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).

Comes Once In A Lifetime
Judy Garland Lyrics

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Every day, just go along dawn till sundown
Here's a rundown
Every day that comes, comes once in a lifetime

Take each day and gather the rosebuds in it
Fill each minute
Every day that comes, comes once in a lifetime

Think of now, tomorrow is waiting in the wings
Who knows what it brings
While the future waits, the present swings

Day to day, in Brooklyn or China 'cross the bay
Only once comes this particular sky
Only once these precious hours go by
Only once in a lifetime the day comes by
So live, live, live, live today

Think of now, tomorrow is waiting in the wings
Who knows what it brings
While the future waits, the present swings

From day to day, in Brooklyn or China 'cross the bay
Only once comes this particular sky
Only once these precious hours go by

Only once in a lifetime a day comes by
So live, live, live, come on and live today

Overall Meaning

The song Comes Once In A Lifetime by Judy Garland is an optimistic reminder to live in the present and cherish every moment because each day comes only once in a lifetime. The verses urge the listener to make the most of each day by gathering "rosebuds," or enjoying the simple pleasures of life. The lyrics also suggest that while the future is uncertain, the present moment is where joy can be found. Garland sings that "tomorrow is waiting in the wings," but that no one knows what it will bring, so it's important to focus on the present and enjoy life's precious moments.

The chorus reinforces the idea that each day is unique and can never be repeated. Whether someone is in Brooklyn or China, each sky is particular to that moment and those hours can never be regained. The song ends with an emphasis on living in the moment, using the repetition of "live, live, live" to encourage listeners to embrace the present and make the most of each day.

Comes Once In A LifetimeJudy Garland Lyrics

Comes Once In A Lifetime
Judy Garland Lyrics