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).
A Foggy Day
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do? What to do? What to do?
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
Had me low and had me down
I viewed the morning with alarm
The British Museum had lost its charm
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of miracles hadn't passed,
For, suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London Town
The sun was shining everywhere
In "A Foggy Day" by Judy Garland, the lyrics depict a sense of loneliness and self-pity that the singer experiences as a stranger in the city. The outlook was supposed to be dreary and blue as the singer walked through the foggy streets alone, where the British Museum seemingly lost its charm. However, as the singer continues to walk through the foggy streets of London, the "age of miracles" had not passed as she unexpectedly sees someone that shines light and lifts her spirits from the dreariness of the day. Through this chance encounter, the once-foggy London day transforms with the bright sun shining everywhere.
Overall, the lyrics of "A Foggy Day" illustrate the idea that sometimes even when things seem dull and dismal, they can dramatically shift for the better, just like how the foggy day becomes strikingly sunny after the singer spots someone that brings joy and positivity to the day. The song's message could act as a reminder to those experiencing self-pity that the tide can turn for the better and to keep an eye out for those small moments of serendipity that can lift anyone’s spirits.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I was new to town, without any acquaintances or friends around me.
Out of town were the people I knew
I missed the company of people that I knew and had grown fond of.
I had that feeling of self-pity
I was feeling sorry for myself and stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts.
What to do? What to do? What to do?
I was trying to figure out what I could do to change my situation and mood.
The outlook was decidedly blue
I saw my future as bleak and hopeless, likely leading to disappointment.
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
Despite feeling lonely and lost, I decided to go for a walk through the city anyways.
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
I found that my luck changed for the better as the day went on.
A foggy day in London Town
The weather in London was foggy and dreary, which reflected my mood.
Had me low and had me down
I was feeling sad and depressed due to the gloomy weather and my personal problems.
I viewed the morning with alarm
I felt uneasy and anxious about what the day might hold.
The British Museum had lost its charm
Even the places I typically enjoyed visiting or found comfort in lost their appeal to me.
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
I questioned how much longer my despair and bad mood would persist.
But the age of miracles hadn't passed,
Despite my negative outlook, the possibility for good things happening still existed.
For, suddenly, I saw you there
Someone unexpectedly caught my eye and sparked my interest.
And through foggy London Town
Even in the midst of the dreary and misty weather, a glimmer of hope shone through.
The sun was shining everywhere
My luck took a positive turn, and everything around me seemed brighter and more optimistic.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JamesBrown-ij1px
Can you imagine sitting right NEXT to her while she sings this song to YOU?
@markwhitman9029
Imagine being privately sung to by the great Judy Garland: One would die and go to heaven!
@charlesbarry971
Great talent
She left us tragically
@kevinryan4857
My god what brilliance. Garland was is undoubtedly among the GREATEST story telling vocalists we'll ever see. There's nobody compares to her soulfulness of style ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@aleolidemu6169
The way she managed her fabulous voice!! Looord ❤.. Fabulous Judy 💞...💜🌿
@earthart2010
She is so exotic, stunning and so
absolutely brilliant!
@marisanmarisan357
Once Judy sang a song that other singers performed before her, she took it and made it her own and no one could or would ever sing it better. She was brilliant.
@globalman
Beautiful, Thank you. This was filmed October 13, 1963 and aired Sunday 9:00 PM. Her really loyal audience were the British. They still loved her even when she was down and the voice was not there. But even without the voice she had the heart and presence. No one has ever given to an audience as Judy Garland. She offered her talent, her heart and soul and we loved her for it. I am grateful to have lived at the time to have seen her live and meet her. No one like her before or since.
@Richie8a8y
Thank You. XO
@derekmcluckie9946
wow what she like live?????? sooooo envious x