Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress and si… Read Full Bio ↴Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years, Garland attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Respected for her versatility, she received a Juvenile Academy Award, won a Golden Globe Award, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her work in films, as well as Grammy Awards and a Special Tony Award. She had a contralto singing range.

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).

April Showers
Judy Garland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When April showers may come your way
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So when it's raining have no regrets
Because it isn't raining rain you know
It's raining violets

And when you see clouds up on a hill
You know they'll bring crowds of daffodils

So just keep looking for a bluebird
And listening for his song
Whenever April showers come along

And when you see clouds up on the hill
You know there'll be crowds of daffodils
So just keep looking for a bluebird

And listening for his song
Whenever April showers come a-long...

Overall Meaning

Judy Garland's song "April Showers" is a delightful song that celebrates the arrival of spring and its many bounties. The song begins by extolling the virtues of the April showers that come with the season. The showers bring about the blooming of flowers that are so emblematic of spring. The lyrics urge the listener to let go of their reservations during the rain and embrace it, knowing that the shower is bringing the very things that make the season so special - blooming flowers. However, the song also subtly notes that the rain does not just bring any flowers but violets, which are a symbol of love and loyalty.

The second verse of the song continues the theme of the beauty of spring brought upon by the April rain. The clouds on the hills are seen to be a harbinger of the good times to come. It is said that they will bring crowds of daffodils, another symbol of the beauty of spring. Then the song advises the listener to keep an eye out for the bluebird, as it is also a symbol of spring and everything that the season represents. The song encourages the listener to keep listening and looking for these signs of spring despite the rain, knowing full well that it will all be worth it when the flowers start to bloom.

Line by Line Meaning

When April showers may come your way
When times of hardship come around

They bring the flowers that bloom in May
They bring the potential for growth and new beginnings

So when it's raining have no regrets
Don't be discouraged during tough times

Because it isn't raining rain you know
Because these struggles aren't only bad

It's raining violets
It's bringing beautiful opportunities and experiences

And when you see clouds up on a hill
And when things seem difficult

You know they'll bring crowds of daffodils
You know there will be a bright side to the situation

So just keep looking for a bluebird
Keep searching for hope and positivity

And listening for his song
And keep listening for signs of improvement

Whenever April showers come along
During any difficult moments in life

And when you see clouds up on the hill
And when things seem difficult