After appearing in Vaudeville theater with her sisters, Judy was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. There she made more than two dozen films, including nine with Mickey Rooney, and the film with which she would be most identified, "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). After 15 years, Judy was released from the studio but gained renewed success through record-breaking concert appearances, including a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert, a well-regarded but short-lived television series, and a return to film acting beginning with "A Star Is Born" (1954).
Despite her professional triumphs, Judy battled personal problems throughout her life. Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and overweight. Plied with drugs to control her weight and increase her productivity, Garland endured a decades-long struggle with addiction. Garland was plagued by financial instability, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and her first four of five marriages ended in divorce. She attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Garland died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 47, leaving children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, and Joey Luft.
Legacy
Judy Garland's legacy as a performer and a personality has endured long after her death. The American Film Institute named Garland eighth among the "Greatest Female Stars of All Time". She has been the subject of over two dozen biographies since her death, including the well-received "Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir" by her daughter, Lorna Luft. Luft's memoir was later adapted into the multiple award-winning television mini-series, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows", which won Emmy Awards for two actresses portraying Garland (Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis).
Garland was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. These include "Over the Rainbow," which was ranked as the number one movie song of all time in the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Songs" list. Four more Garland songs are featured on the list: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (#76), "Get Happy" (#61), "The Trolley Song" (#26), and "The Man That Got Away" (#11).
Judy Garland has twice been honored on U.S. postage stamps, in 1989 (as Dorothy) and again in 2006 (as Vicki Lester from A Star Is Born).
42-Stompin' At The Savoy
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Savoy, it wins you at a glance
Savoy, give happy feet a chance
To dance
Your form, just like a clingy vine
Your lips, so warm and sweet as wine
Your cheek, so soft and close to mineDevine
How my heart is singin'
While the band is swingin'
Never tired of rompin'
Stompin' with you, at the Savoy
What joy
A perfect holiday
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy, they'll let me stomp away
With you
Savoy, Savoy, Savoy,
Your form, just like a clingy vine
Your lips, so warm and sweet as wine
Your cheek, so soft and close to mine
Devine
Oh, how my heart is singin'
While the band is swingin'
Never tired of rompin'
Stompin' with you, at the Savoy
What joy
Savoy, Savoy,
They let me stomp away
With you
In "Stompin' at the Savoy," Judy Garland captures the excitement and energy of dancing with a partner at the Savoy, a legendary ballroom in New York City known for showcasing some of the best big band jazz acts of the time. She sings about the magic of the venue, calling it "the home of sweet romance" and a place that "wins you at a glance." The song expresses the thrill of falling in love while dancing the night away, with Garland describing her partner's form as clingy and their lips as warm and sweet as wine. She cherishes the moments that they are sharing, singing "never tired of rompin', stompin' with you at the Savoy, what joy."
The song captures a moment in time when the Savoy was at the center of the swing jazz scene in New York City. Garland's vocals embody the exuberance and energy of the dancers at the ballroom, as well as the thrill of the romance blooming under the lights in the crowded room.
Line by Line Meaning
Savoy, the home of sweet romance
Savoy is where love is found
Savoy, it wins you at a glance
You're captivated by Savoy's beauty at first sight
Savoy, give happy feet a chance
Savoy offers the opportunity to dance and enjoy oneself
To dance
To move rhythmically in time with music
Your form, just like a clingy vine
Your body fits perfectly against mine like a vine wrapping itself around a tree
Your lips, so warm and sweet as wine
Your kiss is the epitome of warmth and sweetness like a fine wine
Your cheek, so soft and close to mine
Your cheek is soft and warm, pressed closely to mine
Divine
The experience with you is heavenly
How my heart is singin'
My heart is overflowing with joy and happiness
While the band is swingin'
The music is energetic and lively
Never tired of rompin'
I'm always ready to enjoy life to the fullest
Stompin' with you, at the Savoy
Dancing with you at Savoy is the ultimate pleasure
What joy
I'm filled with joy and happiness
A perfect holiday
Being with you at Savoy is like a perfect vacation
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy offers the perfect environment to move smoothly and rhythmically
Savoy, they'll let me stomp away
Savoy provides the freedom to dance and stomp to your heart's content
With you
Being with you completes the experience at Savoy
Savoy, Savoy, Savoy,
Repeating the name emphasizes the love and joy felt at Savoy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Benny Goodman, Edgar Sampson, Chick Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind