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).
Dear Mr. Gable: You Made Me Love You
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is lonely and silent, the shades are all drawn
And my heart is heavy as I gaze upon
A cottage for sale
The lawn we were proud of is waving in hay
Our beautiful garden has withered away
Where we planted roses, the weeds seem to say
Through every single window, I see your face
But when I reach the window there's only empty space
The keys in the mailbox the same as before
But no one is waiting for me anymore
The end of my story
Is there on the door
A cottage for sale
The lyrics of Judy Garland's song Dear Mr. Gable: You Made Me Love You are about a dream castle that is now lonely and silent with drawn curtains, and a heavy heart is gazing upon it. The once proud lawn and beautiful garden has withered away and the weeds now say it is a cottage for sale. The singer sees the face of a loved one in every window, but upon reaching the window they find only empty space. The keys are still in the mailbox but there is no one waiting anymore. The story comes to an end as a cottage for sale appears on the door.
The song was written by two American songwriters, Joseph McCarthy and James Monaco, in 1937. Judy Garland performed the song in the film Broadway Melody of 1938. The song became quite popular and was playing on the radio throughout the late 1930s and early 1940s. The song was one of the biggest hits in Garland's repertoire, and she continued to perform it throughout her career.
The song is considered to be one of the most famous love letters ever written by a fan to a celebrity. The lyrics were inspired by the actress' public declaration of love for Clark Gable, a famous American film actor. Garland was only 16 years old when she appeared in a concert at New York's Paramount Theater in 1938 and performed this song, which was dedicated to Gable. The performance was so stunning that it immediately won the hearts of the audience and the song became a hit.
Interestingly, the chorus of the song was rephrased and became a part of a new hit song "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" from the Broadway revue "The Honeymoon Express."
The song was ranked at number 21 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Songs list.
Garland's performance of the song was so impressive that it became one of the few instances in which MGM offered a contract to a performer based solely on one dramatic musical performance.
The song was covered by Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lena Horne.
Here are the chord progressions:
Verse:
C E7 A7 Dm G7 C Am Dm G7
C E7 A7 Dm G7 C Am Dm G7
Cmaj7 Fm7 Cmaj7 Fm7
Fm7 Bb7 Ebmaj7 Cdim A7 Dm7 G7
Chorus:
F G7 C E7
Am Dm7 G7 C
Bridge:
Am D7 G7 C
Am D7 G7 C
C C#dim Dm7 G7
Outro:
F G7 C E7
Am Dm7 G7 C
Line by Line Meaning
Our little dream castle with ever dream gone
Our once perfect and ideal life is now empty and lacking in dreams and aspirations.
Is lonely and silent, the shades are all drawn
The house is notoriously quiet and withdrawn, making it seem eerie and uninviting.
And my heart is heavy as I gaze upon
The singer's heart is burdened by the sight of the house for sale.
A cottage for sale
The property is on the market and seeking new ownership.
The lawn we were proud of is waving in hay
The lawn the artist has tended to and once took pride in is now overgrown with hay and looks abandoned.
Our beautiful garden has withered away
The garden that was once thriving and blossoming is now dead and barren.
Where we planted roses, the weeds seem to say
The singer's efforts to cultivate roses in the garden have been defeated by the stubborn and overgrowing weeds.
Through every single window, I see your face
The artist can't help but imagine the face of the one they love in every reflective surface within the house.
But when I reach the window there's only empty space
Despite seeing their lover's face in every window reflection, coming up to the window they realize there is no one there.
The keys in the mailbox the same as before
The keys are sitting in the mailbox just as they always have, left behind by the previous inhabitants.
But no one is waiting for me anymore
The singer understands that they have been left behind and are no longer expected by those who once left the keys behind.
The end of my story
The artist has come to the end of their emotional journey.
Is there on the door
The finality of the situation is represented by the sale sign that has been posted on the door of the cottage.
Lyrics © Royalty Network, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joseph Mccarthy, James Monaco
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LilPea133
I was reading a book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and the main character said that he met his first true love to this song. I thought I'd see what it sounded like.
@marmulCTC2008
I know this song because Mitch Albom's books The Five People You Meet in Heaven. And guess what? It's so amazing song..
@njnewf
If you listen to her first recording of this in 1938 when she was 14, her voice is pure innocence and full of wonder and hope. Then listen to this version and you can hear the adult woman she had become and all the pain and passion of her life is reflected in her voice. I so loved this woman <3
@anna-laurahocker2094
I never get tired of her voice. She was a gift from God!
@SueKohsings
Judy Garland is the real deal !!! What passion and power and sensitivity in this woman's voice, gotta love her, Cheers to Judy !!!
@LittleDragon2000
Judy Garland is the only one who can sing this song and make me believe it.
Still amazing.
@disc1513
+SteveZodiac2001 Patsy Cline also sings it with great sincerity
@mustacheluvR21
Mannn what a voice..they dont make em like this anymore
@sisterhood70
Judy sings everything with such feeling,I Love This.
@hackinhayhay
I LOVE HER!