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).
The Jitterbug
Judy Garland Lyrics
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There's a modern villunworser than that old boogie woogie,
When that goofy critterspot your fancy clothes,
He injects a jitter,
Starts you dancing on a thousand toes,
There he goes.
Who's that hiding in the tree top?
It's that rascal The Jitterbug,
Keep away from The Jitterbug.
Oh! The bees in the breeze and the bast in the trees have a terrible, horrible
buzz,
But the bees in the breeze and the bats in the trees couldn't do what The
Jitterbug does;
So be careful of that rascal,
Keep away from The Jitterbug, The Jitterbug.
Who's that hiding in the tree top?
It's that rascal The Jitterbug,
Should you catch him buzzing 'round you,
Keep away from The Jitterbug.
Oh! The bees in the breeze and the bast in the trees have a terrible, horrible
buzz,
But the bees in the breeze and the bats in the trees couldn't do what The
Jitterbug does;
So be careful of that rascal,
Keep away from The Jitterbug, The Jitterbug.
Oh! The Jitter, Oh! The Bug,Oh!
The Jitterbug, Bugabug, bugabug, bugaboo.
In a twitter, in the throes,
Oh the critter's
Got me dancing on a thousand toes,
Thar' she blows
Who's that hiding in the tree top?
It's that rascal The Jitterbug,
Should you catch him buzzing 'round you,
Keep away from The Jitterbug.
Oh! The bees in the breeze and the bast in the trees have a terrible, horrible
buzz,
But the bees in the breeze and the bats in the trees couldn't do what The
Jitterbug does;
So be careful of that rascal,
Keep away from The Jitterbug, The Jitterbug.
"The Jitterbug" is a fun and lively song by Judy Garland, which warns listeners about the dangers of the new dance craze known as the jitterbug. The lyrics describe the jitterbug as a modern villain, worse than the old boogie woogie, who injects a jitter that starts the listener dancing on a thousand toes. The song warns that if you catch the jitterbug buzzing around you, you should keep away, as it has a terrible, horrible buzz that can't be compared to the bees or bats in the trees. The jitterbug is described as a rascal, a critter that can get you in its throes and have you dancing in a wild and frenzied way.
The song is a reminder to be cautious when it comes to new fads and trends, particularly those that could be harmful or addictive. The jitterbug, with its infectious rhythm and energy, was seen by some at the time as a dangerous and corrupting influence on young people, and this song captures that sense of warning and concern. As well as being a warning, however, the song is also a celebration of the joy and excitement of dance, with its catchy melody and sing-along chorus encouraging audiences to join in and feel the rhythm.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen all you chillunto that voodoo moan,
Attention all of you out there caught up in that dark magic rhythm,
There's a modern villunworser than that old boogie woogie,
There's a new threat that's worse than the traditional boogie woogie,
When that goofy critterspot your fancy clothes,
When that playful creature sees your fancy attire,
He injects a jitter,
It injects a sense of shakiness,
Starts you dancing on a thousand toes,
Making you dance frenetically on your toes,
There he goes.
There it goes.
Who's that hiding in the tree top?
Who is that hiding on top of the tree?
It's that rascal The Jitterbug,
It's that troublemaker known as The Jitterbug,
Should you catch him buzzing 'round you,
If you happen to spot it flying around you,
Keep away from The Jitterbug.
Stay clear of The Jitterbug.
Oh! The bees in the breeze and the bast in the trees have a terrible, horrible buzz,
The airborne bees and night creatures have a dreadful sound,
But the bees in the breeze and the bats in the trees couldn't do what The Jitterbug does;
However, neither the bees nor the bats could achieve what The Jitterbug does;
So be careful of that rascal,
Beware of that mischief-maker,
Keep away from The Jitterbug, The Jitterbug.
Stay clear of The Jitterbug, The Jitterbug.
Oh! The Jitter, Oh! The Bug,Oh! The Jitterbug, Bugabug, bugabug, bugaboo.
Oh the shake, the bug, the Jitterbug, what a buzz, what a commotion.
In a twitter, in the throes, Oh the critter's Got me dancing on a thousand toes, Thar' she blows
In a state of excitement, in the middle of it all, this creature made me dance uncontrollably on my toes, there it is again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: E HARBURG, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind