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 Long Has This Been Going On?
Judy Garland Lyrics
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Where have I been all these years?
Little wow, tell me now
How long has this been goin' on?
There were chills up my spine
And some thrills I can't define
Listen sweet, I repeat
Oh, I feel that I could melt
Into heaven I'm hurled
I know how Columbus felt
Finding another world
Kiss me once, then once more
What a dunce I was before
What a break, for heaven's sake
How long has this been goin' on?
Let me dream that it's true
Kiss me twice, then once more
That makes thrice, let's make it four
What a break, for heaven's sake
How long has this been goin' on?
In Judy Garland's song How Long Has This Been Going On, the lyrics convey a sense of overwhelming emotion and passion. The singer expresses that they could cry salty tears at the realization of something they have been missing out on. They ask the question, "how long has this been going on?" suggesting that they are only now discovering some powerful emotion or experience that they were previously unaware of.
The singer goes on to describe the physical sensations they are experiencing, including chills up their spine and undefined thrills. They feel as though they could "melt into heaven" and they draw a comparison to Columbus discovering a new world. The singer then asks to be kissed, acknowledging their previous naivety and proclaiming that they have finally found something worth pursuing.
Line by Line Meaning
I could cry salty tears
I am so overwhelmed with emotion that I feel like bursting into tears.
Where have I been all these years?
I can't believe I haven't experienced this feeling before now. Where has it been all my life?
Little wow, tell me now
Can you believe this is happening? Tell me everything you know about it.
How long has this been goin' on?
I need to know how long this feeling has been building up.
There were chills up my spine
This feeling is so intense that it's sending shivers down my back.
And some thrills I can't define
This experience is so new and exciting that I can't even put it into words.
Listen sweet, I repeat
Please pay attention to what I'm saying because it's important to me and I need to say it again.
Oh, I feel that I could melt
This feeling is so powerful that I feel like I'm going to dissolve into it.
Into heaven I'm hurled
This is the most amazing feeling I've ever experienced. It's like being transported to another realm.
I know how Columbus felt
This new feeling is like discovering a whole new world or idea, just like Columbus did.
Kiss me once, then once more
I want to feel that same rush of emotions again and again.
What a dunce I was before
I can't believe I didn't see this before, it's so obvious now.
What a break, for heaven's sake
This is an unbelievable opportunity for me and I can't believe it's happening.
Let me dream that it's true
I hope this isn't just a fleeting feeling, I want it to be real.
Kiss me twice, then once more
I want to feel that same rush of emotions again and again and again.
That makes thrice, let's make it four
I can't get enough of this feeling, let's keep it going.
How long has this been goin' on?
I still need to know how long this feeling has been building up, it's so important to me.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind