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).
On the achison topeka and the santa fe
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feeling so fresh and alive
And I'm so glad to arrive
It's all so grand
It's easy to see you don't need a palace
To feel like Alice in Wonderland
Back in Ohio where I come from
But I never thought I'd see the day
When I ever took a ride on the Santa Fe
(Want to take a ride on the Santa Fe)
I would lean across my windowsill
And hear the whistle echoing across the hill
Then I'd watch the lights till they fade away
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
What a thrill (what a great big wonderful thrill)
With the wheels singing "westward ho"
Right from the day I heard them start
'Cross the Kansas plains from New Mexico
I guess I've got a little gypsy in my heart
When I'm old and grey and settled down
If I ever get a chance to sneak away from town
Then I'll spend my busman's holiday
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
All aboard! (we came across the country lickety-split)
(rolling ninety miles an hour)
I can't believe I'm here at last
Woo-oo-ooo!
(When you go travelling, it's best for you
to take the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!)
I can't believe that anything could go so fast
Then you pull that throttle, whistle blows
Huffing and puffing and away she goes
All aboard for California, hey!
On the Atchison (on the Atchison)
On the Atchison, Topeka (on the Atchison, Topeka)
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!
Judy Garland's song "On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe" is about the joy of travel, the thrill of riding on the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe railway line, and the wonder and excitement of exploring new places. The song is upbeat and lively, reflecting Garland's enthusiasm and delight at experiencing the beauty and excitement of America's great railway system. The lyrics describe how the singer feels as if she is Alice in Wonderland, seeing new and exciting things around every turn and feeling fresh and alive.
The first part of the song talks about how easy it is to feel like you're in a grand palace when you're riding the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe. The lyric "It's easy to see you don't need a palace to feel like Alice in Wonderland" suggests that the singer is seeing things that are just as wonderful and magical as any palace or castle. Later, the song talks about the thrill of riding the railway line, the sound of the whistle echoing across the hills, and the wonder of seeing new places.
The song ends with a call to action, encouraging people to take a trip on the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe. The lyrics "When you go travelling, it's best for you to take the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" suggest that the railway line is the best way to see the country and experience the excitement of travel.
Line by Line Meaning
What a lovely trip
The journey started well, and it feels like an amazing one
I'm feeling so fresh and alive
The journey has re-energized the singer and increased their vitality
And I'm so glad to arrive
The singer is happy and grateful to have gotten to their destination
It's all so grand
Everything about the journey, including the destination is magnificent
It's easy to see you don't need a palace
You don't have to be in an extravagant setting to feel ecstatic; the trip is just as delightful for the artist
To feel like Alice in Wonderland
The singer feels like they have been transported to a magical place, reminiscent of the book 'Alice in Wonderland'
Back in Ohio where I come from
The singer is originally from Ohio
I've done a lot of dreaming and I've travelled some
The artist has desired to travel and has gone on some trips before
But I never thought I'd see the day
The artist never imagined that they would experience what they are presently experiencing
When I ever took a ride on the Santa Fe
The artist never expected to take a trip on the Santa Fe
I would lean across my windowsill
The singer used to dream about trains passing by their windowsill
And hear the whistle echoing across the hill
The artist remembers hearing the sound of train whistles resonating across the hill
Then I'd watch the lights till they fade away
The singer used to watch the train lights as they vanished from sight
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
The singer fondly remembers the train, and is happy to be taking a ride on it now
What a thrill (what a great big wonderful thrill)
Riding on the Santa Fe train line is exhilarating for the singer
With the wheels singing 'westward ho'
The train wheels create a melody that sounds like 'westward ho'
Right from the day I heard them start
The artist has looked forward to this ride ever since they heard about it
'Cross the Kansas plains from New Mexico
The Santa Fe train route goes across plains in Kansas, and begins in New Mexico
I guess I've got a little gypsy in my heart
The singer loves travelling and enjoys experiencing new destinations
When I'm old and grey and settled down
The artist imagines themselves as old, living a life of peace after a lifetime of travelling and adventure
If I ever get a chance to sneak away from town
The artist values occasional breaks from the regular routine of life
Then I'll spend my busman's holiday
The artist will choose to go on a trip on the Santa Fe, even though life has already been filled with travels and adventure
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
The singer will travel on this train line in the future
All aboard! (we came across the country lickety-split)
The artist is calling for people to board the train quickly
(rolling ninety miles an hour)
The train runs at 90 miles an hour
I can't believe I'm here at last
The singer is thrilled to have finally arrived at their destination on this train line
Woo-oo-ooo!
The singer is excited and howling with joy
(When you go travelling, it's best for you to take the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!)
The artist recommends taking the Santa Fe train line when travelling
I can't believe that anything could go so fast
The artist is astonished at the speed of this train line
Then you pull that throttle, whistle blows
The singer is describing the train's mechanics
Huffing and puffing and away she goes
The train is working hard and accelerating forward
All aboard for California, hey!
The train is headed to California
On the Atchison (on the Atchison)
The artist is emphasizing that they are riding the Santa Fe train by first naming the section of the line it's currently on
On the Atchison, Topeka (on the Atchison, Topeka)
The artist then names the next section of the train line they will be on
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!
The singer repeats the train line name with excitement and pride
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MickyLiveari
What I love most about Judy Garland is that her voice often overpowered the recording equipment they had at the time... If there's one thing she could do, it was belt out perfect notes.
Thomas Carey Jr.
I bought this record right away in 1945. I bought most of her records throughout her career but this one is one of her most unique. You just can't go wrong with Judy and singing.
annie felix
I love Judy garland ! :D There is no one who can sing like her !!
deansgirl4evr
Judy, you had such a beautiful voice. Thanks for posting.
Saxon C
What a great version! I forgot she recorded this with the Merry Macs.. Anytime something is written about Judy Garland it mostly dwells on her troubles and more about the negative. Authors never write that there was more Positive & Highpoints. Her career spanned 45 yrs out of the 47yrs she lived & was a legend, superstar & she gave us memorable performances on stage and screen & recordings like Carnegie Hall.. She had the most amazing voice along with an electric personality that makes up a Star
Jonathan Kieran
Amen.
AJNorth
"On the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe" was written by Johnny Mercer (lyrics) and Harry Warren (music) and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1946 MGM film "The Harvey Girls." It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The Judy Garland/Merry Macs recording was released by Decca Records as catalog number 23436. The record reached the Billboard charts on September 20, 1945, at number ten, its only week on the chart.
L.D. Wood
I went to work the Santa Fe Railway in 1945, I remember when this song was played on the movie Harvey Girls. About every AT&SF employee bought this record. Great music.
Christopher O’Rourke
I always liked the Santa Fe railroad which was always very pro passenger train before Amtrak came into being. I ride Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner (formerly the San Diegans) between San Diego,Los Angeles & Oxnard. The route is the former Santa Fe Surf Line between San Diego & Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to San Luis Opisbo on the Coast Line of the former Southern Pacific(now Union Pacific). That route Isa great day trip route.
robertquentincobb
Awesome! The Great Judy Garland will live forever on Youtube!