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).

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Judy Garland Lyrics

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Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away

Once again as in olden days

Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more

Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow

Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Overall Meaning

Judy Garland's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is a song that is both melancholic and hopeful. It is an expression of the holiday's mixed emotions - a time of joy and celebration, but also a time of yearning for the things that we don't have or have lost. The song encourages us to embrace the moment, despite our difficulties, and cherish the people who matter most to us.

The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer wishes the listener a merry Christmas and reminds them to lighten their heart. The second line gives a hint about why the heart should be light; all our troubles will be out of sight next year. The next few lines reflect on the festive spirit of the holiday, urging us to make the most of the season and enjoy ourselves. But as the verse ends, the singer reminds us that these joys are fleeting, and our troubles will still be with us next year.

The second verse emphasizes the importance of family and friends during the holidays. The singer longs for the happy days of old, when they were together with their loved ones. The line "faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more" speaks of the comfort and familiarity of those relationships. However, the following line, "Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow" shows that these relationships can be fragile, and some people may not be with us forever.

The final verse reminds us to appreciate what we have in the present moment. It acknowledges that we may have to "muddle through" our difficulties, but we must still find a way to enjoy life. The song ends with one more wish for a merry little Christmas, an invitation to embrace the spirit of the season, and a reminder that the future is uncertain.

Have Yourself A Merry Little ChristmasJudy Garland Lyrics

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Judy Garland Lyrics