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).
Among My Souvenirs
Judy Garland Lyrics
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There's just a memory among my souvenirs
Some letters tied in blue, a photograph or two
I see a rose from you among my souvenirs
A few more tokens rest within my treasure chest
And though they do their best to give me consolation
I count them all apart and as the teardrops start
I find a broken heart among my souvenirs
I count them all apart and as the teardrops start
I find a broken heart among my souvenirs
The lyrics of Judy Garland's song "Among My Souvenirs" convey a sense of nostalgia and sadness for the past. The first line, "There's nothing left for me of days that used to be," suggests that the singer has lost something or someone that she cherished in the past, and that this loss has left her with only memories. The second line, "There's just a memory among my souvenirs," emphasizes the idea that these memories are all that remains of the past, and that they are now collected and preserved as souvenirs.
The following lines describe the tangible objects that serve as reminders of the past: "Some letters tied in blue, a photograph or two / I see a rose from you among my souvenirs." These objects are precious to the singer, as they help her to remember the people and events that were important to her. However, even though these souvenirs bring some comfort and consolation, they cannot heal the pain of loss: "And though they do their best to give me consolation / I count them all apart and as the teardrops start / I find a broken heart among my souvenirs."
Overall, the lyrics of "Among My Souvenirs" express the universal experience of mourning and remembrance. The singer's emotions are raw and honest, and the simple imagery of letters, photographs, and roses gives the lyrics a powerful immediacy and emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
There's nothing left for me of days that used to be
The past is gone and I have nothing left to hold onto.
There's just a memory among my souvenirs
All that's left of those days are memories that I keep within my heart.
Some letters tied in blue, a photograph or two
The few mementos I have left include some sentimental letters and a couple of cherished photographs.
I see a rose from you among my souvenirs
One of the keepsakes is a rose that you gave me, a reminder of the love we once shared.
A few more tokens rest within my treasure chest
There are a few more small items that I keep locked away in my treasure chest.
And though they do their best to give me consolation
These sentimental items try to bring me comfort or solace, but they fall short.
I count them all apart and as the teardrops start
As I go through them one by one, tears start to flow as memories flood back.
I find a broken heart among my souvenirs
In the end, what I find is a heart shattered by the memories of a love that's lost forever.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: EDGAR LESLIE, LAWRENCE WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind