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.
Don't Worry 'Bout Me
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll get along
Forget about me
Just be happy my love
Let's say that our little show is over
And so the story ends
Why not call it a day the sensible way
Look out for yourself
That should be the rule
Give your heart and your love
To whomever you love
Darlin' don't be a fool
Why do we cling to this old faded thing
That used to be
So if you can forget
Then don't worry 'bout me
Why should we cling to some old faded thing
That used to be
So if you can forget
Then you don't worry 'bout me
The lyrics in Julie London's song "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" allude to a couple who has come to the end of their love story. The singer, who is speaking from the perspective of the one who is being left behind, encourages her lover to move on and not worry about her. She suggests that they end things amicably and preserve their friendship. The singer acknowledges that it may be painful to let go of a relationship that once meant so much to both of them, but it's essential to think of oneself and not make any rash decisions that could result in regrets. The song's message is one of acceptance and maturity, urging people to recognize that sometimes, endings are the best solution for all parties involved.
In terms of musical structure, "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" is a traditional ballad, with a slow tempo and a sparse arrangement of piano and strings that create a delicate and melancholic atmosphere. The singer's phrasing is marked by breathy and understated vocal delivery, which emphasizes the song's introspective and introspective mood. The melody of the chorus is simple and repetitive, with the phrase "don't worry 'bout me" functioning as the song's catchphrase and adding to its emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't worry 'bout me
Please don't concern yourself about me
I'll get along
I'll do fine on my own
Forget about me
Put me out of your mind
Just be happy my love
I want you to experience happiness
Let's say that our little show is over
Our story together has ended
And so the story ends
Our time together is finished
Why not call it a day the sensible way
It's wise for us to end things amicably
And still be friends
We should maintain a friendship
Look out for yourself
Take care of your own well-being
That should be the rule
It's a principle to live by
Give your heart and your love
Share your affections and devotion
To whomever you love
With whoever captures your heart
Darlin' don't be a fool
Please don't make an unwise decision
Why do we cling to this old faded thing
Why are we holding onto something that's faded and worn out
That used to be
That was something in the past
So if you can forget
If you're able to let go
Then don't worry 'bout me
Then you don't need to concern yourself about me
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind