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 Never Was You
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the wind that follows after
For one certain face
And an unforgotten laughter
I've been following signs
I've been searching through the lands
For a certain pair of arms
And a certain pair of hands
And I tried a kiss there
For when you're out in company
The boys and girls will pair
But it never was you
It never was anywhere you
An occasional sunset reminded me
Or a flower hanging high on a julep tree
Or one red star hung low in the west
Or a heart-break call from a Meadow Lark's nest
Made me think for a moment
Maybe its true
I found him in the star
In the call
In the blue
But it never was you
It never was anywhere you
Anywhere, anywhere you
The lyrics to Judy Garland's song "It Never Was You" are a poignant and reflective exploration of the search for a lost love. The singer of the song has clearly been looking for this person for some time, traversing through memories and experiences, desperately searching for a familiar face and the sound of their laughter. Throughout their journey, they have tried to find solace in the company of others, attempting to kiss new faces, but it is never the same as the person they are looking for.
The singer has been following signs and searching through lands, yearning for a certain pair of arms and hands. They take notice of the world around them, and in moments of beauty or heartbreak, they stop and think that perhaps they have found the person they are looking for. However, ultimately they acknowledge that it was never them. The person they were searching for was not in any sunset or flower or star, but rather a part of their own inner world.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been searching through rains
I have been searching through the most difficult and tumultuous times.
And the wind that follows after
I have searched for someone through the changes and aftermath of experiences.
For one certain face
I am searching for one particular person.
And an unforgotten laughter
I seek the bright, joyous smile and sound of laughter that has stayed with me.
I've been following signs
I have been searching for indications of where to find this person.
I've been searching through the lands
I have traveled to various places in search of the person I seek.
For a certain pair of arms
I miss the comfort of being held by someone I care for deeply.
And a certain pair of hands
I long to feel the loving touch of another, someone who is unique and special to me.
Yes, I tried a kiss here
I have been romantically involved with others, hoping to find the same feelings I have for the person I seek.
And I tried a kiss there
I have tried to find this special feeling by kissing different people in different situations.
For when you're out in company
In social situations, people tend to pair up and flirt with one another.
The boys and girls will pair
People tend to pair up with someone of the opposite gender in romantic settings.
But it never was you
None of the people I have kissed or been with compares to the person I am desperately seeking.
It never was anywhere you
The person I've been searching for doesn't seem to exist in any of the places I've looked.
An occasional sunset reminded me
Sometimes the beauty of nature makes me think of you.
Or a flower hanging high on a julep tree
Even a beautiful flower hanging high on a tree reminds me of the person I am longing for.
Or one red star hung low in the west
Watching a star in the sky sets my mind on you.
Or a heart-break call from a Meadow Lark's nest
Even the sad sound of a bird's song can make me think of you.
Made me think for a moment
These beautiful things cause me to stop and consider my feelings and memories for you.
Maybe its true
Maybe the presence of these beautiful things indicates that this person is real and out there somewhere.
I found him in the star
I thought for a moment that I had found you in the beauty of the night sky.
In the call
Even the subtle sounds of nature remind me of you.
In the blue
The color blue also reminds me of you, as if that color could capture the essence of the person I seek.
But it never was you
Despite finding the person in so many different things and situations, I still cannot find the true person I am searching for.
It never was anywhere you
I cannot seem to find the person I am searching for anywhere.
Anywhere, anywhere you
No matter where I look or what I find, I can't seem to find this person anywhere I go.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KURT WEILL, MAXWELL ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S Robin Dittrich
This is truly beautiful. Even the arrangement accompanying Judy is divine.....like Judy.
Randy Francis
Beautiful as can be.❤
Alan Hays
I feel like she is in the same room with me singing this song. I feel so connected relieving what she freely shares with her audiences. Marvelous Judy! Thank you!
aehr ab
I like both versions
S Carr
always beautiful
Paul Simpson
Much better than the one used in the film really beautifull !
TJP
No it's not
Mark Whitman
I prefer movie version although she is fine here!
Vera Smith
I always liked Judy Garland.
Bill D
Oh, this song! And Judy! Even here in this take when her voice was a shambles, she is devastating. If you sing a good song from the heart and you find your key, it doesn't matter what condition your voice is in, you can still deliver. Beautiful!