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).
Old Man River
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He must know something but don't say nothing
He just keeps rolling
He keeps on rolling along
You and me, we sweat and slave
Bodies all aching and racked with pain
Tow that barge, lift that bail
I get weary and sick of trying
I'm tired of living but scared of dying
That old man river
He just keeps rolling along
The lyrics of "Old Man River" speak of the endless flow of the Mississippi River and how it is similar to the hardships faced by African American people. The singer of the song, who is part of that community, talks about how the river has witnessed everything- the pain, the slavery, the drudgery of everyday life- but it doesn't speak or do anything to stop it. It just keeps rolling. The lyrics suggest that the African American people are no different from the river. They too have to go through life's struggles and adversities, but they always keep moving forward, much like the relentless flow of the river.
The second verse of the song talks about the harsh conditions that African American laborers had to endure in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They had to work on steamboats and barges, carrying heavy loads down the river. The labor was backbreaking, and the only way to ease the pain was by drinking, which often led to alcoholism and jail time. The singer of the song says that he's tired of trying and is scared of dying, a testament to the hopelessness and despair that the community felt.
In conclusion, "Old Man River" is a powerful and poignant song that captures the spirit of the African American community during a time of inequality and discrimination.
Line by Line Meaning
Old man river, that old man river
Referring to the relentless flow of time, and how the river remains unchanged with age.
He must know something but don't say nothing
Despite his age and wisdom, the river remains silent and enigmatic.
He just keeps rolling
The river's endless flow symbolizes the inevitability of life's challenges and difficulties.
He keeps on rolling along
Despite everything the world throws at us, life goes on and we are forced to keep moving forward.
You and me, we sweat and slave
The struggles and hardships of everyday life, where hard work often leads to physical exhaustion and pain.
Bodies all aching and racked with pain
Describing the physical toll that constant labor takes on a person's body.
Tow that barge, lift that bail
The repetitive nature of manual labor, where one is tasked with the same monotonous duties day in and day out.
Get a little drunk and you land in jail
The consequences of escaping the harsh reality of life through alcohol, often leading to legal troubles.
I get weary and sick of trying
The feeling of hopelessness and exhaustion that sets in after enduring prolonged periods of hardship and struggle.
I'm tired of living but scared of dying
The emotional turmoil that arises when one becomes trapped between the fear of continued suffering and the fear of facing mortality.
That old man river
Again referencing the never-ending flow of time and the inevitability of change and progression.
He just keeps rolling along
Life continues to move forward, despite our individual struggles and hardships.
Contributed by Bailey Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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