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).
Puttin' On The Ritz
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up and down Park Avenue?
On that famous thoroughfare,
With their noses in the air?
High hats and arrowed collars,
Wide spats and fifteen dollars.
Spending every dime,
For a wonderful time
If you're blue and you don' know,
Where to go to, why don't you go,
Where fashion sits?
Putting On The Ritz.
Different types, who wear a day,
Co-pants with stripes, and cut away,
Coat, perfect fits?
Putting On The Ritz.
Dressed up like a million dollar trooper,
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper.
Super-duper
Come, let's mix where Rockerfellas,
Walk with sticks, or umbrellas,
In their mitts.
Putting On The Ritz.
Spangled gowns upon a beauty of hand-me-downs, on clown and cutie,
All misfits.
Putting On The Ritz.
Tips his hat just like an English chappie,
To a lady with the wealthy happy.
Very Snappy
You'll declare it's simply topping,
To be there, and hear them swapping,
Smart titbits.
Putting On the Ritz
Putting On the Ritz
Putting On the Ritz
"Puttin’ on The Ritz" is a famous song that was originally composed by Irving Berlin in 1927. The song became more famous after Judy Garland sang it in a musical named “A Gift of Song” in 1954. The song is about the famous thoroughfare, Park Avenue, where the wealthy and fashionable elites of society live.
The opening lines of the song, “Have you seen the well to do? Up and down Park Avenue?” depict the wealthy people who roam around Park Avenue, with their noses in the air, wearing high hats and arrowed collars, and wide spats. They spend every dime for a wonderful time. The singer then invites the listener, if they are feeling blue and unsure where to go, to go where fashion sits and put on The Ritz. The Ritz symbolizes a fancy and luxurious lifestyle where one can be chic and fashionable. The song also describes how people dress up like million-dollar troopers, trying hard to look like the famous actor Gary Cooper: very super-duper.
The song takes a turn in the second stanza, inviting listeners to join in on the fun and mix with the Rockefeller’s who walk around with sticks or umbrellas in their hands. The song then goes on to describe how everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, wearing different types of clothing, from spangles gowns to hand-me-downs. Everyone is welcome at The Ritz, and they can feel smart and trendy while “swapping smart titbits.”
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen the well to do?
Have you come across the affluent folks?
Up and down Park Avenue?
Roaming around the posh Park Avenue?
On that famous thoroughfare,
On that renowned street,
With their noses in the air?
With an arrogant attitude?
High hats and arrowed collars,
Wearing top hats and pointed collars,
Wide spats and fifteen dollars.
Sporting flashy spats and expensive clothes.
Spending every dime,
Spending every penny,
For a wonderful time
For a fantastic experience
If you're blue and you don' know,
If you're feeling down and clueless,
Where to go to, why don't you go,
Why don't you try going,
Where fashion sits?
Where the fashionable people hang out?
Putting On The Ritz.
Head to a fancy place.
Different types, who wear a day,
People wearing different types of clothes every day,
Co-pants with stripes, and cut away,
Some with striped trousers and a cutaway coat,
Coat, perfect fits?
A coat that fits perfectly?
Putting On The Ritz.
Head to a fancy place.
Dressed up like a million dollar trooper,
Dressing up like a rich and successful person,
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper.
Making every effort to imitate Gary Cooper
Super-duper
Excellent
Come, let's mix where Rockefeller's,
Let's go where the Rockefellers hang out,
Walk with sticks, or umbrellas,
Walking with canes or umbrellas,
In their mitts.
In their hands.
Putting On The Ritz.
Head to a fancy place.
Spangled gowns upon a beauty of hand-me-downs, on clown and cutie,
Wearing spangled gowns and hand-me-downs, for both the clowns and the beauties,
All misfits.
All out of place.
Putting On The Ritz.
Head to a fancy place.
Tips his hat just like an English chappie,
Tipping his hat like an English gentleman,
To a lady with the wealthy happy.
To a lady who is happy with her wealth.
Very Snappy
Very stylish
You'll declare it's simply topping,
You'll say it's excellent,
To be there, and hear them swapping,
To be there, listening to them exchanging conversations,
Smart titbits.
Interesting tidbits.
Putting On the Ritz
Head to a fancy place.
Putting On the Ritz
Head to a fancy place.
Putting On the Ritz
Head to a fancy place.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind