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).
I Feel a Song Coming On
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm warning ya
It's a victorious
Happy and glorious new strain!
I feel a song comin' on
It's a melody!
Full of the laughter
Of children out after the rain!
Ringin' thru ya!
Love and glory!
Hallelujah!
And now that my troubles are gone
Let those heavenly drums go on drummin'
Cause I feel a song comin' on!
I feel a song comin' on
And I'm warning ya
It's a victorious
Happy and glorious new strain!
I feel a song comin' on
It's a melody!
Full of the laughter
Of children out after the rain!
You'll hear a tuneful story
Ringin' thru ya!
Love and glory!
Hallelujah!
And now that my troubles are gone
Let those heavenly drums go on drummin'
Judy Garland's "I Feel a Song Coming On" is a song of exuberance and optimism. The lyrics describes the feeling of anticipation that something great is going to happen, and that something is a song, full of joy and celebration. The opening line sets the tone of the song – "I feel a song comin' on, and I'm warning ya" – suggesting that something ecstatic and all-consuming is about to take place. The reference to "victorious" and "glorious" in the lyrics further reinforces this sense of triumph and enthusiasm.
The song also speaks of childhood nostalgia and the joys of youth. Throughout the song, the imagery of children playing outside in the rain and the sound of their laughter suggest a carefree and happy time. The lyrics "a melody full of the laughter of children out after the rain" evoke a feeling of innocence and wonder that is elusive in adult life.
Overall, "I Feel a Song Coming On" is a song that captures the essence of the joy of music and the optimism it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel a song comin' on
I am sensing the urge to write and perform a new song
And I'm warning ya
I am cautioning you that the song I will produce is going to be powerful
It's a victorious
The song will have triumphant vibes
Happy and glorious new strain!
It will be a new and awe-inspiring melody of joy and glory
It's a melody!
The song is going to be a sequence of musical notes that will capture your heart
Full of the laughter
It will be entertaining and make you laugh
Of children out after the rain!
It will invoke the joy of children playing in the rain
You'll hear a tuneful story
The song will tell a tale that you can feel and relate to
Ringin' thru ya!
It will resonate within your soul, leaving an indelible mark
Love and glory!
It will highlight the themes of love and honor
Hallelujah!
It will be a celebration of life itself, shouting praises to heaven
And now that my troubles are gone
All my problems and struggles have been put behind me
Let those heavenly drums go on drummin'
So, let the sounds of the heavenly beats continue playing
Cause I feel a song comin' on!
Because the urge to sing and rejoice is taking over me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, GEORGE OPPENHEIMER, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind