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).
Moon River
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crossin' you in style someday.
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker,
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin'your way.
Two drifters, off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end,
Waitin' round the bend,
Moon River and me.
The lyrics of "Moon River" capture the bittersweet longing for adventure and love. The river is used as a metaphor for both the journey of life and the search for love. The chorus, "Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style someday," alludes to a feeling of determination and ambitiousness in the singer's voice. The singer seeks to conquer the world with the same zeal that he searches for his companion.
In the second verse, the singer describes his partnership with his "huckleberry friend," who shares his wanderlust and desire for adventure. They are "two drifters off to see the world," hopeful for the unknown adventures that lay ahead of them.
The song's final line, "Moon River and me," finds the singer accepting that life is a journey to be experienced alongside someone they love. They may not always know where their journey leads them, but the hope is that they will always have each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon River, wider than a mile
The river is vast, just like life's possibilities
I'm crossin' you in style someday.
I will conquer the world in my own unique way
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker,
Life can be full of ups and downs, but I will keep chasing my dreams
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin'your way.
I am willing to take risks and follow my heart, regardless of where it leads me
Two drifters, off to see the world.
We are wanderers, seeking adventure and new experiences
There's such a lot of world to see.
The world is immense and we're excited to explore it
We're after the same rainbow's end,
We're pursuing the same end goal in life
Waitin' round the bend,
The journey isn't always easy or straightforward, but we're ready for whatever comes next
My huckleberry friend,
My companion and confidante on this journey
Moon River and me.
Together, we'll face whatever lies ahead
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
emma berta
Interpretada por Judy Garland en el episodio 12 de "The Judy Garland Show ', grabado el 1 de noviembre de 1963. Una delicada interpretación de una canción clásica, Judy captura la belleza elocuente de' Moon River ', una melodía serpenteante que fluye hacia el corazón.
Las palabras de Johnny Mercer, la música de Henry Mancini, 1961.
río Luna, más ancha que una milla
Estoy crossin que algún día 'en el estilo
creador de sueños de edad, que rompe corazones
Donde quiera que vas a ir, estoy goin'your caminoDos vagabundos, para ver el mundo
Hay una gran cantidad de tales mundo para ver
Estamos después del fin de la misma arco iris
Esperando alrededor de la curva, mi fiel amigo
río de la luna y meRodar a lo largo del río, eres mucho a mí
Sólo un par de boyas a la deriva, con todo el mundo para ver
Estamos después del fin de la misma arco iris
Esperando alrededor de la curva, mi fiel amigo
Moon River y me
richard gornalle
Of all the versions of Moon River l've heard, and there have been many, Judy's is unique and superb.
MrSάǩσ TRG
you should listen to elton's version
Saxon C
No one can sell a song like Judy Garland! The legend!
scronx
You're right---that she could have had a great, straight, normal career in sales.
Ralph Redpath
Saxon C totally agree, my favourite song.... only just discovered Miss Garlands version. Amazing to listen to and watch her performance.
sandiegotrojandawg
No one has been able to sing a song with such power, emotion, and delicacy as the late, great Judy Garland. She was that unique and indomitability of spirit because she sang from her heart and so often, sadly, of personal experience. Her rendition of, "Smile", is probably the epitome of this description and expression....please listen to it. Without question, imo, she was the greatest entertainer in Hollywood history.
Steven J
The artistry in Judy's voice, the amazing musical arrangement and look at that SET how it sets the mood before the song even begins....just amazing, back when ART meant something.....
Steve Washington
How she just pulls you in. A delicious mixture of presence, strength and utter vulnerability.
Barbara Duggan
The GREATEST....don't judge someone unless you have walked in their shoes....she was a survivor and had great. great, great talent.....she just got tired and died way to young but her memory and talent lives on....Love you Judy
George Gallucci
There will never be another like her.