Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress and si… Read Full Bio ↴Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years, Garland attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Respected for her versatility, she received a Juvenile Academy Award, won a Golden Globe Award, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her work in films, as well as Grammy Awards and a Special Tony Award. She had a contralto singing range.

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 Happen To Like New York
Judy Garland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I happen to like New York, I happen to love this town
I like the city air, I like to drink of it
The more I see New York, the more I think of it
I like the sight and the sound and even the stink of it
I happen to like New York

I like to go to Battery Park and watch the liners booming in
I often ask myself why should it be

That they come so far across the sea?
I suppose it's because they all agree with me
They happen to like New York

Last Sunday afternoon, I took a trip to Hackensack
But after I gave Hackensack the once over
I took the next train back
I happen to like New York

And oh, the Easter Show at the Music Hall
A perfect delight
And oh, pastrami on rye at the Carnegie Deli
There's joy in each pie

And Madison Square for a Friday night fight
Or a walk along Broadway to guest at the lights
And at Carnegie Hall where the atmosphere's right
Life at the lights, at the night

I happen to like New York, I happen to love this burg
And when I have to give the world my last farewell
And the undertaker comes to ring my funeral bell
I don't wanna go to heaven, don't wanna go to [unverified]

I happen to like New York, I happen to like New York
I happen to like New York

Overall Meaning

Judy Garland's "I Happen To Like New York" is an ode to the city she loved. The song is a love letter to the sights, sounds, and experiences of life in New York, as well as a tribute to the city's spirit and resilience. Garland sets out her love for the city early on, praising everything from the air to the smell - a sign of her deep affection for all aspects of the city.

Throughout the song, Garland details a few of her favourite things to do in New York, including watching liners come in at Battery Park, visiting the Carnegie Deli and going to Madison Square for a Friday night fight. The lyrics speak to the richness of experience available in New York and underscore the city's unique place in the cultural imagination of America.

However, towards the end of the song, Garland's love for New York takes on a more personal resonance. She notes that when the time comes for her to die, she doesn't want to go to heaven or hell, she just wants to stay in the city she loves, to be buried there, literally surrounded by the things that brought her so much joy in life.

Line by Line Meaning

I happen to like New York, I happen to love this town
I particularly enjoy New York City and have developed a strong affection for it

I like the city air, I like to drink of it
I enjoy breathing in the air of the city and find it refreshing

The more I see New York, the more I think of it
As I spend more time in New York City, the more I am reminded of its many appealing qualities

I like the sight and the sound and even the stink of it
I find the city's sights and sounds appealing, even the less pleasant smells

I like to go to Battery Park and watch the liners booming in
I enjoy visiting Battery Park and seeing the large ships arriving at the harbor

I often ask myself why should it be That they come so far across the sea? I suppose it's because they all agree with me They happen to like New York
I sometimes wonder why these ships travel such long distances, but I imagine it is because they, like me, appreciate the many charms of this great city

Last Sunday afternoon, I took a trip to Hackensack But after I gave Hackensack the once over I took the next train back I happen to like New York
I recently visited Hackensack, but was unimpressed and quickly returned to New York City, which I prefer

And oh, the Easter Show at the Music Hall A perfect delight And oh, pastrami on rye at the Carnegie Deli There's joy in each pie
I enjoy attending events like the Easter Show at Radio City Music Hall and savoring delicious food like pastrami sandwiches from Carnegie Deli

And Madison Square for a Friday night fight Or a walk along Broadway to guest at the lights And at Carnegie Hall where the atmosphere's right Life at the lights, at the night
There are many enjoyable activities to experience in New York City, such as watching a boxing match at Madison Square Garden, strolling along Broadway to see the bright lights, and soaking up the atmosphere at Carnegie Hall

And when I have to give the world my last farewell And the undertaker comes to ring my funeral bell I don't wanna go to heaven, don't wanna go to [unverified] I happen to like New York, I happen to like New York I happen to like New York
Even as I face my mortality and prepare for death, I do not wish to leave this city, as I have such a strong fondness for it

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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