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).
Paris Is A Lonely Town
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The shades are down,
And Paris is only a lonely town.
Lonely
When love's a laugh
And you're the clown
Then paris is only another town
For the lovers clown
This town's a weary merry go round
And round and round
The chestnut, the willow, the colors of Utrillo
Turn to grey, grey hues
The band playing vyse
Along the Champs Elysees
Sounds like wake up blues
Paris is a lonely, dreary, oh so lonely town
Where's that shining flower
'Neath the Eiffel tower?
Where's that fairy land of gold?
Isn't it a pity that this magic city
Turned suddenly cold?
The chimneys moan
The river cries
Each glamorous bridge is a bridge of sighs
River, river, won't you be my lover?
Don't turn me down
For Paris is such a lonely, lonely town
The song "Paris Is A Lonely Town" by Judy Garland is a melancholic ballad describing the less glamorous and fanciful life in Paris when there is no love around. The opening lines, "The glamour's gone, the shades are down, and Paris is only a lonely town," portray the images of a city that has lost its allure and charm where everything appears to be weary and dreary. The lyrics visualize a world of unrequited love where one is a clown, and love is laughter, and Paris is just another town. The song's mood is set in the first verse as the singer points out how everything has lost its charm due to the absence of love in the city.
The second verse highlights the weariness of love where the lovers become the clowns, and the city becomes a merry-go-round for them. The third verse talks about the city's disappearing colors, and the sounds are lifeless, not as alluring as they once were. The lyrics stress the despair and loneliness felt in a city that was once known for its romanticism. The song concludes by asking if the city will be the lover's companion, telling the river not to turn the singer down, to spare some of its love for him or her, stating that Paris is such a lonely town.
Line by Line Meaning
The glamour's gone,
The beauty and charm that once existed in Paris is no longer present.
The shades are down,
The people of Paris are not as lively as they once were, and things seem to have become quiet.
And Paris is only a lonely town.
Paris has turned into a city full of loneliness and despair.
When love's a laugh
When love is not genuine, and your partner just plays with your emotions.
And you're the clown
And you are the one being used and not taken seriously.
Then paris is only another town
Paris feels like any other regular town when love is not true.
For the lovers clown
For those who are being used and hurt by their partners.
This town's a weary merry go round
Paris is a tiresome cycle of the same experiences that make you feel drained.
And round and round
And the same cycle continues.
The chestnut, the willow, the colors of Utrillo
The beautiful natural elements and colors of Paris.
Turn to grey, grey hues
However, the colors fade into a shade of grey and become dull.
The band playing vyse
The music being played in Paris.
Along the Champs Elysees
On the iconic street Champs Elysees
Sounds like wake up blues
The music sounds depressing and only reminds people of their sadness.
Paris is a lonely, dreary, oh so lonely town
Paris is full of loneliness and sadness and is not the magical place it once used to be.
Where's that shining flower
Where is the joy and happiness that was once present.
'Neath the Eiffel tower?
In the iconic and bright landmark Eiffel Tower?
Where's that fairy land of gold?
Where is the place that was once so magical and full of life.
Isn't it a pity that this magic city
Isn't it unfortunate that the city that was so full of wonder and beauty
Turned suddenly cold?
Has become so dull and lifeless overnight.
The chimneys moan
Even the smokestacks seem sad and lifeless.
The river cries
Even the river is weeping and expressing sadness.
Each glamorous bridge is a bridge of sighs
Even the beautiful bridges that were once stunning and awe-inspiring are now only reminders of sorrow.
River, river, won't you be my lover?
The singer is personifying the river, asking it to bring love and happiness back to Paris.
Don't turn me down
The singer does not want Paris and the river to reject their plea for joy.
For Paris is such a lonely, lonely town
Paris is full of loneliness and despair, and the singer hopes for it to become joyful once again.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind