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 Got Rhythm
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All God's chillun got a frown on their face
Take no chance with that frown
A song and a dance, turn it upside down
Ah, ah, ah, ah, zazoo, zazoo
All God's chillun got rhythm, all God's chillun got swing
Maybe haven't got money, maybe haven't got shoes
All God's chillun' got trouble, troubles don't mean a thing
When they start to go, "Ho ho ho"
The old troubles bound to go 'way, say
All God's chillun got swing
All God's children got trouble
Da da do day, ra do day, ra do da do, da da, da da day
Doh da do day, da do day, ra do, da do, da do day
Maybe haven't got money or maybe haven't got shoes
All God's chillun got rhythm for to push, for to push
For to push away their blues
All God's chillun got trouble, troubles don't mean a thing
When they start to go, "Ho ho ho"
The old troubles bound to go 'way, say
All God's chillun got swing
Swing it high, swing it low, hell, let 'em go, hah hah, yea
Swing it up, swing it down, ah hah let it go, oh hah, yea
Ain't got money, ain't got shoes
All God's chillun got rhythm
For to push away their doggone weary blues
Three cheers for the red, white and blue
Swing it up to the sky, don't ask how, don't ask why
Brother, go go oh hoh, blow blow, way hay ay
All God's chillun got swing, swing, swing
In "I Got Rhythm," Judy Garland is singing about how even though everyone has their own problems and struggles, they can push those issues aside through the power of music and dance. The singer notes that everyone has a frown on their face, but by turning it upside down with a "song and a dance," the troubles that seem so heavy can be lifted away. Garland emphasizes that "All God's chillun got rhythm," highlighting the idea that rhythm is a universal language that anyone can understand and turn to in difficult times. Through rhythm and swing, the characters in the song are able to push away their blues and forget their troubles.
The song is particularly notable because it emphasizes the idea of turning to music and dance in order to alleviate stress and anxiety. It's also significant because of the way Garland performs it, incorporating a playful and upbeat energy that further emphasizes the song's theme of joy in the face of adversity. The repetitive chorus reinforces that message, reminding the listener that everyone, no matter what their background or struggles may be, can benefit from the simple joy of music.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a frown, you got a frown
Both of us have a frown on our face
All God's chillun got a frown on their face
Everyone is unhappy, no one is exempt from life's difficulties
Take no chance with that frown
Don't let sadness consume you, actively try to change your mood
A song and a dance, turn it upside down
Singing and dancing can help cheer up even the saddest person
All God's chillun got rhythm, all God's chillun got swing
Everyone has their own unique style and rhythm
Maybe haven't got money, maybe haven't got shoes
Financial hardship and lack of material possessions are common struggles
All God's chillun got rhythm for to push away their blues
People use music and rhythm to cope and escape their problems
All God's chillun' got trouble, troubles don't mean a thing
Regardless of the struggles people face, they are not defined by them
When they start to go, "Ho ho ho"
By laughing and being optimistic, people can overcome their troubles
The old troubles bound to go 'way, say
With a positive attitude, problems can be resolved and overcome
Swing it high, swing it low, hell, let 'em go, hah hah, yea
Express yourself freely and don't hold back
Ain't got money, ain't got shoes
Financial hardship and lack of material possessions are common struggles
All God's chillun got rhythm for to push, for to push
People use music and rhythm to cope and escape their problems
Three cheers for the red, white and blue
Celebrate and show pride for your country
Swing it up to the sky, don't ask how, don't ask why
Let go and enjoy the moment, don't question or analyze it
Brother, go go oh hoh, blow blow, way hay ay
Get lost in the music and let it take you away
All God's chillun got swing, swing, swing
Everyone can dance and express themselves, no matter their struggles
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bronislaw Kaper, Gus Kahn, Walter Jurmann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@einfachnursilvi9382
Days can be sunny, with never a sigh
Don't need what money can buy
Birds in the trees sing their day full of song
Why shouldn't we sing along?
I'm chipper all the day, happy with my lot
How do I get that way? Look at what I've got
I got rhythm, I got music
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
I got daisies, in green pastures
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
Old man trouble
I don't mind him
You won't find him 'round my door
I got starlight
I got sweet dreams
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more ?
Old man trouble
I don't mind him
You won't find him, 'round my door
I got starlight
I got sweet dreams
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more ?
I got rhythm, I got music
I got daisies, in green pastures
I got starlight
I got sweet dreams
I got my man
Who could ask for anything more ?
@LoreleiGold
Days can be sunny, with never a sign
Don't need what money can buy
Birds in the trees sing that day full of song
Why shouldn't we sing along?
I'm chipper all the day, happy with my lot
How do I get that way, look at what I've got
I got rhythm, I got music
I got my man, who could ask for anything more?
I got daisys in green pastures
I got my man, who could ask for anything more?
Old man trouble, I don't mind him
You won't find him 'round my door
I got starlight, I got sweet dreams
I got my man, who could ask for anything more ?
Who could ask for anything more?
I got rhythm, I got music
I got my man, who could ask for anything more?
I got daisys in green pastures
I got my man, who could ask for anything more?
Old man trouble, I don't mind him
You won't find him, hangin' 'round my front and back door
Who could ask for anything more?
Who could ask for anything more?
@MisterGenesis64AK
I like listening to this song while dancing at the hospital.
@joeygamache525
True, I was there banging my bedpan to the melody
@JarethTheGoblinKingForever
And the rubber enema bulbs make excellent noise for the wind section if you're in a hospital. As for that piano/xylophone riff though, you need a good old-fashioned glass urine sample jar set for that. Not every hospital has the privilege of such beauty.
@dennyd2928
Im sure some old gramdma would start dancing or fhe ghost would
@pokeczarelf
I see you right there. The Boys.
@colinevans8619
I see a fellow person of wealth and taste.
@fabiyaanmir546
Kimiko surely nailed it.😍
@danielr.9336
que capasidad interpretativa que talento que estilo y belleza
@jeffreywinch3609
What a voice !!!
@benzasa2563
play buddy rich