London's 35-year acting career began in films in 1944 and included playing opposite Gary Cooper in Man of the West (1958) and Robert Mitchum in The Wonderful Country (1959). She achieved continuing success in the TV medical drama Emergency! (1972–1979), co-starring her real-life husband, Bobby Troup, and produced by her ex-husband, Jack Webb, in which London played the female lead role of nurse Dixie McCall. She and Randolph Mantooth, who played one-half of her medical students, a paramedic, in the series, were very close to her family, until her death in 2000.
Born in Santa Rosa, California, she was the daughter of Jack and Josephine Peck, who were a vaudeville song-and-dance team. When she was fourteen the family moved to Los Angeles. Shortly after that, she began appearing in movies. She graduated from the Hollywood Professional High School in 1945.
London began singing under the name Gayle Peck in public in her teens before appearing in a film. She was discovered by talent agent Sue Carol (wife of actor Alan Ladd), while working as an elevator operator. Her early film career, however, did not include any singing roles.
London recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955 with a live performance at the 881 Club in Los Angeles. Billboard named her the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957. She was the subject of a 1957 Life cover article in which she was quoted as saying, "It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate."
London's debut recordings were for the Bethlehem Records label. While shopping for a record deal, she recorded four tracks that would later be included on the compilation album Bethlehem's Girlfriends in 1955. Bobby Troup backed London on the album, for which London recorded the standards "Don't Worry About Me", "Motherless Child", "A Foggy Day", and "You're Blasé".
London's most famous single, "Cry Me a River", was written by her high-school classmate Arthur Hamilton and produced by Troup. The recording became a million-seller after its release in December 1955 and also sold on reissue in April 1983 from the attention brought by a Mari Wilson cover. London performed the song in the film The Girl Can't Help It (1956), and her recording gained later attention in the films Passion of Mind (2000) and V for Vendetta (2006). The song "Yummy Yummy Yummy" was featured on the HBO television series Six Feet Under and appears on its soundtrack album. London's "Must Be Catchin'" was featured in the 2011 premiere episode of the ABC series Pan Am. Her last recording was "My Funny Valentine" for the soundtrack of the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine (1981).
Other popular singles include "Hot Toddy", "Daddy", and "Desafinado". Recordings such as "Go Slow" epitomized her career style: her voice is slow, smoky, and playfully sensual.
She was married to Jack Webb, of Dragnet fame. Her obvious beauty and self-poise (she was a pinup girl prized by GIs during World War II) contrasted with his pedestrian appearance and stiff-as-a-board acting technique (much parodied by impersonators). This unlikely pairing arose from his and her love for jazz; their marriage lasted from July 1947 to November 1953. They had two daughters, one who was killed in a traffic accident in the 1990s and one who survived London. In 1954, having become somewhat reclusive after her divorce from Jack Webb, she met jazz composer and musician Bobby Troup at a club on La Brea Blvd. They married on December 31, 1959 and remained married until Troup's death in February 1999. Together, they had one daughter and twin sons.
London suffered a stroke in 1995, and was in poor health until her death in Encino, California, at the age of seventy-four, survived by four of her five children. She died on18th October 2000, and was buried in Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Sophisticated Lady
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just because you're caught in your social maze
I think it's 'bout time that you realize
Your money and your power's got you mesmerized
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Educated lady with your college degree
Amazes me why you just can't see
Learned everything from your books on the shelf
But no one ever taught you how to think for yourself
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea, sweet thing
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady take a lesson from me
I can help you be what you want to be
Together we'll see many brighter days
If it takes forever, gonna change your ways
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea, sweet thing
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
The song "Sophisticated Lady" by Julie London is a commentary on the societal pressures of wealth, education, and status. The lyrics describe a woman, deemed sophisticated and educated, attempting to change the singer's behavior. The singer argues that her pursuit of money and power has blinded her to her own limitations, causing her to seek control over others. He suggests that she put on her blue jeans and let go of these societal expectations in order to find her true self.
The singer's tone is critical of the societal norms that create the pressures facing the "sophisticated lady." He questions the value of education if it doesn't teach one to think for oneself, and he urges the woman to find her own path in life. He offers to help her in this journey, promising that they will see "brighter days" together. The repeated call to put on blue jeans is an invitation to let go of the constraints of social norms and embrace a more casual, free-spirited way of living.
Overall, the song paints a picture of the struggle that many people face in finding their true selves in a world that often values superficial qualities over personal growth and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
Sophisticated lady tryin' to change my ways
A woman who thinks she's refined wants to change my behavior
Just because you're caught in your social maze
You're trapped in the conventions of high society, that doesn't mean I should be as well
I think it's 'bout time that you realize
It's time for you to understand
Your money and your power's got you mesmerized
Your wealth and influence have entranced you
Educated lady with your college degree
You have a higher education
Amazes me why you just can't see
I'm surprised you can't comprehend
Learned everything from your books on the shelf
You've read all the books on your bookcase
But no one ever taught you how to think for yourself
You were never taught how to form your own opinions
Sophisticated lady take a lesson from me
Learn something from me, even though I'm not as refined as you
I can help you be what you want to be
I can assist you in becoming the person you desire to be
Together we'll see many brighter days
If we work together, we'll experience many better days
If it takes forever, gonna change your ways
Even if it takes a long time, I'm determined to help you alter your behavior
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
Suggesting she should dress down and be more relaxed
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
You're vulnerable and need someone to care for you when you're alone
Pretty lady, get back
A warning to back away from her attempts to change him
Pretty lady, yea, sweet thing
Complimenting her despite disagreements
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
Encouraging her to dress more informally
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Hinting that she can be more approachable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Kennedy Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind