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).
Make Someone Happy
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a thrill to have the world at your feet
The praise of the crowd, it's exciting
But I've learned that's not what makes a life complete
There's one thing you can do for the rest of your days
That's worth more than applause
The screaming crowd, the bouquets
Make someone happy
Make just one someone happy
Make just one heart the heart you sing to
One smile that cheers you
One face that lights when it nears you
One man you're everything to
Fame if you win it
Comes and goes in a minute
Where's the real stuff in life to cling to
Love is the answer
Someone to love is the answer
Once you've found him, build your world around him
Make someone happy
Make just one someone happy
And you will be happy, too
In the song "Make Someone Happy" by Judy Garland and Liza Minelli, the first few lines explain the thrill of public recognition and that the sound of the crowd is "delicious." It is exhilarating to have the world at your feet and bask in the praise of the crowd. However, the rest of the verse shows that's not what makes life complete. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes that making someone happy is the key to being happy.
The lyrics explain that one thing an individual can do throughout their life, which exceeds applause and bouquets, is to make someone happy. Bliss and satisfaction come from the ability to bring joy to others, to make just one heart the heart you sing to, and to see one face light up when they're near you. The verses following the chorus highlight the impermanence of fame and how it comes and goes in a minute. The real stuff in life to cling to is love and that someone to love is the answer. Thus, once you've found the person to love, build your world around them, and make them happy.
The song beautifully portrays that the purest satisfaction in life comes from making someone else feel happy. It is one of the simple, most selfless acts that can help people find happiness and fulfill many lives. The song is a reminder that true happiness comes from giving love rather than receiving it and that happiness and love are the secret to a full life.
Line by Line Meaning
The sound of applause is delicious
The sound of people cheering for you is pleasant to hear
It's a thrill to have the world at your feet
It is exciting to be famous and have people looking up to you
The praise of the crowd, it's exciting
People appreciating and complimenting you is thrilling
But I've learned that's not what makes a life complete
However, I have realized that fame and success alone cannot make a person's life fulfilling
There's one thing you can do for the rest of your days
There is one thing that you can do for the entirety of your life
That's worth more than applause
That is more valuable than people cheering for you
The screaming crowd, the bouquets
Even the excitement of the screaming crowd and the flowers they give you do not compare
Make someone happy
Bring joy to someone else's life
Make just one someone happy
You don't need to make everyone happy, just focus on one person
Make just one heart the heart you sing to
Make sure that the person you bring happiness to is very special to you
One smile that cheers you
Just one smile from that person can make your day
One face that lights when it nears you
Just seeing the happy expression on their face when they see you is all the reward you need
One man you're everything to
Being everything to that one person can be the most fulfilling feeling
Fame if you win it
Even if you become famous
Comes and goes in a minute
It can be fleeting and insignificant
Where's the real stuff in life to cling to
What is truly important in life? Fame is not it.
Love is the answer
Love is the solution to life's biggest problems
Someone to love is the answer
Having someone to love is one of the most important things in life
Once you've found him, build your world around him
When you find that special person, make them the center of your world
Make someone happy
Once again, focus on making someone happy
Make just one someone happy
One person is enough
And you will be happy, too
By making someone else happy, you will also find happiness
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Jule Styne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind