Day's film career began during the latter part of the Classical Hollywood Film era with the 1948 film Romance on the High Seas, and its success sparked her twenty-year career as a motion picture actress. She starred in a series of successful films, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. She played the title role in Calamity Jane (1953), and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) with James Stewart. Her most successful films were the bedroom comedies she made co-starring Rock Hudson and James Garner, such as Pillow Talk (1959) and Move Over, Darling (1963), respectively. She also co-starred in films with such leading men as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, David Niven, and Rod Taylor. After her final film in 1968, she went on to star in the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show (1968–1973).
Day was usually one of the top ten singers between 1951 and 1966. As an actress, she became the biggest female film star in the early 1960s, and ranked sixth among the box office performers by 2012. In 2011, she released her 29th studio album, My Heart, which became a UK Top 10 album featuring new material. Among her awards, Day has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers. In 1960, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and in 1989 was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Career Achievement Award. She was one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Her death was announced by her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, on Monday 13th May 2019.
Discography
chart hits
Year Title Chart Positions
US CB UK
1945 "Sentimental Journey" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"'Tain't Me" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"Till the End of Time" (w/ Les Brown) 3 — —
"Aren't You Glad You're You?" (w/ Les Brown) 11 — —
"Come to Baby Do" (w/ Les Brown) / 13 — —
1946 "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" (w/ Les Brown) 4 — —
"Day by Day" (w/ Les Brown) 15 — —
"I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"The Whole World Is Singing My Song" (w/ Les Brown) 6 — —
1947 "The Christmas Song" (w/ Les Brown) 12 — —
"Sooner or Later" (w/ Les Brown) 13 — —
"Papa, Won't You Dance With Me" 21 — —
1948 "Thoughtless" (w/ Modernaires) 24 — —
"Love Somebody" (w/ Buddy Clark) / 1 — —
"Confess" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon, and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" / 27 — —
"It's Magic" 2 — —
"My Darling, My Darling" (w/ Buddy Clark) 7 — —
1949 "Powder Your Face with Sunshine" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Again" 2 — —
"Everywhere You Go" 22 — —
"Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" (w/ Frank Sinatra) 17 — —
"Now That I Need You" 20 — —
"Canadian Capers" 15 — —
"Bluebird on Your Windowsill" 19 — —
1950 "Quicksilver" 20 — —
"I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Prayers)" 21 — —
"Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)" 24 — —
"Hoop-Dee-Doo" 17 — —
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" 9 — —
"I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" 19 — —
"A Bushel and a Peck" 16 — —
1951 "It's a Lovely Day Today" 30 — —
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" 10 — —
"Shanghai" 7 — —
"Domino" 21 — —
1952 "A Guy Is a Guy" 1 — —
"Sugarbush" (w/ Frankie Laine) 7 12 8
"When I Fall in Love" 20 — —
"No Two People" (w/ Donald O'Connor) 25 — —
"My Love and Devotion" — 31 10
"The Cherries" — 39 —
"A Full Time Job" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 20 21 11
"Ma Says, Pa Says" (w/ Johnnie Ray) 23 28 12
1953 "Mister Tap Toe" 10 11 —
"When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" 29 — —
"Candy Lips" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 17 18 —
"Let's Walk That-a-Way" (w/ Johnnie Ray) — 31 4
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" / 30 — —
"A Purple Cow" 25 — —
"Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo) 20 — —
1954 "Secret Love" 1 1 1
"The Black Hills of Dakota" — — 7
"Lost in Loveliness" — 25 —
"I Speak to the Stars" 16 17 —
"Someone Else's Roses" — 32 —
"If I Give My Heart to You" / 3 2 4
"Anyone Can Fall in Love" 27 41 —
"Ready, Willing, and Able" / — 31 7
"Hold Me in Your Arms" — 39 —
1955 "Foolishly Yours" — 25 —
"Love Me Or Leave Me" — — 20
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" 13 14 17
"Ooh Bang Jiggily Jang" 83 — —
1956 "Let It Ring" 51 — —
"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" 2 3 1
"Julie" / 64 40 —
"Love in a Home" 79 — —
"The Party's Over" 63 47 —
1957 "Twelve O'Clock Tonight" 68 — —
1958 "Teacher's Pet" 56 36 —
"A Very Precious Love" — — 16
"Everybody Loves a Lover" 6 6 25
"Tunnel of Love" 43 53 —
1959 "Love Me in the Daytime" 100 51 —
1960 "Any Way the Wind Blows" 50 109 —
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" 102 102 —
"A Perfect Understanding" 111 — —
1962 "Lover Come Back" 98 — —
1964 "Move Over Darling" — — 8
"Send Me No Flowers" 135 — —
1967 "Sorry" * — — —
* "Sorry" made the US AC charts at #19.
Albums
10" LP
You're My Thrill (1949)
Young Man with a Horn (1950, soundtrack with Harry James)
Tea for Two (1950, soundtrack)
Lullaby of Broadway (1951, soundtrack)
On Moonlight Bay (1951, soundtrack)
I'll See You in My Dreams (1951, soundtrack)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953, soundtrack)
Calamity Jane (1953, soundtrack)
Young at Heart (1954, soundtrack with Frank Sinatra)
12" LPs
Love Me or Leave Me (1955, soundtrack)
Day Dreams (1955, expanded re-issue of You're My Thrill)
Day By Day (1956)
The Pajama Game (1957, soundtrack)
Day by Night (1957)
Hooray for Hollywood (2 volumes, 1958)
Cuttin' Capers (1959)
What Every Girl Should Know (1960)
Show Time (1960)
Listen to Day (1960)
Bright and Shiny (1961)
I Have Dreamed (1961)
Duet (with André Previn, 1962)
You'll Never Walk Alone (1962)
Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962, soundtrack with film cast)
Annie Get Your Gun (1963, with Robert Goulet)
Love Him (1963)
The Doris Day Christmas Album (1964)
With a Smile and a Song (1964)
Latin for Lovers (1965)
Doris Day's Sentimental Journey (1965)
The Love Album (recorded in 1967, released in 1994)
My Heart (2011)
Singles
Hit records:
(with Les Brown's Band of Renown)
"Sentimental Journey"
5,000,000+ sales
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
1,000,000+ sales
(As a solo performer)
"It's Magic"
1,000,000+ sales
"Again"
"Love Somebody" (duet with Buddy Clark)
1,000,000+ sales
"Confess" (duet with Buddy Clark) (also done by Patti Page)
"Bewitched"
1,000,000+ sales
"Shanghai"
"Sugarbush" (duet with Frankie Laine)
1,000,000+ sales
"Mister Tap Toe"
"Secret Love"
1,000,000+ sales
"If I Give My Heart to You" (also done by Denise Lor)
"I'll Never Stop Loving You"
1,000,000+ sales
"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" ("Que Sera, Sera")
1,000,000+ sales
"Everybody Loves a Lover"
"Move Over Darling"
Sentimental Journey
Doris Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories
Got my bag, got my reservation
Spent each dime I could afford
Like a child in wild anticipation
Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
I'll be waitin' up at heaven
Countin' every mile of railroad track
That takes me back
Never thought my heart could be so yearny
Why did I decide to roam
Gotta take that sentimental journey
Sentimental journey home
Sentimental journey
is a classic song that is often associated with World War II and the soldiers who longed to return home after being away for years at war. The lyrics speak of a person who is getting ready to embark on a journey back to their hometown, hoping to renew old memories and set their heart at ease. The song is full of nostalgia and sentiments, and the way in which Doris Day delivers the lyrics only adds to its evocative power.
The opening lines are very powerful, as they immediately set the tone for the entire song. The repetition of "sentimental journey" emphasizes the sense of longing that the singer (and many listeners) feel. The second line, "Gonna set my heart at ease," describes the sense of relief the singer is seeking through this journey. The feeling of comfort that comes with returning to familiar surroundings and reliving old experiences is a common human emotion, and this song captures it perfectly.
Later on in the song, the singer speaks of hearing the call to board the train and feeling like a child in anticipation. This brings to mind the excitement and nervousness that many travelers feel before embarking on a journey, especially one that holds such emotional weight. Finally, the closing lines of the song are particularly moving: "Never thought my heart could be so yearny / Why did I decide to roam / Gotta take that sentimental journey / Sentimental journey home." These lines capture the bittersweet nature of nostalgia, and the sense that returning home is both joyful and sad.
Overall, Sentimental Journey is a beautiful song that speaks to the universal human experience of longing for home and the comfort of familiar surroundings. It is a reminder of the power of music to capture emotions and inspire listeners to reflect on their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna take a sentimental journey
I am going on a nostalgic and emotional journey down memory lane.
Gonna set my heart at ease
My heart will find peace on this sentimental journey as I visit old familiar places.
Gonna make a sentimental journey
I'm traveling back in time to recapture past memories and experiences.
To renew old memories
My aim for this sentimental journey is to revive and relive old memories.
Got my bag, got my reservation
I have already made travel arrangements for this journey and packed all I need for it.
Spent each dime I could afford
I have allocated a significant amount of money for this trip to ensure comfort and enjoyment.
Like a child in wild anticipation
The excitement I feel for this journey is comparable to that of a child who is eagerly looking forward to something amazing.
Long to hear that all aboard
I can't wait to hear the announcement that everyone should board the train, signaling that the journey has begun.
Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
I have a scheduled departure time for this journey, and it's at exactly seven o'clock.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven
I will patiently wait for the journey's moment of departure at the train station.
Countin' every mile of railroad track
As I progress on this journey, I will keep a tab on the miles covered and enjoy the beautiful sceneries.
That takes me back
The journey will transport me back in time to relive old memories and experiences.
Never thought my heart could be so yearny
I never predicted that I would feel such a strong eagerness to relive past memories and emotions.
Why did I decide to roam
I question why I ever left these memories behind and wish to return to them.
Gotta take that sentimental journey
I must undertake this emotional journey to rekindle old memories and experiences.
Sentimental journey home
I am returning home (metaphorically) through this journey, reminiscent of old times.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin Homer, Bud Green, Les Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@WillowHollow.
After my mom died I found the name of this song written down in her things. She had picked it out to play at her funeral. A couple weeks after the funeral my sister's and I were walking around the state fair and someone was singing this song at karaoke. I took it as a sign from my mom. It makes me cry everytime.
@pedrosanchez8384
u have made me cry myself stay strong please
@imdabeast100
This is the only song I ever saw my grandma "dance" to. Dancing to her was just bobbing her head and humming along. Also the last song played at her funeral. I miss and love you grandma :(
@jazzymorn
:)
@lizbarrett4832
Love this song. I using it in a audio CD of 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's music for my Mom and Dad"s graveside service. Just like you, I love them and will miss them. Liz
@amylee819
u
0 Hui
@gigita31
Te para dos
@mellinda81
I’m in my mid thirties but have worked in a nursing home for 20 years now and developed a love for music of my elders generation. What a legend Doris Day was! RIP Miss Day...
@susannabonke8552
You will give them life with their songs.
@calemmett6106
When this song came out, I was sitting on a lonely hunk of coral in the South Pacific, wanting nothing so much as to go home. When we had a movie, the projectionist played popular songs while we were waiting for the film, and this was the one everyone waited for. No one will ever have quite the connection to this song as the GI's.