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 Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But out of the blue I dreamed I met you and you said to me, hi, ya gate
Millions have heard you play Chopin, the critics applaud and approve
But millions more would simply adore to hear you get in the groove
You won't believe it, you'll think it's a dream
To hear them riffing it, right on the beam
But when you hear trumpets give out a call, you'll know
Instead of Strauss they play Irving Berlin
Instead of Brahms it's, begin the begin
Those classic ackies are due for a fall since
The joint is really jumpin' down at Carnegie hall
They're playing
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, with Shostakovich
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, Mozart and Bach
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, and they don't know which
'Cause anything can happen when they start to rock
The philharmonic was so dignified
But now they're groovy and starting to ride
Handel and Haydn are facing the wall
'Cause the joint is really jumpin' down in Carnegie hall
They-hey swing everything with a ding, dong
And when the maestro gives them a beat, it's a
Reel beat that starts 'em to toot with a root-toot, that's a bit of alright
And even Jose Iturbi getting hep, he's hep, he's hep, boy
Tschai-Tschai-Tschai-kovsky would really be hurt
To hear 'em jivin' his piano concert
Beethoven's lucky, he can't hear at all
Because the joint is really jumpin' down at Carnegie hall
The lyrics of Judy Garland's song, The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall, describe a wild and unexpected night of music at the prestigious concert venue. The singer admits that something strange must have happened to her, as she encounters the esteemed and serious musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra transformed into groovy jazz performers. Instead of classical composers like Brahms or Strauss, the band is playing Irving Berlin's hit songs and jazz riffs that get the audience dancing.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the joyful chaos taking place in the usually staid concert hall. The trumpets sound, and the music builds to a frenzy, as the performers play popular pieces by Shostakovich, Mozart, and Bach with a jazzy flair. The pianist José Iturbi even joins in, showing his unexpected "hipness." The final lines highlight how even the greatest composers of classical music would have been shocked to hear their works interpreted with such lively abandon.
Overall, the song celebrates the power of music to bring people together in unexpected ways, suggesting that the line between high and low culture can be blurred, and that even the most serious artists can't resist the urge to let loose and have some fun with their craft.
Line by Line Meaning
Perhaps it was something that hit me, perhaps it was something I ate
I had a dream about meeting you, but I don't know why.
But out of the blue I dreamed I met you and you said to me, hi, ya gate
I had a sudden dream about meeting you and you greeted me warmly.
Millions have heard you play Chopin, the critics applaud and approve
You are well-renowned for playing Chopin and many critics admire you.
But millions more would simply adore to hear you get in the groove
Even more people would love to hear you play some groovy tunes.
You won't believe it, you'll think it's a dream
You won't believe what you're hearing, it sounds unreal.
To hear them riffing it, right on the beam
To hear the musicians improvising together, in perfect harmony.
But when you hear trumpets give out a call, you'll know
When you hear the trumpets playing, you'll know that something exciting is happening.
The joint is really jumpin' down at Carnegie hall
The atmosphere at Carnegie Hall is lively and electric with energy.
Instead of Strauss they play Irving Berlin
Instead of classical music, they are playing popular songs by Irving Berlin.
Instead of Brahms it's, begin the begin
Instead of classical music, they are playing popular songs like 'Begin the Beguine.'
Those classic ackies are due for a fall since
Classical music is losing its appeal because of this new style of music.
The joint is really jumpin' down at Carnegie hall
The atmosphere at Carnegie Hall is lively and electric with energy.
They're playing
The musicians are currently playing a lively tune.
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, with Shostakovich
The musicians are playing a fast and lively tune by Shostakovich.
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, Mozart and Bach
They are also playing fast versions of songs by Mozart and Bach.
Ta-tlee-a-ti, ta-tlee-a-ti, and they don't know which
They are playing so fast that they can’t seem to keep up with the songs they’re playing.
'Cause anything can happen when they start to rock
Anything is possible when the musicians start playing their lively music.
The philharmonic was so dignified
The philharmonic, usually known for their classical music, were always so dignified.
But now they're groovy and starting to ride
The atmosphere has changed, the musicians have become groovy and started playing lively, fun music.
Handel and Haydn are facing the wall
Classical composers like Handel and Haydn may no longer be popular in this genre of music.
'Cause the joint is really jumpin' down in Carnegie hall
The atmosphere at Carnegie Hall is lively and electric with energy.
They-hey swing everything with a ding, dong
The musicians add a swinging rhythm with ringing bells.
And when the maestro gives them a beat, it's a
The conductor gives the musicians a beat which they play in perfect unison.
Reel beat that starts 'em to toot with a root-toot, that's a bit of alright
The musicians start playing a lively beat which they all enjoy playing together.
And even Jose Iturbi getting hep, he's hep, he's hep, boy
Even serious classical musicians like Jose Iturbi are starting to get into this lively new genre of music.
Tschai-Tschai-Tschai-kovsky would really be hurt
Tchaikovsky would be hurt to hear his classical music being played in this new style.
To hear 'em jivin' his piano concert
To hear musicians playing Tchaikovsky's piano concerto with a lively, jazzy style.
Beethoven's lucky, he can't hear at all
Beethoven may feel lucky to not hear his music being played in this new style because he was very serious about classical music.
Because the joint is really jumpin' down at Carnegie hall
The atmosphere at Carnegie Hall is lively and electric with energy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HUGH MARTIN, RALPH BLANE, ROGER EDENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind