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).
Ol' Man River
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He must know somethin', but he don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin'
He keeps on rollin' along
He don't plant taters, he don't plant cotton
An' them that plants' 'em is soon forgotten
But ol' man river
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge! Lift that bale!
You get a little drunk an' you land in jail
I get weary and sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin' and scared of dyin'
But ol' man river
He just keeps rollin' along
Judy Garland's rendition of Ol' Man River is an evocative and heart-wrenching performance of the classic song from the musical 'Show Boat'. Ol' Man River is sung by Joe, a black stevedore in the show, who is bemoaning the hardships of his life as a black man working along the river. The song is a poignant condemnation of the inhumanity and injustice of the society he was a part of.
The first verse of the song introduces ol' man river, the Mississippi, the central metaphor of the song. He describes the river as having a knowledge, that he must know something, but for all his rolling along, he does not speak of his knowledge. In the second verse, Joe contrasts the futility of human labour with the perpetual motion of the river. People may plant, but they will be forgotten while the river, with no conscious effort, goes on and on. In the third verse, Joe, addressing the listeners as 'you and me' bemoans the hard work they undertake and the pain, both physical and mental that it causes them. He references the back-breaking work of carrying heavy cargo, as well as the temptation of drink leading to prison, implying harsh sentencing policies for black men.
The song's lyrics symbolise the inescapable nature of oppression and poverty that specifically affect black people at the time, and the absence of hope of a better future. The song works powerfully as a commentary on society's neglect and othering of black Americans at the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Ol' man river, that ol' man river
The river is an old man and has been flowing for centuries.
He must know somethin', but he don't say nothin'
The river has seen everything throughout history but does not reveal its secrets.
He just keeps rollin'
The river flows continuously without any rest.
He keeps on rollin' along
The river continues to flow despite all the changes happening around it.
He don't plant taters, he don't plant cotton
The river does not need to work to serve its purpose like people do.
An' them that plants' 'em is soon forgotten
People who work hard and plant crops are often unappreciated and forgotten by society.
But ol' man river
Despite all this, the river remains a constant in the ever-changing world.
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
Humans have to work hard every day to make a living.
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
Working hard takes a physical and emotional toll on people.
Tote that barge! Lift that bale!
People have to do physically demanding work every day to survive.
You get a little drunk an' you land in jail
People often turn to alcohol to escape their struggles, but this can lead to negative consequences.
I get weary and sick of tryin'
Working hard every day can wear people down and make them lose motivation.
I'm tired of livin' and scared of dyin'
Life can be hard and scary sometimes.
But ol' man river
Despite all this, the river keeps flowing and remains constant.
He just keeps rollin' along
The river continues to flow and reminds us that life goes on.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN JAY LERNER, FREDERICK LOEWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fred Celli
Judy held that last note, with forte, for 13 seconds....unbelievable voice and talent.......Frank Sinatra commented that "when all of us are gone, they'll still remember her" .
Dan Lukens
Why am I a clarinetist musician and will always be a listener and a performer? The goose bump rush, that Judy Garland provokes while singing "Old Man River" makes my life as a musician well worth living!
Marilyn Zuki
She was the GREATEST!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
Michel Motta
Sinatra estava coberto de Razão. Meu amigo.
Tony
This video is incredible. She’s basically singing a song notably sung by a deep voice man and she’s singing it like it was written for her. Best female voice ever, arguably best voice ever!
Dorothy Kuveke
What you just wrote is the best way of describing Judy Garland especially singing Old Man River. Everything you said is accurate and true. She was one of a kind and I just thank God they taped all her recordings and to this day we can still listen to her beautiful songs and performances. Well said!!
Daniel Vena
The voice is one thing, however, her emotion, her phrasing, her pain, her delivery is just too much to bare. I can not hold the tears back. The tears come just from watching her perform. No performer ever could capture my emotions like Judy. Even Enrico Caruso who's emotions in singing are unmatched. Judy surpasses him in my opinion because of how she delivers.
Judy died broke, but she left us with this.
Paul Wild
Very controversial but Garland’s version of this song is the best. The ending of this, is spine chilling.
Shaun Wakefield
@Daniel Vena so very true how many now are great interpreters of song.
arnold trogman
@Shaun Wakefield there is nobody.. and hasn't been for years and years