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).
Can
Judy Garland Lyrics
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Heaving a heavenly sigh
Everybody has a someone
Why can't I?
Creeping to bed alone, resting my head alone
Only my pillow nearby
Some have a reason for dreaming
I feel forsaken on nights like this
Can't I awaken to someone's kiss?
Only my book in bed knows how I look in bed
Nobody hears when I cry
Everybody has a someone
Why can't I?
Feeling the way I do I'd like to say, "I do!"
Nature is hard to deny
Everybody has a someone
Why can't I?
Feeling the way I do, I'd like to say "I do!"
Nature is hard to deny
Everybody has a someone
Why can't I?
If love brings merriment, I must experiment
With some electrical guy
Even old maids find a burglar
Why can't I?
Should girls be good girls?
I think they should
I need a good man to make me be good
Two feet are ever cold
Four feet are never cold
I only mean to imply:
Everybody has someone
Why can't I?
Everybody needs someone
Why can't I?
In the song Can't I, Judy Garland boldly expresses her desire to find love and companionship in her life. Through her lyrics, she conveys her loneliness and her search for that special someone who can make her feel complete. The opening lines of the song, "Feeling the way I do, I'd like to say "I do!" and "Heaving a heavenly sigh", emphasize the depth of her longing for love. She notices that everyone around her seems to have that special companion, and she questions why she hasn't found someone for herself. The lines "Some have a reason for dreaming, Why can't I?" further emphasize her feelings of isolation and the fact that she feels left out.
Garland's lyrics convey a sense of sadness, and the imagery she uses deepens this, such as the lines "Creeping to bed alone, resting my head alone, Only my pillow nearby." The song suggests that she is looking for a companion to share both happy and sad moments with, as she says, "I feel forsaken on nights like this, Can't I awaken to someone's kiss?" She produces vulnerability through her words, indicating that she is just like everyone else who needs someone in their life.
In conclusion, Can't I is a song that speaks to a widespread human experience of loneliness and the desire for love and companionship. Garland's lyrics are honest, emotional, and relatable, imbuing the song with a powerful message that touches listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Feeling the way I do, I'd like to say "I do!"
Despite my desire to find love, I am unfortunately still single.
Heaving a heavenly sigh
I am feeling a sense of longing and sadness for a romantic partner.
Everybody has a someone
Why can't I?
I am feeling left out and saddened that I am still single while everyone else seems to have found someone.
Creeping to bed alone, resting my head alone
Only my pillow nearby
I am sleeping alone with only my pillow to comfort me, which makes me feel even more lonely.
Some have a reason for dreaming
Why can't I?
Others have someone to dream with and look forward to a future together, and I am longing for that kind of companionship.
I feel forsaken on nights like this
Can't I awaken to someone's kiss?
I feel abandoned and alone, and wish that I had someone to share an intimate moment with.
Only my book in bed knows how I look in bed
Nobody hears when I cry
I feel like nobody truly knows me or sees me at my most vulnerable, and that nobody hears my cries for love and affection.
If love brings merriment, I must experiment
With some electrical guy
I am willing to try anything to find love, even if it means dating outside of my comfort zone or trying new things.
Even old maids find a burglar
Why can't I?
Even those who are seen as undesirable or past their prime are able to find love, and I am wondering why I haven't been as lucky.
Should girls be good girls?
I think they should
I need a good man to make me be good
I believe in being a good and virtuous person, but I feel like I need a romantic partner to help me stay on that path.
Two feet are ever cold
Four feet are never cold
I only mean to imply:
Everybody has someone
Why can't I?
I am feeling lonely and wish that I had someone to keep me warm at night, like other couples do.
Everybody needs someone
Why can't I?
I understand that everyone needs companionship, and wonder why I haven't been able to find it yet.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elizabeth Dacosta
She either makes you feel more alive than you thought possible, or she breaks your heart. Either is ok. Thanks AAJ!
Saxon C
And she can do it in a split second! Sheer genius and no one else reached her audiences the way Judy Garland did and continues to do!
Marisan Marisan
If she didn't take your breath away listening to this then you're already dead. She was sheer perfection.
Eileen Bachemin
So true !!!!
richard gornalle
Great singer, great songs with meaningful verses brilliantly sung.
Chritian Yanez
She couldn’t give you “anything”. But she’s giving this masterpiece song. Beautiful, elegant. So talented
Saxon C
There’s a reason they called her more than a legend. She was “ THE LEGEND “ No one could ever top this woman! She was born to be The World’s Greatest Entertainer and will always be! She takes my breath away every time she sings!
Edward Carrigan
Among the Greatest Artists of the 20th century.
Manny
The quality of this video 😭💕 thanks for all of your uploads of this icon
Stefani Ryan
so incredible and you can feel every note...