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).
We're Off to See the Wizard
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Follow the yellow brick road
Follow, follow, follow, follow
Follow the yellow brick road
Follow the rainbow over the stream
Follow the fellow who follows a dream
Follow, follow, follow, follow
We're off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
We hear he is a whiz of a wiz
If ever a wiz there was
If ever, oh ever a wiz there was
The Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
We're off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
We're off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
We hear he is a whiz of a wiz
If ever a wiz there was
If ever, oh, ever a wiz there was
The Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
We're off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
Dear Judy Garland,
The song "We're off to See the Wizard" is one of the most iconic tunes in all of cinema history. Sung by Ray Bolger's character, the Scarecrow, and sung in tandem with Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, the song is spirited, joyful, and incredibly catchy.
At the heart of the song's lyrics is a message about the importance of dreams and the pursuit of them. The characters are following the yellow brick road, a physical manifestation of their collective dream, in order to meet the Wizard of Oz who they believe can help them achieve their desires. The lyrics are filled with positive energy as they urge the listener to "follow the rainbow over the stream" and to "follow the fellow who follows a dream."
It's clear that the Wizard of Oz is a symbol for the characters' desires, and the song tells us that "because of the wonderful things he does," they're all off to see the Wizard. The song is both an invitation to join in on the adventure and a call to action - to dream big and to pursue those dreams with courage, perseverance, and friendship.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow the yellow brick road
Follow the path that leads you to your destination
Follow the rainbow over the stream
Follow the colorful arc you see over the water
Follow the fellow who follows a dream
Imitate the person who is actively chasing their aspiration
Follow the yellow brick road
Continue on the path that is leading you towards your goal
We're off to see the Wizard
We are journeying to meet the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
The incredibly amazing Wizard who lives in Oz
We hear he is a whiz of a wiz
We have heard that he is a highly skilled Wizard
If ever a wiz there was
If anyone could ever be considered a Wizard
If ever, oh ever a wiz there was
If ever, truly, a Wizard existed
The Wizard of Oz is one because
The Wizard of Oz is a Wizard because
Because, because, because, because, because
For many different reasons
Because of the wonderful things he does
Due to the amazing deeds he performs
We're off to see the Wizard
We are going to meet the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
The fantastic Wizard who lives in the land of Oz
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MCS 1991
Love how Scarecrow trips and falls and Dorothy holds him back up without missing a beat
MaskedMan66
That's how they choreographed it. :-)
anytsyrk111
I wish there was more to it!
karina franco
I love this film!
Suryo Ardi
What a smart dog.
David Colantuono
I noticed that there's a clump of straw that they left behind on their way to see the Wizard of Oz.
Wendy Testaburger
Oh ya
Jakevias Warren
❤❤
Deja Noel
its so clear!!
Casados Hijos
Dorothy 👏👏