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).
It's a great big world
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had my petticoat trimmed with lace
I looked at the mirror, around I twirled
And then I went out in the wide, wide world
I dreamed of gentlemen I would meet
I saw them all kneeling at my feet
I can't understand it, my hair is all curled
[Chorus:]
And it's a cold, cold, cold and we'll soon be old
Alas and a lack, it's a great big world.
I learned to sew and I learned to bake
I even frosted an angel cake
On Saturday evening, when folks dropped in
My house was as neat as a brand new pin
I thought by learning each social grace
A chap might learn to forget my face
I can't understand it, I've knitted and pearled
But my goodness me it's a great big world!
[Chorus]
I had no petticoat trimmed with lace
My angel cake was a sure disgrace
My face was my fortune, my mother said
And my dancing slippers of bright, bright red.
A million miles I've danced or more
In hopes Prince Charming would cross the floor
I can't understand it, I've Waltzed and I've whirled
But my goodness me, it's a great big world.
[Chorus x 2]
But I'll keep on knitting and doing it well
My slippers are one thing I never will sell
My petticoat's waiting, because who can tell?
It's a great big world, it's a great big world.
The song 'It's a great big world' by Judy Garland is a reflection of a young girl's journey into womanhood, where she tries so hard to fit in and be accepted by the whole world. The singer of the song starts by describing how she bought a bonnet that suits her face and had her petticoat trimmed with lace, indicating that she values her appearance and wants to look her best. She then goes out into the wide, wide world, dreamy and full of expectations, hoping to meet the gentleman of her dreams.
In the second verse, she talks about the steps she took to learn the social graces and impress her potential suitors. She cooked and baked, sewed, and frosted an angel cake, making sure her house was as neat as a brand new pin. But despite all her efforts, she still couldn't understand why she couldn't attract the right man. She even danced a million miles, hoping to meet a prince charming, but to no avail.
The final verse reveals that the singer realizes that her mother was right after all. Her face was her fortune, and her dancing slippers of bright, bright red. She resolves to keep on knitting and doing it well, waiting for a man who appreciates her for who she is, and not for what she could do.
Overall, the song conveys the message that the world is indeed vast and can be challenging to navigate, but it's important to be true to oneself and not compromise one's identity and values in the quest for acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
I bought a bonnet to suit my face
I thought buying the perfect accessory would make me attractive and pleasing to look at.
I had my petticoat trimmed with lace
I decorated my clothing with expensive, fancy trimmings in order to stand out and look more elegant.
I looked at the mirror, around I twirled
I took the time to admire myself, spinning around to get a full view of how I looked.
And then I went out in the wide, wide world
I stepped out into the world, hoping to be noticed and appreciated for my efforts to look good.
I dreamed of gentlemen I would meet
I fantasized about meeting charming, well-mannered men who would be taken with me and my beauty.
I saw them all kneeling at my feet
In my imagination, I pictured these men falling for me and being overcome by my allure.
I can't understand it, my hair is all curled
Despite putting in so much effort to look good, I still couldn't understand why I wasn't attracting the attention I wanted.
But my goodness me, it's a great big world
The world was too vast and too full of people for me to be noticed or appreciated by everyone.
I learned to sew and I learned to bake
I took on traditional feminine hobbies in hopes of appearing more domesticated and valuable as a wife.
I even frosted an angel cake
I mastered fancy baking techniques to show off my skills and impress potential suitors.
On Saturday evening, when folks dropped in
I cultivated a social life, having guests over and being seen as a gracious hostess.
My house was as neat as a brand new pin
I made sure everything in my home was tidy and well-organized, to further impress my guests.
I thought by learning each social grace
I believed that if I could embody all the qualities of a proper lady, I could attract the right kind of man.
A chap might learn to forget my face
I hoped that by being charming and accommodating, a man might overlook any physical flaws I had.
I had no petticoat trimmed with lace
In reality, I couldn't afford fancy clothes and had to make do with what I had.
My angel cake was a sure disgrace
My cooking skills didn't quite measure up to my own expectations or anyone else's.
My face was my fortune, my mother said
My mother instilled in me the belief that my looks were my greatest asset and could be used to my advantage.
And my dancing slippers of bright, bright red
The one thing I did have that was flashy and eye-catching were my red dancing shoes.
A million miles I've danced or more
I spent hours and hours dancing, hoping to catch the eye of a potential suitor.
In hopes Prince Charming would cross the floor
I held out hope that the perfect man would enter the room and sweep me off my feet.
But my goodness me, it's a great big world
Despite all my efforts, there were still plenty of people who didn't notice or care about me.
But I'll keep on knitting and doing it well
Despite setbacks and disappointments, I'll keep perfecting my skills and trying to be the best version of myself.
My slippers are one thing I never will sell
I'll hold onto the one thing that makes me stand out and feel special, even if it's just a pair of shoes.
My petticoat's waiting, because who can tell?
Despite everything, I still hold onto the hope that one day I'll be noticed and appreciated for who I am.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind