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).
Don
Judy Garland Lyrics
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Got no sense
But I don't care
They may or may not mean offense
But I don't care
You see, I'm sort of independent
I am my own superintendent
And my star is on the ascendant
I don't care, I don't care
What they may think of me
I'm happy-go-lucky, they say that I'm plucky
Contented and carefree
I don't care I don't care
If I do get a mean and stony stare
If I'm not successful
It won't be distressful
Cause I don't care
A girl should know her etiquette
Alas, alack
Propriety demands we walk a narrow track
When fellas used to blink at me
I'd freeze 'em and they'd shrink at me
But now when fellas wink at me
I wink at them right back!
I don't care I don't care
If people frown on me
Perhaps it's the lone way
But I go my own way
That's my philosophy
I don't care I don't care
If he's clerk or just a millionaire
There's no doubt about it,
I'll sing and I'll shout it
Cause I don't care
Oh, I don't care, I don't care
When it comes to happiness,
I want my share
Don't try to rearrange me
There's nothing can change me
'cause I don't care!
The lyrics of the song Don, sung by Judy Garland, are a celebration of individualism and liberation from societal constraints. Garland sings about how she does not care about the opinions of others and is happy being herself, with her star on the rise. She asserts her independence, saying that she is her own superintendent and is content with her carefree and happy-go-lucky attitude.
Garland conveys a clear message that it is important to know your own worth and to remain true to yourself. She declares that she does not care whether she receives stony stares or is unsuccessful, as she is happy and carefree. She places emphasis on being yourself and not changing for others around you.
Overall, the song is an uplifting message of individuality and empowerment, encouraging listeners to ignore societal expectations and celebrate their unique selves.
Line by Line Meaning
They say I'm crazy
People think I'm crazy
Got no sense
They think I'm not sensible
But I don't care
But I don't mind or worry about it
They may or may not mean offense
They could or could not be trying to hurt me with their words
You see, I'm sort of independent
I am a person who can take care of myself
I am my own superintendent
I am in charge of my own life
And my star is on the ascendant
I am growing and achieving success
That's why I don't care
That's why what others say doesn't bother me
I don't care, I don't care
I am not concerned, I am not concerned
What they may think of me
What they decide to perceive of me
I'm happy-go-lucky, they say that I'm plucky
People describe me as cheerful and brave
Contented and carefree
I am satisfied and relaxed
If I do get a mean and stony stare
If someone glares at me with hostility
If I'm not successful
If I don't achieve what society deems successful
It won't be distressful
It won't bother me or cause me stress
Cause I don't care
Because I don't worry about it
A girl should know her etiquette
A lady should be aware of proper behavior
Alas, alack
Unfortunately
Propriety demands we walk a narrow track
Social correctness requires us to follow a specific path
When fellas used to blink at me
When men used to wink at me
I'd freeze 'em and they'd shrink at me
I'd give them a cold look and they would feel small
But now when fellas wink at me
But now when men flirt with me
I wink at them right back!
I flirt back with them!
If people frown on me
If people disapprove of me
Perhaps it's the lone way
Maybe it's the way of the lonely
But I go my own way
But I choose to take my own path
That's my philosophy
This is my way of living and thinking
If he's clerk or just a millionaire
Whether he's a lowly employee or a wealthy man
There's no doubt about it,
There's absolutely no question
I'll sing and I'll shout it
I'll express it passionately
When it comes to happiness,
When it's about my own happiness
I want my share
I deserve my part of it
Don't try to rearrange me
Don't ever try to change who I am
There's nothing can change me
No one has the power to change me
'cause I don't care!
Because I'm indifferent!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RAUL MALO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elizabeth Dacosta
I LOVE this! Knowing their history, it makes me very happy whenever I see or hear them together. Some people might judge her harshly, but I’m always glad to know whenever she grabbed a little happiness. Amazing singing as always. Thank you for posting!
Johnny Ringo
She was incredible, what a talent!
Maria Galante
Lovely... Judy Garland...❤️