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 Ever Leave Me
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It wasn't easy to find
Now that I found him, I wonder just how
I could have lived right up to now
Now that I am something completed by you
I am no one, just part of two
Here is where you belong
Everything seems so right when you're near
When you're away it's all wrong
I'm so dependent, when I need comfort
I always run to you
Don't ever leave me, 'cause if you do
I'll have no one to run to
Don't ever leave me alone
The lyrics to Judy Garland's song "Don't Ever Leave Me" speak to the feeling of finding one's soulmate and the fear of losing them. The singer speaks of having been created for one man alone, emphasizing the idea that they were meant to be together from the beginning. This suggests that the singer feels a deep sense of connection with their partner that goes beyond the physical or the emotional, and speaks to a spiritual or existential bond that cannot be broken.
The singer goes on to say that now that they have found this person, they wonder how they could have lived without them up to this point. This again emphasizes the idea of soulmates, where the two people were always meant to find each other and complete each other in ways that were previously impossible. The singer ultimately says that they are no one without their partner, and that they are simply part of a greater whole.
The chorus of the song repeats the message of the verses, but adds urgency and fear to the mix. The singer begs their partner not to ever leave them, saying that they belong together and that everything is right when they are near. The fear of being alone without their partner is palpable, and the idea that they would have no one to run to if their partner were to leave is a devastating one.
Overall, "Don't Ever Leave Me" is a powerful love song that speaks to the deep, soulful connections that can exist between two people. By emphasizing the idea of soulmates and the fear of losing them, the song taps into universal themes of love and loss that are sure to resonate with listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
Line by Line Meaning
I was created for one man alone
I am meant for only one man in this world
It wasn't easy to find
It was difficult to find the man I was created for
Now that I found him, I wonder just how
I could have lived right up to now
I cannot imagine how I survived until I found him, now that he is in my life
Now that I am something completed by you
I am no one, just part of two
I feel complete only when I am with you, and without you, I am incomplete
Don't ever leave me, now that you're here
Here is where you belong
Stay with me forever, because you belong with me
Everything seems so right when you're near
When you're away it's all wrong
My world seems perfect when you're around, but when you're gone, everything turns upside down
I'm so dependent, when I need comfort
I always run to you
I rely on you for emotional support, and whenever I need comfort, I turn to you
Don't ever leave me, 'cause if you do
I'll have no one to run to
If you leave me, I will have no one to turn to for comfort and support
Don't ever leave me alone
Please promise me that you will never leave me alone in this world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS A. DORSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bradly2007
Garland dress rehearsal is a stunning performance, lucky studio audience back in those seeing the legendary icon up close, wonder if they realize how special of a treat this was!
Russell Candy
In 1977 I purchased an album from some odd ball label called Judy's Greatest Hits. It had Don't ever leave me on it. Pretty strange. Judy could sing anything and I'd buy it. Love Her!!!
Dylan Washington
Kay Thompson arranged the hell out of "Great Day" and its spectacular......my God.
Dylan Washington
@Shane de León There is a rehearsal audio on youtube with Liza, Judy, and kay going over the arrangement. Go listen and be amazed
Shane de León
I believe it may actually have been a Mel Torme arrangement. Kay was responsible for some knock-out arrangements, though.
Pamela Bowe
❤❤❤