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).

Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You
Judy Garland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Last night, as I lay a-sleeping
A wonderful dream came to me
I saw Uncle Sammy weeping
For his children from over the sea

They had come to him, friendless and starving
When from tyrants' oppression they fled
But now they abuse and revile him

Till at last in just anger he said

If you don't like your Uncle Sammy
Then go back to your home o'er the sea
To the land from where you came, whatever be its name
But don't be ungrateful to me!

If you don't like the stars in Old Glory
If you don't like the Red, White and Blue
Then don't act like the cur in the story
Don't bite the hand that's feeding you!

You recall the day you landed
How I welcomed you to my shore
When you came here empty handed
And allegiance forever you swore

I gathered you close to my bosom
Of food and of clothes you got both
So, when in trouble, I need you
You will have to remember your oath

If you don't like your Uncle Sammy
Then go back to your home o'er the sea
To the land from where you came, whatever be its name
But don't be ungrateful to me!

If you don't like the stars in Old Glory
If you don't like the Red, White and Blue

Then don't act like the cur in the story
Don't bite the hand that's feeding you!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You" are about patriotism, loyalty, and gratitude towards one's home country. The song depicts a plea from Uncle Sammy, referring to the US government, to immigrants who came to America seeking refuge from oppressive and tyrannical regimes. The singer describes a dream where Uncle Sammy is weeping because of the ingratitude shown by those he welcomed into his home. The message of the song is that those who have been provided shelter and assistance should not turn against the country that provided it to them.

The lyrics are a reflection of the cultural and political climate in the USA at the time when the song was written in 1918, towards the end of World War I. The song was written by Judy Garland's father, Frank Gumm, and two other songwriters, Abe Dinovitch and Maude Erikson. The song was later made famous by the singer Sophie Tucker, who recorded her version in 1921.

The song has a strong patriotic message, which made it popular during both World War I and World War II. It was also used as a propaganda song during the wars. The song was often used in recruitment campaigns, encouraging people to join the armed forces and fight for their country.

Line by Line Meaning

Last night, as I lay a-sleeping
I had a dream while I was sleeping

A wonderful dream came to me
I had a pleasant dream

I saw Uncle Sammy weeping
I dreamed of an emotional Uncle Sam

For his children from over the sea
Who were American immigrants

They had come to him, friendless and starving
They arrived in the US with no one to help them and were hungry

When from tyrants' oppression they fled
They left their previous country due to oppressive rulers

But now they abuse and revile him
Now they mistreat and insult Uncle Sam

Till at last in just anger he said
Uncle Sam eventually said in anger

If you don't like your Uncle Sammy
If you don't like being in America

Then go back to your home o'er the sea
Leave America and go back to your previous country

To the land from where you came, whatever be its name
Return to your country of origin, whatever it may be called