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).

Bei mir bist du schön
Judy Garland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Of all the boys I've known, and I've known some
Until I first met you, I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me

You're really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain

All the things that you do to me

Bei mir bist du schon, please let me explain
Bei mir bist du schon means you're grand
Bei mir bist du schon, again I'll explain
It means you're the fairest in the land

Featured video

8 More Hilarious Misheard Lyrics About Food

Featured video

What's That Line?

I could say "Bella, Bella", even say "Wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I've tried to explain, bei mir bist du schon
So kiss me and say you understand

Bei mir bist du schon, you've heard it all before
But let me try to explain
Bei mir bist du schon means that you're grand
Bei mir bist du schon, it's such an old refrain
And yet I should explain
It means I am begging for your hand

I could say "Bella, Bella", even say "Wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I could say "Bella, Bella", even say "Wunderbar"
Each language only helps me tell you how grand you are

I've tried to explain, bei mir bist du schon
So kiss me and say that you will understand

Overall Meaning

The song “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” was composed by a Jewish American songwriter Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin, and was originally written for a Yiddish musical in 1932 but wasn't successful. The song was then later translated and recorded in 1937 by the jazz group The Andrews Sisters, and their recording became an instant hit.

The lyrics of this song talk about a woman who has met many men before, but was never really happy until she met the person who the song is directed to. The lyrics describe how the sight of this person made her heart feel light and how this person is one-of-a-kind.

The chorus of the song in Yiddish translates to "To Me You're Beautiful" or "With Me You Are Sweet" in English. The singer of the song is struggling to express the beauty of the person they are singing to, resorting to using various languages including Italian ("Bella, Bella") and German ("Wunderbar") to try and communicate the grandeur of their loved one.

This song was considered controversial at the time it first came out due to its jazzy sound and its association with Jewish and black culture. However, it is now considered a classic and has been covered by many artists over the years.

Bei mir bist du schönJudy Garland Lyrics

Bei mir bist du schön
Judy Garland Lyrics