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).
Hoe Down
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The seemed to have a lot more fun than we
Their party clothes were calicos and homemade courturoys
And the big event was called a husking bee
A banjo and a fiddle and a big old fashioned barn
Was all the preparation that they made
And if they tell you otherwise, dismiss it as a yarn
Refreshments were confined to lemonade
And I guess I must agree
But it was good enough for Grandma, it was good enough for Grandpa
And it' good enough for me
Hoe down! The country' gone Hoe Down
It' puttin it'' toe down and kickin it' heels
Hoe Down. It' really a rare dance. A pioneer square dance
But with a new deal
One, two, swing your partner lightly. While you hold her ever so tightly
And bring your best beau down
We havin a show down and gotta make hast
'cause hoe down' on it' way
Stand in line and do the Turkey, like a Yankee Doodle Dandy
When you turkey do it jerky, that' the trick, now your hoein on down
Sashay, sashay, sashay around while your hoein on down
Form a circle in the middle, everybody Allemande
Boys keep tempo with the fiddle and your gal in the calico gown
Whoa ho, whoa ho, whoa ho around in your calico gown
Do-si-do around, it very romantic
Do-si-do
Do-si-do some more and maybe she'll fall
Now it time to do your honors
Then when your done your honors, promenade the hall!
(repeat)
In “Hoe Down”, Judy Garland reminisces about the parties and social events her grandparents used to have during their youth. She compares their simple and homemade clothing with the more modern and extravagant party clothes that people wear nowadays. Garland mentions a specific event called a husking bee, which seemed to be the highlight of the social calendar for Grandmas and Grandpas. They would gather in a big rustic barn, dance along to the banjo and the fiddle, and enjoy some refreshing lemonade. Garland suggests that these types of events may seem “corny” nowadays, but they were good enough for her grandparents and good enough for her too.
The lyrics of the song describe the different dance moves and steps that people used to follow during a hoe-down. Garland invites her listeners to “swing your partner lightly, while you hold her ever so tightly” and “do-si-do around, it’s very romantic”. She explains how to “form a circle in the middle, everybody Allemande” while the boys keep tempo with the fiddle and the girls twirl around in their calico gowns. She also encourages people to “do their honors” and “promenade the hall” at the end of the dance. Overall, “Hoe Down” is a nostalgic celebration of a simpler, more wholesome way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When our Grandmas and our Grandpas where just girls and boys
Back in the days when our grandparents were young, and life was more lively
The seemed to have a lot more fun than we
They seemed to enjoy life far more than us
Their party clothes were calicos and homemade courturoys
Their clothing was simple and handmade
And the big event was called a husking bee
Their main activity was a communal event to remove the husks from corn
A banjo and a fiddle and a big old fashioned barn
All they needed was an old-fashioned barn, fiddles and banjos to have a good time
Was all the preparation that they made
They didn't need grand preparations or parties to have a good time
And if they tell you otherwise, dismiss it as a yarn
If you hear anything different, it's probably just a story
Refreshments were confined to lemonade
All they ever needed was some good old lemonade
Now you may say it' corny.
You might find it cheesy or outdated
And I guess I must agree
It's true, I suppose
But it was good enough for Grandma, it was good enough for Grandpa
Our grandparents were more satisfied with simple things in life
And it' good enough for me
It's still good enough for the likes of me
Hoe down! The country' gone Hoe Down
It's time for a good old-fashioned country hoedown
It' puttin it'' toe down and kickin it' heels
We're getting down and kicking up our heels
Hoe Down. It' really a rare dance. A pioneer square dance
The hoedown is an old dance that's hardly ever done now
But with a new deal
But we've added a new twist
One, two, swing your partner lightly. While you hold her ever so tightly
Swing your partner lightly while holding them ever so tight
And bring your best beau down
Bring your best dancing partner
We havin a show down and gotta make hast
We're ready to start dancing, and we don't want to waste time
'cause hoe down' on it' way
The hoedown is coming, and we better get started
Stand in line and do the Turkey, like a Yankee Doodle Dandy
Stand in line and do the turkey dance like they did in the old patriotic song
When you turkey do it jerky, that' the trick, now your hoein on down
Do the turkey dance jerky to get into the hoedown groove
Sashay, sashay, sashay around while your hoein on down
Sashay around as you're hoeing on down
Form a circle in the middle, everybody Allemande
Make a circle in the middle and do the Allemande dance
Boys keep tempo with the fiddle and your gal in the calico gown
Boys, keep in step with the fiddle, while your partner in her calico gown dances with you
Whoa ho, whoa ho, whoa ho around in your calico gown
Dance around with your partner in her calico gown
Do-si-do around, it very romantic
Do-si-do around, and find it very romantic
Do-si-do
Do-si-do some more
Do-si-do some more and maybe she'll fall
Do-si-do some more, and maybe she'll fall in love
Now it time to do your honors
Now it's time for you to show off
Then when your done your honors, promenade the hall!
When you're done showing off, promenade the hall and dance with your partner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RALPH FREED, ROGER EDENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nancilucey2835
Theres nothing like s song and dance number by Judy and Mickey. This is a prime example!