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).
Then You've Never Been Blue
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A million cheap,
Then you've never been blue,
never been blue.
If you've never had to cry
Yourself to sleep,
Then you've never been blue,
never been blue.
Plain trouble,
But when it concerns my heart
The pain seems double.
Oh, no one ever knows what I go through,
While someone at home is babying you.
If you never had to miss a good night kiss,
Then you've never, no, you've never been blue.
The lyrics of Judy Garland's song Then You've Never Been Blue highlight the emotions of heartbreak and despair. The lyrics suggest that until one has experienced the depths of sadness and heartache, they cannot truly claim to have understood the meaning of the word "blue". The first stanza talks about the anguish of having to worry about money and count every penny. This is followed by the second stanza where the singer talks about crying herself to sleep. The pain from a broken heart, as the lyrics suggest, is not something that can be taken lightly. If someone has never experienced it, then they don't know what "blue" really means. The singer admits that she can laugh at some troubles, but when it comes to matters of the heart, the pain is multiplied.
The third stanza talks about how no one understands the pain she is going through. While someone else is being coddled and taken care of, she is left alone to deal with her feelings. The final line of the song suggests that if someone has never had to miss a good night kiss, then they have never truly been blue. This could be interpreted as the pain of separation from a loved one, or the pain of not having anyone to share a good night kiss with. The song is a perfect representation of the emotions that come with heartbreak and loss, and the feeling that no one else could possibly understand what you're going through.
Line by Line Meaning
If you never had to count
A million cheap,
If you've never had to worry about every penny and constantly count and recount your money to make ends meet,
Then you've never been blue,
never been blue.
Then you've never experienced the sadness and hopelessness that comes with financial struggles.
If you've never had to cry
Yourself to sleep,
If you've never experienced so much heartbreak and pain that it keeps you up at night sobbing,
Then you've never been blue,
never been blue.
Then you've never truly understood how it feels to be completely overwhelmed by emotions and feel utterly alone.
I know I could go on laughing at trouble,
Plain trouble,
I know I could pretend that everything is okay and try to make light of my problems, even though they are serious and real.
But when it concerns my heart
The pain seems double.
But when it comes to matters of the heart, the pain is so intense that it feels like it's multiplied.
Oh, no one ever knows what I go through,
While someone at home is babying you.
Oh, no one ever understands how much I'm hurting, especially when they have someone else taking care of them and pampering them.
If you never had to miss a good night kiss,
Then you've never, no, you've never been blue.
If you've never longed to be held and comforted at night by someone you love, but are instead left feeling lonely and abandoned, then you've never truly felt the depths of sadness and despair.
Contributed by Aaron O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JudyGarlandRulez152
This is my song. Love it. The beat is good, the lyrics have a good meaning, and its sung by my favorite actress
George Bailey
I never knew of this song she recorded. I think it's perfection! Expertly rendered and marvellous orchestration.
Michele Bell
Great work. Great song. Great talent. Thanks!
Pancakeshouse85
One of my absolute favorite Judy songs.
sarakat76
wow .... great Judy... a very legend!
Laraee Johnson
THIS IS LOVELY
Peter Lappin
Great song that should've been on the "Alone" Capitol album. Sure did cry a lot, that gal.
American Born Patriot.
I'm blue tonight. Thank you, Ms. Garland.
matt
@marcyhead "Technically, she wasn't a singer" doesn't even make sense, so why repeat it? And what would Sinatra know about vocal technique, anyway??? He was probably loaded if and when he made the statement, and prolly more than a bit jealous, as well. (When Martin and Sinatra were Judy's guests on CBS, she wiped the floor with both of them, and then washed the ceiling and walls with them, too!)