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).
Be
Judy Garland Lyrics
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When I was but three
Mama, who was clever
Remarking to me
If son when you're grown up
You want everything nice
I've got your future sewn up
If you take this advice
Be a clown, be a clown
All the world loves a clown
Act the fool, play the calf
And you'll always have the last laugh
Wear the cap and the bells
And you'll rate with all the great swells
If you become a doctor, folks'll face you with dread
If you become a dentist, they'll be glad when you're dead
You'll get a bigger hand if you can stand on your head
Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown
Be a clown, be a clown
All the world loves a clown
Show 'em tricks, tell 'em jokes
And you'll only stop with top folks
Be a crack Jackanapes
And they'll imitate you like apes
Why be a great composer with your rent in arrears
Why be a major poet and you'll owe it for years
When crowds'll pay to giggle if you wiggle your ears
Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown
Be a clown, be a clown
All the world loves a clown
If you just make 'em roar
Watch your Mounte bank account soar
Wear a painted mustache
And you're sure to make a big splash
A college education I should never propose
A bachelor's degree won't even keep you in clothes
But millions you will win if you can spin on your nose
Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown
Give 'em quips, give 'em fun
And they'll happy to say you're A-1
If you become a farmer you've the weather to buck
If you become a gambler you'll be stuck with your luck
But Jack you'll never lack if you can quack like a duck
Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown
The song “Be a Clown” performed by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly is a whimsical and lively tune with a deeper message of pursuing one's dreams and being true to oneself. The song begins with a story of a three-year-old child being advised by his mother to become a clown if he wants the world to love him when he grows up. As the song progresses, the lyrics become more elaborate, and it becomes clear that the clown figure is not just about making people laugh but also about fully embracing one's creativity and unique qualities.
The song suggests that becoming a clown allows one to play the fool and not take themselves too seriously. The lyrics encourage people to embrace their silly side, wear colorful clothes, and show off playful tricks and jokes. The song is also a commentary on societal expectations for success and how becoming a doctor or lawyer comes with obligations and responsibilities that may not necessarily bring happiness. The song authors suggest that being a clown, one can make a living through entertaining people, and their job will be a source of joy rather than just a means of survival.
Overall, “Be a Clown” is an uplifting song that encourages people to embrace their unique qualities and creativity while pursuing their dreams. It suggests that being true to oneself and bringing joy to others is a fulfilling life path worth pursuing.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll remember forever
I will never forget
When I was but three
When I was just three years old
Mama, who was clever
My mother, who was smart
Remarking to me
Told me
If son when you're grown up
When you are a grown-up
You want everything nice
You want everything to be good
I've got your future sewn up
I have taken care of your future
If you take this advice
If you listen to my advice
Be a clown, be a clown
Become a clown
All the world loves a clown
Everyone loves a clown
Act the fool, play the calf
Act foolish, like a baby cow
And you'll always have the last laugh
And you will always win in the end
Wear the cap and the bells
Wear a hat with bells on it
And you'll rate with all the great swells
You will be considered great by important people
If you become a doctor, folks'll face you with dread
If you become a doctor, people will be scared of you
If you become a dentist, they'll be glad when you're dead
If you become a dentist, people will only like you when you die
You'll get a bigger hand if you can stand on your head
You will impress people more if you can stand on your head
Show 'em tricks, tell 'em jokes
Perform tricks, tell jokes
And you'll only stop with top folks
And you will only associate with important people
Be a crack Jackanapes
Be a funny person
And they'll imitate you like apes
People will copy you
Why be a great composer with your rent in arrears
Why be a famous composer if you cannot pay your rent
Why be a major poet and you'll owe it for years
Why be a famous poet if you still owe money for that fame
When crowds'll pay to giggle if you wiggle your ears
When people will pay to laugh if you wiggle your ears
If you just make 'em roar
If you make people laugh loudly
Watch your Mounte bank account soar
Watch your bank account increase
Wear a painted mustache
Wear a fake mustache
And you're sure to make a big splash
You will become popular
A college education I should never propose
I should never suggest going to college
A bachelor's degree won't even keep you in clothes
A college degree won't even help you afford clothes
But millions you will win if you can spin on your nose
But you can become rich if you can spin on your nose
Give 'em quips, give 'em fun
Give people jokes, give them entertainment
And they'll happy to say you're A-1
And they will happily say that you are excellent
If you become a farmer you've the weather to buck
If you become a farmer, you have to deal with the weather
If you become a gambler you'll be stuck with your luck
If you become a gambler, you will be stuck with the outcome of luck
But Jack you'll never lack if you can quack like a duck
But if you can quack like a duck, you will always have opportunities
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Evan Seago
I have 3 things to say:
1. The video was AMAZING as usual. Especially this considering it was about the greatest entertainer that ever lived!!!
2. Ol’ Man River is probably her greatest performance because the way she interprets the lyrics toward the end is just jaw dropping. Like give her every award type of performance!!!!! God I love that song!!!!
3. I haven’t seen the movie, but from the trailers I’ve seen, there is one moment where I do think Renee did very well on. It’s where she’s frightened about going on stage. When she speaks in that small scene, all I hear is Judy. The right inflections and border line raspiness in the voice was perfect!!
Over all from what I heard, if the script was better and if Renee really went there with her singing voice, this probably would be a much more comprehensive movie.
camomilehottea
I’ve never understood how she wasn’t seen as “that kind of beautiful”. Since I was a child I’ve found her breathtakingly beautiful and mesmerising - and still do.
Andrei Popescu
I think what is meant is exotic/mysterious and alluring but unattainable. Judy is more girl-next-door beautiful: approachable, friendly and vulnerable. Her image in the 40s breathed wholesomeness not vampiness.
KillerKirby
Maybe, but she is so much more prettier
MnMsandOreos
Thats exactly how I feel about Barbara Streisand!
Raaid Cotman-El
When you look at her judy she has an approachable kind of beauty a la Jenn Aniston, while her peers had an intimidating kind of beauty.
Be Kind Rewind
@Andrei Popescu ^^ yes! good clarification!
Ted Watson
Everyone says that "homosexuals loved Judy because they knew what it was like to suffer." I'm not a film scholar or a writer but I will try to explain... I am a homosexual and as a child (as young as 5!) I knew nothing of Judy's suffering. I watched The Wizard of Oz (and all her movies) repeatedly... only to listen to her incredible voice, singing or merely speaking. I was drawn to her expressive eyes, her beauty, and her ability to connect with me and touch my heart. I believe I am describing artistry, intensity, and TALENT. That is why I loved, and still love Judy Garland. I heard Liza voice this very idea in an interview. She was asked if she understood why gay men loved her mother so... she replied, "Because they recognize talent." Maybe younger generations of homosexuals love her because they know what it is like to suffer. Maybe you are drawn to her suffering as well. I love Judy Garland, and it has nothing to do with her tragic life. Please!
piesusan17
Exactly
Nicholas Troutman
Yes!! Thank you for articulating this. You hit the nail on the head.
Desert Rehab PT
Glad to hear your remarks. I think what drew people more than anything was her magnitism. When she walked out on the stage, a type of electricity accompanied her. That kind of thing that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. She LOVED her audience. She did not see color or creed or sexual preferences. She just loved them all and she had a great appreciation for them.