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).
Why Was I Born?
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do I get? What am I givin'?
Why do I want a thing I daren't hope for?
What can I hope for? I wish I knew
Why do I try to draw you near me?
Why do I cry? You never hear me
I'm a poor fool, but what can I do?
Why was I born? Why am I livin'?
What do I get? What am I givin'?
Why do I want a thing I daren't hope for?
What can I hope for? I wish I knew
The lyrics of Judy Garland's song Why Was I Born? reflect the confusion and turmoil of an individual who is trying to make sense of their existence. The first stanza articulates the dichotomy of the singer's life - on one hand, they want something desperately but are too afraid to hope for it, while on the other, they question the purpose of their existence. This is a common existential dilemma that most humans face at some point in their lives.
The second stanza delves into the interpersonal dynamics of the singer. They wonder why they try to draw 'you' near them, and why they cry when 'you' never hears them. The use of the third person pronoun suggests that 'you' is distant and unattainable, and therefore the singer's attempts at drawing them near are futile. The stanza ends with the singer questioning why they even bother trying, despite being a 'poor fool.'
The refrain is a repetition of the questions posed in the first stanza, driving home the confusion and despair that the singer feels. Overall, Why Was I Born? is a poignant song that captures the essence of what it means to grapple with the existential questions of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Why was I born? Why am I livin'?
What is the purpose of my existence and why do I continue living?
What do I get? What am I givin'?
What is the meaning behind my actions and what do I receive in return?
Why do I want a thing I daren't hope for?
Why do I desire something that I know is impossible to attain?
What can I hope for? I wish I knew
I am uncertain about what to expect and wish for in my life.
Why do I try to draw you near me?
Why do I attempt to bring you closer to me?
Why do I cry? You never hear me
Why do I shed tears when you never listen to me?
I'm a poor fool, but what can I do?
I acknowledge that I may be a foolish person, but I do not know how to change my situation.
Why was I born to love you?
Why was I brought into this world only to love you, without the possibility of ever being with you?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEROME KERN, OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheJudyRoomVideos
Extra Notes:
Earlier in the broadcast, Judy sang “Look For The Silver Lining” and “Who?” as she had in the film, but live with Johnny Green conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
As part of this broadcast, Kathryn Grayson and Bill Roberts perform “I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star/The Song Is You” which would be deleted from the final release print of the film. Roberts was stepping in for Johnny Johnston who performs it in the film. Roberts also performed for Johnston in the “Finale Medley” of the broadcast, singing part of “Dearly Beloved.” That bit was deleted from the film as well. As a result, Johnston doesn’t appear in the film at all!
Other stars missing from the broadcast: Dinah Shore and Lucille Bremer. Bremer’s vocals were dubbed by Trudy Irwin. Because Irwin was a “no name,” her part of the “Finale Medley” (dubbing for Bremer) was not included in the pre-recording provided for the broadcast.
Frank Sinatra was late to the broadcast. According to Fordin’s book: “Nerves were at the breaking point. Then, during the eight-bar introduction to ‘Ol’ Man River,’ a side door in the false proscenium opened, Sinatra walked to the stage, crossed to the microphone and began to sing. The concert was a huge success and the audience left touched and elated.”
len farmer
Judy was always a quick study!
Edna De Jesus Lopes
Beautiful music 🌹🌹🌹🌹
J Warner
Judy as beautiful as ever....
Brown562
Beautiful
Rebekah Huff
And a baby on the way