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).
Long Ago
Judy Garland Lyrics
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Life's a four leaf clover
Sessions of depression are through
Every hope I longed for long ago, comes true
Long ago and far away
I dreamed a dream one day
And now that dream is here beside me
Long the skies were overcast
But now the clouds have passed
You're here at last!
Chills run up and down my spine
Aladdin's Lamp is mine
The dream I dreamed was not denied me
Just one look and then I knew
That all I longed for
Long ago was you
The lyrics of this classic song by Judy Garland are a testament to the transformative power of love and hope. It starts with the line "Dreary days are over, life's a four leaf clover", indicating a change in mood and outlook. The singer is saying that the previous periods of depression and sadness have passed, and life has become brighter.
The second verse indicates that the person singing the song had a dream, and now that dream has come true. It is unclear what the dream was, but the fact that it is now beside the person means that it was a tangible and physical thing. The third verse is a direct reference to the arrival of the person that the singer had been waiting for, "you". The skies have cleared, as if the arrival of the person has brought immense joy that has chased away all the darkness.
The last verse is the most powerful, where the person singing says that they have found the one thing they were longing for long ago - "you". The line "Aladdin's lamp is mine" indicates that the person no longer needs wishes granted because they have found what they were searching for. The song is a testament to the power of love to transform lives, to bring hope to even the darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreary days are over
Life has improved and upsetting times are a thing of the past
Life's a four leaf clover
Life is now fortunate and full of good luck
Sessions of depression are through
Episodes of sad and difficult times are no longer happening
Every hope I longed for long ago, comes true
All the aspirations I had in the past have now been fulfilled
Long ago and far away
In the distant past and at a great distance
I dreamed a dream one day
I had a specific vision or goal at some point
And now that dream is here beside me
I have finally achieved that dream, and it is with me now
Long the skies were overcast
The sky was gloomy and cloudy for a long duration
But now the clouds have passed
The unpleasant circumstances have disappeared or ceased to exist
You're here at last!
You have finally arrived or joined me
Chills run up and down my spine
A sensation of both excitement and fear is felt throughout my body
Aladdin's Lamp is mine
I have gained possession of something extraordinary that can grant wishes
The dream I dreamed was not denied me
I received what I wished for and pursued in my dream
Just one look and then I knew
Upon seeing you for the first time, I was sure of something
That all I longed for
Everything that I wished or yearned for
Long ago was you
Has always been you, even if it was in the distant past
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@suzannerinato6753
Written for the Rita Hayworth film “Cover Girl” in 1942 by Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern. Judy does this beautiful song such justice. She was born to sing. At 22 years old she still completely conveys the bittersweet wistfulness if this lovely song.
@tonywilliams7711
How in the world could a 22 yr old woman sing like this?! She must have been an old soul. May she rest in peace and may everyone who exploited her get what they deserve.
@Croonr1
This was from the July 15, 1944 Command Performance radio show on the AFRS.
@baronpsychex1992
She is Unique with a Heart Full of Sentimentality.
Magical Talent from Oz.
Eternal gift to Humanity;
Dorothy Garland.😙