London's 35-year acting career began in films in 1944 and included playing opposite Gary Cooper in Man of the West (1958) and Robert Mitchum in The Wonderful Country (1959). She achieved continuing success in the TV medical drama Emergency! (1972–1979), co-starring her real-life husband, Bobby Troup, and produced by her ex-husband, Jack Webb, in which London played the female lead role of nurse Dixie McCall. She and Randolph Mantooth, who played one-half of her medical students, a paramedic, in the series, were very close to her family, until her death in 2000.
Born in Santa Rosa, California, she was the daughter of Jack and Josephine Peck, who were a vaudeville song-and-dance team. When she was fourteen the family moved to Los Angeles. Shortly after that, she began appearing in movies. She graduated from the Hollywood Professional High School in 1945.
London began singing under the name Gayle Peck in public in her teens before appearing in a film. She was discovered by talent agent Sue Carol (wife of actor Alan Ladd), while working as an elevator operator. Her early film career, however, did not include any singing roles.
London recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955 with a live performance at the 881 Club in Los Angeles. Billboard named her the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957. She was the subject of a 1957 Life cover article in which she was quoted as saying, "It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate."
London's debut recordings were for the Bethlehem Records label. While shopping for a record deal, she recorded four tracks that would later be included on the compilation album Bethlehem's Girlfriends in 1955. Bobby Troup backed London on the album, for which London recorded the standards "Don't Worry About Me", "Motherless Child", "A Foggy Day", and "You're Blasé".
London's most famous single, "Cry Me a River", was written by her high-school classmate Arthur Hamilton and produced by Troup. The recording became a million-seller after its release in December 1955 and also sold on reissue in April 1983 from the attention brought by a Mari Wilson cover. London performed the song in the film The Girl Can't Help It (1956), and her recording gained later attention in the films Passion of Mind (2000) and V for Vendetta (2006). The song "Yummy Yummy Yummy" was featured on the HBO television series Six Feet Under and appears on its soundtrack album. London's "Must Be Catchin'" was featured in the 2011 premiere episode of the ABC series Pan Am. Her last recording was "My Funny Valentine" for the soundtrack of the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine (1981).
Other popular singles include "Hot Toddy", "Daddy", and "Desafinado". Recordings such as "Go Slow" epitomized her career style: her voice is slow, smoky, and playfully sensual.
She was married to Jack Webb, of Dragnet fame. Her obvious beauty and self-poise (she was a pinup girl prized by GIs during World War II) contrasted with his pedestrian appearance and stiff-as-a-board acting technique (much parodied by impersonators). This unlikely pairing arose from his and her love for jazz; their marriage lasted from July 1947 to November 1953. They had two daughters, one who was killed in a traffic accident in the 1990s and one who survived London. In 1954, having become somewhat reclusive after her divorce from Jack Webb, she met jazz composer and musician Bobby Troup at a club on La Brea Blvd. They married on December 31, 1959 and remained married until Troup's death in February 1999. Together, they had one daughter and twin sons.
London suffered a stroke in 1995, and was in poor health until her death in Encino, California, at the age of seventy-four, survived by four of her five children. She died on18th October 2000, and was buried in Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
A Taste of Honey
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll take with me the warmth of thee
A taste of honey
A taste much sweeter than wine
I will return i'll return
I'll come back for the honey and you
And may it ever remind you of
A taste of honey
A taste much sweeter than wine i will return
I'll return
I'll come back for the honey and you
I will return i'll return
I'll come back for the honey and you
He never came back to his love so fair
And so she died dreaming of his kiss
A taste of honey
A taste more bitter than wine
I will return i'll return
I'll come back for the honey and you
I'll come back for the honey and you
The lyrics of Julie London's song "A Taste of Honey" are a story of love, longing, and loss. The opening lines "Winds may blow over icy sea, I'll take with me the warmth of thee" set the scene of a separation between two lovers, with the singer taking memories of her lover with her. The "taste of honey" is a metaphor for the sweetness of their love, which is "much sweeter than wine". The repetition of the line "I will return, I'll come back for the honey and you" reinforces the singer's commitment to returning to her beloved and their love.
The second verse continues the theme of leaving, with the singer leaving her heart behind to remind her lover of their love. The line "a taste much sweeter than wine, I will return" is repeated, emphasizing the importance of their love. However, the third verse takes a tragic turn with the realization that the lover never came back to his "love so fair". The bitterness of the loss is compared to a "taste of honey, a taste more bitter than wine". The final repetition of "I'll come back for the honey and you" is poignant, as it highlights the singer's unfulfilled desire to reunite with her lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Winds may blow over icy sea
Despite facing difficulties and challenges, I will remember the warmth you brought into my life.
I'll take with me the warmth of thee
The memories of our love will remain with me and keep me warm during tough times.
A taste of honey
Our love is sweet and pleasurable to experience.
A taste much sweeter than wine
Our love is more satisfying and delightful than anything else.
I will return i'll return
I promise to come back to you, even if for the sweetness of our love.
I'll leave behind my heart to wear
I will leave my heart with you as a reminder of our love.
And may it ever remind you of
I hope my heart will constantly bring you memories and feelings of our love
A taste of honey
Our love is sweet and pleasurable to experience.
A taste much sweeter than wine i will return
Our love is more satisfying and delightful than anything else. I promise to come back to you.
I'll come back for the honey and you
I will come back to you for the sweetness of our love and your presence in my life.
He never came back to his love so fair
A man did not return to the woman he loved and left her behind.
And so she died dreaming of his kiss
The woman died wishing to be reunited with the man and experience his love again.
A taste of honey
Even though their love ended tragically, they still had memorable and sweet moments together.
A taste more bitter than wine
Their love story ended in sorrow and grief, leaving a bitter taste in their mouths.
I'll come back for the honey and you
Despite their tragic ending, I still believe in the sweetness of our love and promise to come back to you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bobby Scott, Ric Marlow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gerardcoustes1116
Devant ce beau portrait
Ma tentation fut vive
Le transport du bonheur Est- il parfait
Le bonheur était plus réel
J'étais ivre de bonheur
Mon coeur battait plus vite. ..
Une ravissante musique qui accompagnait mes idées
Comme une cloche sonne sa volée de soupirs.
Que dire d'un tel moment instantané
S'étendre sous mes yeux Purs
Mon ravissement ne diminuerent point...
En ce moment là J'étais ivre de bonheur et de joie de la revoir. ..
@Meandros123
She has a silky voice I could not take my ears off . Thank you Julie . May you rest in peace .
With love from Turkey 🇹🇷✨🍀
@kystars
wow, I always knew her as just the nurse on EMERGENCY.. then started finding her many songs here on youtube. the internet is truly AMAZING. All the things we can view and see. Julie was so beautiful and had a great voice. really unique.
@normanleach5427
She's in a few great westerns, too.
@lostsoul3154
Julie had the 20th century look of "Helen of Troy" -- such classical looks. Great singer. We will always love her.
@missdee4927
That's a good comparison. She really did. And that voice to top it off!
@db-333
yes! she does
@dreamyblue44
Love this jazzy orchestral arrangement, and a fine vocal! :)
@alexandrevezere2232
what an amazing voice coming from her heart !!!
That's so fantastic !
@sallybowles2781
she gives a whole subtext to simple words like "wine", "honey" "taste" :D the best version in my view
@lamontlewis
Over Morgana's? Really?