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).
How About Me
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And soon somebody else
Will make a fuss about you
But how about me?
It's over, all over
And soon somebody else
Will tell his friends about you
You'll find somebody new
But what am I to do
I'll still remember you
When you have forgotten
And maybe a baby
Will climb upon your knee
And put its arms about you
But how about me?
And maybe a baby
Will climb upon your knee
And put its arms about you
But how about me?
It's over
But how about me?
The lyrics of Judy Garland's "How About Me?" express the feelings of sadness, betrayal, and a yearning for someone who has moved on. The song is conversational, addressing the person who has ended the relationship with the singer. The lyrics highlight the fact that the person has moved on and found someone else, but the singer still feels the pain of the breakup. The repetition of the phrase "But how about me?" underscores the idea that the singer is being neglected, forgotten about, and left behind.
The second verse of the song adds a new dimension to the story. The singer imagines the person with a baby, yet she still wonders, "But how about me?" This further accentuates the singer's loneliness and longing as she pictures the person with a new family while she remains alone. The lyrics of "How About Me?" vividly capture the devastation of a broken heart and the feeling of being replaced.
Line by Line Meaning
It's over, all over
Our relationship has come to an end, there's nothing left
And soon somebody else
Before long, another person will come along and take your attention
Will make a fuss about you
They will shower you with affection and give you attention, just as I used to
But how about me?
But what about how I feel? Will you ever think of me?
You'll find somebody new
You will move on and find someone else to love
But what am I to do
But what will I do without you? How will I live my life?
I'll still remember you
Even though you are gone, I will still keep the memories of our time together
When you have forgotten
When you have moved on and forgotten about me, I will still remember
And maybe a baby
Perhaps you will have a child
Will climb upon your knee
The child will come to you and want to be close to you
And put its arms about you
The child will show you an unconditional love and embrace you
But how about me?
But what about how I feel? Will you ever think of me, now that you have the love of a child?
It's over
Our relationship is over.
But how about me?
But what about me? What will become of me now that we are done?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JP Monroe
The definitive version of this great Irving Berlin song ! Judy taps into all the emotion from her heart to yours. And, IMHO, the greatest Arranger/Orchestrator EVAH !, Gordon Jenkins, wraps this song in a stunning display of how strings can underpin and support the mood of the song.
Allison Seamark
This is perfection. It breaks my heart every time I listen to it. Judy.There has never been anyone like her and never will be again.
Lazaro Isern
I’m totally out of words. Her sad songs are like getting run over by a train and loving it. Wow!
Jack Stafford
Thanks Dylan
Wonderful sad song.
Fantastic singer and performance.
Great arrangement.
Nora S.
Love the song, love the lyrics, love the orchestration, and last, but never least, I love the singer! Judy! Miss you~
j green
Talent is timeless
Michael Brodsky
Amazing--thanks for posting this incredible rendition. Especially since it's so difficult to get the CD. Thanks again.
Joe Pruessner
How about those strings at 3:28 - man, that's great. Thanks for posting this.
Walter Gray
Wonderful to find the verse of this great song included in this great rendition by the one and only Judy Garland.
Thank you so much for sharing this excellent post.
Jim Summey
Haunting, wonderful..... clear as a bell