Julie Andrews got her big break when her stepfather introduced her to Val Parnell, whose Moss Empires controlled prominent venues in London. Andrews made her professional solo debut at the London Hippodrome singing the difficult aria "Je Suis Titania" from Mignon as part of a musical revue called "Starlight Roof" on 22 October 1947.
Andrews gained fame at a young age in 1950s Britain by acting and singing on light entertainment radio programmes such as "Educating Archie". She rose to international prominence after starring in Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, as well as musical films like Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Andrews had a major revival of her film career in the 2000s, in children's films such as The Princess Diaries (2001), its sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), and the Shrek animated films (2004-2007). In 2005, Andrews made her debut as a stage director with a revival of The Boy Friend, in which she also made her Broadway acting debut in 1954.
She was married with Blake Edwards in 1965 until his death in 2010.
Joy to the World
Julie Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him a-drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine
Singing
Joy to the world
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
If I were the king of the world
Tell you what I'd do
I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war
Make sweet love to you
Sing it now
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
You know I love the ladies
Love to have my fun
I'm a high life flyer and a rainbow rider
A straight shooting son-of-a-gun (oh yeah)
I said a straight shooting son-of-a-gun
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the world
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
I wanna tell you
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
The song "Joy to the World" is often associated with the holiday season and the birth of Jesus Christ. However, this rendition by Julie Andrews puts a playful and non-traditional spin on the classic tune. The opening lyrics sing of a bullfrog named Jeremiah who was the singer's good friend, but the singer never understood a word he said. Despite that, the singer still enjoyed drinking wine with him, and Jeremiah always had some "mighty fine" wine. The chorus of the song is a joyous proclamation of "Joy to the World" that everyone can share in, from the boys and girls to the fishes in the sea.
The second verse takes a more romantic turn as the singer imagines being king of the world and ridding it of war, bars, and cars so that they can make sweet love to their partner. The song's upbeat and cheerful melody continue, and we are reminded once again of the joy that can be shared by all.
The song's carefree and jovial tone, along with Andrews's spirited performance, make it the perfect addition to any holiday playlist. The unconventional lyrics and playful melody bring a sense of lightheartedness to the typically serious holiday season. The song reminds us that joy comes in many forms, from the deep blue sea to the companionship of a bullfrog.
Line by Line Meaning
Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Jeremiah was my good friend, but I never understood him because he was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
Despite the fact that I didn't understand him, he was still a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
As a bullfrog, Jeremiah spoke in a language I couldn't understand
But I helped him a-drink his wine
Even though I couldn't understand him, I enjoyed spending time with Jeremiah and drinking wine together
And he always had some mighty fine wine
Jeremiah was known for having delicious wine to share with his friends
Singing Joy to the world All the boys and girls now Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me
We both enjoyed singing together and spreading joy to everyone, including the fishes in the sea and ourselves
If I were the king of the world Tell you what I'd do I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war Make sweet love to you Sing it now
If I had the power, I would rid the world of things that cause harm and instead focus on spreading love, as we sing in this song
You know I love the ladies Love to have my fun I'm a high life flyer and a rainbow rider A straight shooting son-of-a-gun (oh yeah) I said a straight shooting son-of-a-gun
I love having a good time and enjoying the richness of life, but I also try my best to be honest and true to myself and others
Joy to the world All the boys and girls Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me
Once again, we repeat the message of spreading joy to everyone and everything, including ourselves and the creatures of the sea
I wanna tell you Joy to the world All the boys and girls Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me
As our joy grows, I can't help but want to tell everyone that the world is filled with joy and that we should all embrace it together
Lyrics © HAL LEONARD LLC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music
Written by: Isaac Watts, G Handel, Roger Wagner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cliff Christie
This song and the entire album are great in equal parts because of her voice and Andre Previn's arrangements.
Luke M
Amazing, talented lady. She's not just Mary Poppins. She's not just Maria in The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews is an inspiring legend for all.
Allen Jones
One of the most powerful vocals Julie ever recorded. Andre Previn's arrangement is a delight.
Susan Beauchamp
Our Dad cranked this on the record player every Christmas morning to wake us 6 kids up. Such joy and excitement for us!
Luc Courleciel
A golden voice with a golden heart đź’–
Mark Herron
Happy birthday to Julie Andrews her birth verse is Zechariah 10:1 Merry Christmas 🎄 Blessings and hugs 🤗💞🤗❤️💕💖!
Xin Bad
What a lovely pristine voice, natural and effortless, a joy to listen to. :)
Jason Tachin
rw:this is one of my favorite Joy to the World songs of all time ^_^ it almost sounds like it came from a real church and even from a movie too^_^.
Nessah Mae Morit
I love her voice
Phil The Pirate
the background vocals were fantastic, too!