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).

Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe
Judy Garland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe
He's got a smile that makes the lilacs want to grow
He's got a way that makes the angels heave a sigh
When they know little Joe's passing by

Sometimes the cabin's gloomy and the table's bare
But then he'll kiss me and it's Christmas everywhere
Trouble's fly away and life is easy go

Does he love me good? That's all I need to know
Seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe

Sometimes the cabin's gloomy and the table's bare
But then he'll kiss me and it's Christmas everywhere
Trouble's fly away and life is easy go
Does he love me good? That's all I need to know
Seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe

Little Joe, my little Joe, little Joe

Overall Meaning

The song "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe" was written by E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen for the 1943 musical film "Cabin in the Sky," starring Lena Horne and Ethel Waters. The song is sung by the character of Petunia, played by Waters, who is married to the gambling and womanizing Little Joe, played by Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. Despite his flaws, Petunia finds happiness in her love for Joe and sees him as her source of joy in a world full of trouble and hardship.

The lyrics describe the effect Little Joe has on Petunia: his smile makes the lilacs want to grow, and his presence makes the angels sigh. Even in times of difficulty, such as when their cabin is gloomy and empty, Little Joe's love for her makes her feel like it's Christmas. Petunia doesn't need anything else as long as she knows that he loves her.

Overall, the song celebrates the power of love to bring happiness and joy into one's life, even in the midst of hardship and struggle. It also highlights the importance of having someone to love and rely on in difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

It seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe
Joe brings joy and happiness to her life.

He's got a smile that makes the lilacs want to grow
Joe's mere presence can bring beauty and growth to things around him.

He's got a way that makes the angels heave a sigh
Joe's charm and mannerisms could even make angels swoon.

When they know little Joe's passing by
Joe's impact is so significant that others take notice when he is near.

Sometimes the cabin's gloomy and the table's bare
There are times when life can be difficult and lacking.

But then he'll kiss me and it's Christmas everywhere
Joe has the power to turn any dull moment into a festive one with his affection.

Trouble's fly away and life is easy go
In Joe's presence, issues fade away and life becomes effortless.

Does he love me good? That's all I need to know
For her, Joe's love is the key to her happiness.

Seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe
Joe is the very embodiment of happiness for her.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: E.Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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