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).
Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Howdy-do me, watch me smile
Fare-thee-well me after a while
'Cause I gotta roam
And any place I hang my hat is home
Sweetenin' water, cherry wine
Thank you kindly, suits me fine
That's my honeycomb
'Cause any place I hang my hat is home
Birds roostin' in a tree
Pick up and go, and the goin' proves
That's how it oughta be
I pick up too when the spirit moves me
(I go where it behoves me)
Cross the river, 'round the bend
"Hello stranger!", "So long friend!"
There's a voice in the lonesome wind
That keeps whisp'ring, "Roam!"
I'm going where a welcome mat is
No matter where that is
'Cause any place I hang my hat is home
The lyrics to Judy Garland's "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" is an affirmation of the singer's aimlessness and wanderlust. She is saying that she has a carefree, easygoing style that is always on the move in search of adventure, and that she never stays in one place for very long. Garland sings, "Fare-thee-well me after a while, 'Cause I gotta roam, And any place I hang my hat is home." The lyrics suggest that the singer is not tied down to any one place, and that she finds fulfillment in exploring new locations and having new experiences.
The middle verses of the song mention various locations that the singer has visited, including Kansas City and Caroline. She also mentions "sweetenin' water" and "cherry wine," which are symbolic of the joys and pleasures that she finds in her travels. The chorus is repeated between the verses as a reminder that the singer is always on the move and that she considers any place where she hangs her hat to be her home.
Through the lyrics of "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home," Judy Garland is portraying a sense of freedom and independence that is associated with a wanderer's lifestyle. It's a celebration of the ability to make one's own choices and to follow their own path in life, wherever that may lead them. The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt the tug of adventure and the longing to explore new places and take risks.
Line by Line Meaning
Free and easy, that's my style
I'm carefree and relaxed in everything I do
Howdy-do me, watch me smile
I always have a friendly smile on my face
Fare-thee-well me after a while
I'll say goodbye to you eventually
'Cause I gotta roam
I have an urge to travel and explore new places
And any place I hang my hat is home
I feel at home wherever I go
Sweetenin' water, cherry wine
Simple things in life make me happy
Thank you kindly, suits me fine
I appreciate your kindness
Kansas City, Caroline
I've been to many places and they're all my favorites
That's my honeycomb
I have many places that I love
'Cause any place I hang my hat is home
I always feel at home wherever I am
Birds roostin' in a tree
Birds have a natural instinct to move around and I am the same way
Pick up and go, and the goin' proves
Moving around and changing scenery is good for me
That's how it oughta be
I believe that traveling and exploring is natural and good
I pick up too when the spirit moves me
When I feel inspired, I will move on to a new place
(I go where it behoves me)
(I go wherever I feel drawn to)
Cross the river, 'round the bend
I'll travel far and wide and see new things
"Hello stranger!", "So long friend!"
I'm always meeting new people and saying goodbye to old ones
There's a voice in the lonesome wind
There's a part of me that loves the solitude of traveling
That keeps whisp'ring, "Roam!"
It's like a voice inside me that urges me to keep moving
I'm going where a welcome mat is
I'll go wherever I feel welcomed
No matter where that is
It doesn't matter where I go, as long as I'm happy
'Cause any place I hang my hat is home
As long as I'm surrounded by kindness and welcome, I'll feel at home
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wildsmiley
This is INCREDIBLE. She was THE all-original the likes of which we’ll never see again. Accept no substitute.
Michael James Chisholm
JUDY REALLY DEVELOPED AN EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN HER 60s VOCALS..BRAVO
Álvaro Goiriz
It was the 60s, she was in her 40s.
bradly2007
Torchy & bluesy "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" definitive & Judy version has never been equaled, peak masterful vocal form, classic song brilliantly acted out like never before...Bravo Judy!
Mick Lockey
This is an amazing rendition!
Mandeley100
Quite, quite wonderful. And what a gorgeous orchestration, lush and romantic. All in all, a perfect merger of exquisite singer and great song.
Russell Candy
I wish this song and When the Sun Comes Out would have been in Judy's concert track list. She makes them both her very own. Thanks for sharing!!!
Charlie Childers
To see, feel, and hear the Judy magic, it begins with @2:00 and is so very electronic , mesmerizing, hypnotic and completely and absolutely captivating etc. you will see and feel her electrical magic that was always in all of her live performances and legendary concerts!🤔🙄😳🤪🤩🥰❤️
nicky Exelmans
Love this
Joe Guzman aka Joey Josephs
I hope one day these shows are made color ....