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).
Foggy Day In London Town
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do? What to do? What to do?
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
Had me low and had me down
I viewed the morning with alarm
The British Museum had lost its charm
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of miracles hadn't passed,
For, suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London Town
The sun was shining everywhere.
Judy Garland's song A Foggy Day In London Town is a portrayal of a visitor's experience to London City – a day that started on a gloomy note but turned out to be the most fortunate one yet. The opening lines of the song, "I was a stranger in the city, Out of town were the people I knew" sets the stage for the rest of the song. Judy who plays the role of the visitor is struggling to find her place in the city, and there is a feeling of self-pity that surrounds her. However, the sudden change in London's weather implies that things may turn around for the better.
Judy talks about how the foggy day had her low and had her down. The British Museum, an establishment that oozes charm and splendor, was nothing of the sort with the fog looming over it. One can picture Judy walking through the streets, watching people hurrying through the fog as she contemplated the duration of her sadness. Suddenly, things start to take a positive turn when she sees someone familiar. Through the fog in London Town, she sees this person who instantly brightens up her day.
In the end, the song portrays the age of miracles and connects that to the optimistic viewpoint one should have in life. The foggy day, which at first seemed like something insurmountable or depressing, quickly turned out to be the luckiest day she has ever had. In summary, the song uplifts spirits and reminds us that even in the darkest moments, we have to hold on to hope because things can turn around for the better.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I felt lonely and out of place in London
Out of town were the people I knew
None of my friends or family were with me
I had that feeling of self-pity
I felt sorry for myself
What to do? What to do? What to do?
I didn't know how to turn my day around
The outlook was decidedly blue
I was feeling hopeless and pessimistic
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
Despite my negative feelings, I kept walking through the city
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
My luck changed unexpectedly
A foggy day in London Town
The weather was foggy in London
Had me low and had me down
The weather was making me feel depressed
I viewed the morning with alarm
I was worried about how the day would turn out
The British Museum had lost its charm
Even my favorite places in London didn't seem special
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
I didn't know how long my bad mood would continue
But the age of miracles hadn't passed,
Unexpected good things can still happen in life
For, suddenly, I saw you there
I unexpectedly saw someone who made me happy
And through foggy London Town
Even though it was foggy, I could see the brightness in my day
The sun was shining everywhere.
I felt happy and optimistic despite the weather
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JamesBrown-ij1px
Can you imagine sitting right NEXT to her while she sings this song to YOU?
@markwhitman9029
Imagine being privately sung to by the great Judy Garland: One would die and go to heaven!
@charlesbarry971
Great talent
She left us tragically
@kevinryan4857
My god what brilliance. Garland was is undoubtedly among the GREATEST story telling vocalists we'll ever see. There's nobody compares to her soulfulness of style ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@aleolidemu6169
The way she managed her fabulous voice!! Looord ❤.. Fabulous Judy 💞...💜🌿
@earthart2010
She is so exotic, stunning and so
absolutely brilliant!
@marisanmarisan357
Once Judy sang a song that other singers performed before her, she took it and made it her own and no one could or would ever sing it better. She was brilliant.
@globalman
Beautiful, Thank you. This was filmed October 13, 1963 and aired Sunday 9:00 PM. Her really loyal audience were the British. They still loved her even when she was down and the voice was not there. But even without the voice she had the heart and presence. No one has ever given to an audience as Judy Garland. She offered her talent, her heart and soul and we loved her for it. I am grateful to have lived at the time to have seen her live and meet her. No one like her before or since.
@Richie8a8y
Thank You. XO
@derekmcluckie9946
wow what she like live?????? sooooo envious x