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).
Easter Parade
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never saw you dress quite so handsome, what's more
I could hardly wait to keep our date
This lovely Easter morning
And my heart beat fast as I came through the door
For
In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it
I'll be all in clover and when they look us over
We'll be the proudest couple in the Easter parade
On the avenue, 5th Avenue
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the Rotogravure
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the guy I'm taking to the Easter parade
On the avenue, 5th Avenue
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the Rotogravure
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter parade
The lyrics of Judy Garland's "Easter Parade" describe the excitement, anticipation, and joy of getting ready for and attending the Easter Parade, a beloved American holiday tradition. The song opens with the singer expressing admiration for their date's appearance and dress, which they have never seen before. The anticipation of the parade grows as they take part in it, with the singers describing themselves and their date wearing Easter bonnets "with all the frills upon it," reflecting the colorful and showy nature of the holiday.
The lyrics then describe their walk down Fifth Avenue, where photographers capture their image for the rotogravure, a type of photographic printing process. The song concludes with the singers acknowledging the admiration they hold for each other and the joy they feel being a part of such a beloved holiday event.
Overall, this song is an upbeat and cheerful reflection on Easter and the joy it brings to those who celebrate it, with particular emphasis on the clothes and pageantry associated with the holiday.
Line by Line Meaning
Never saw you look quite so pretty before.
I have never seen you look so gorgeous in all my life.
Never saw you dressed quite so lovely, what's more.
You look stunning, I have never seen you wear something so beautiful.
I could hardly wait to keep our date this lovely Easter morning,
I was so excited to meet you on this wonderful Easter morning.
And my heart beat fast as I came through the door for:
My heart was racing when I arrived to meet you.
In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
You are wearing an Easter hat decorated with frills and it looks fantastic.
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
You look so elegant and stylish, you will be the most impressive lady in the Easter Parade.
I'll be all in clover, and when they look you over
I will feel so lucky and happy to be with you when people admire your outfit.
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
As I walk beside you, I will feel proud and lucky to be your companion in the Easter Parade.
On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue,
We will be walking on Fifth Avenue, one of the most famous streets in New York City.
The photographers will snap us
Photographers will take pictures of us because we look so stunning.
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Your photo will be featured in a widely circulated magazine called the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
I could write a beautiful poem about how amazing you look in your Easter hat.
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.
I would love to write a poem about how lucky I am to be with such a beautiful girl at the Easter Parade.
In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
I am also wearing an Easter hat decorated with frills and it looks fantastic.
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
Again, you look so elegant and stylish, you will be the most impressive lady in the Easter Parade.
You'll be all in clover, and when they look me over
Seeing you so happy and lovely will make me feel lucky and content when people admire our outfits.
You'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
You will be proud and pleased to have such a wonderful partner for the Easter Parade.
Oh, you may write a sonnet about my Easter bonnet
You could write a beautiful poem about how amazing I look in my Easter hat.
And of the girl you're taking to the Easter Parade.
You could also write a poem about how lucky you are to be with such a beautiful girl at the Easter Parade.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@_KarliWoods
For some reason this musical number and scene makes my heart glow! Judy’s charisma, smile, and demeanour lights my soul!
@tombstoneharrystudios584
She had it all…the voice, the charm, and was so beautiful ❤
@melaniedumers7018
Judy Garland was one of the best singers of the Golden Age of Cinema. No one can touch her vocal range and soulful delivery.
@timothyfloogle
Such tragedy to her artistry
@ARCAYOFFICIAL00
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
@andrewshaw6812
Not one of THE BEST!
@a.thomasfinneyii142
Tony Bennett once said, "Judy Garland is the greatest performer who ever lived." I would tend to agree.
@joejoebrian1014
Hands Down
@Heidishereandthere
My daughter once said, "You have her eyes!" 😂
@michaelspilman5220
Me too. From Michael from Yorkshire and proud of it.