always loved, even better.”

8. Albatross (Wildflowers, 1967)

“This song by Judy Collins is my personal favorite, surpassing even ‘Send in the Clowns’ and ‘Both Sides Now’. The song is a ballad of poignant and bittersweet longing, of being trapped in a world of the mundane and looking for something–or someone–more. The song is truly poetic, showing Collin’s skill as a wordsmith, spinning a scene into existence as she sings of her looked for prince ‘Scattering the sand and foam into amethyst fountains’.”

7. Amazing Grace (Whales & Nightingales, 1970)

“This recording gave me great appreciation for the hymn. This is one of those classics you get use to because it is played so much BUT this recording with the Harlem Boys Choir singing background is amazing. I found this version via YouTube. This was preformed in Washington DC for an event. It was great!”

See more: Judy Collins Albums Ranked

6. Since You Asked (Wildflowers, 1967)

“This is, and will always be, one of my favorite songs. Hearkens me back to a very special time in my life. No one sings it better than Judy Collins.”

5. My Father (Who Knows Where the Time Goes, 1968)

“Judy Collins was part of an era where change was happening all over and quickly. But as a Judy Collins fan, I always only listened not for her political agenda but for her tone and words. It was so nice to understand all the words in a song. Add her slightly baritone voice to the mix and you had angelic music. She was from the American folk generation at a time when quiet splendor music was a great relief from the brazen rock and roll. If this song does not please you, try her version of Amazing Grace. That song to me was the greatest version of it I have ever heard.”

4. Song for Judith (Living, 1971)

“Judy Collins has a beautiful voice, very high and very clear. This song is one of my favorites. I first heard it in a movie, and had to research a bit to find out the name and the singer, but it was worth it. I believe I should be checking into other songs by Judy”

See more: Crosby Stills Nash Songs Ranked

3. Farewell to Tarwathie (Whales & Nightingales, 1970)

“A very rare and beautiful Scottish song and this arrangement is definitely startling. Those weird sounds are whale recordings, the creaks of the ship’s timbers can be heard, and the cold and lonely world of the whalers is so evident. Absolutely gorgeous!!”

2. Someday Soon (Who Knows Where the Time Goes, 1968)

“Another great rendition of a wonderful song, sung by Judy Collins. It’s far beyond the Ian and Sylvia original because her voice tells the whole story through the words and memorable melody, and of the woman’s wishes for her “perfect” man. One of the greatest folk pop tunes of all.”

1. Send in the Clowns (Judith, 1975)

“Heard Judy Collins’ version when it was first released and the song has stayed with me ever since. For some reason, however, I waited until now to buy the digital recording. Worth the wait! Stephen Sondheim’s words and music elicit strong, moving feelings about love and its complexities.”