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.
Fly Me To The Moon
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words
Hold my hand
In other words
Darling, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words
Please be true
In other words
I love you
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words
Please be true
In other words
I love you
Julie London's iconic song "Fly Me to the Moon" is a romantic ballad that speaks of a desire to explore new worlds and experience new love. The opening lines set the scene for a journey to the moon and beyond, as the singer expresses a longing to "play among the stars" and to "see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars". These words capture a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world beyond, as well as a desire to escape the constraints of the earth and explore new possibilities.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to a plea for love and affection. The singer implores their partner to "hold my hand" and "kiss me", expressing a deep longing for physical and emotional connection. They ask that their heart be filled with song, and that they be allowed to sing forevermore alongside the person they love. These words reflect a deep sense of devotion and commitment, as well as a desire for intimacy and closeness.
The final lines of the song are perhaps the most poignant, as the singer asks their partner to "be true" and declares their love with the simple phrase "I love you". These words convey a sense of vulnerability and trust, as well as an unwavering commitment to the person they love. Through its evocative lyrics and soulful melody, "Fly Me to the Moon" captures the timeless poignancy of true love and the boundless possibilities of the human heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Fly me to the moon
Take me on a journey to the unknown and discover new things.
And let me play among the stars
Allow me to enjoy the beauty of the galaxy and the wonders of the universe.
Let me see what spring is like
Show me the different seasons and climates of the other planets.
On Jupiter and Mars
Mentioning specific planets that would be interesting to visit.
In other words
An alternative way of expressing a thought or idea.
Hold my hand
Expressing the need to feel supported and comforted.
In other words
An additional way of stating the same thought or idea.
Darling, kiss me
An expression of love and desire for physical intimacy.
Fill my heart with song
Requesting to be emotionally fulfilled.
And let me sing forever more
Allowing the expression of emotions through music indefinitely.
You are all I long for
Expressing the depth of love and emotional attachment to the individual.
All I worship and adore
Taking love and devotion to the highest degree.
In other words
Reintroducing an alternate method of conveying the same idea for emphasis.
Please be true
A plea for honesty and faithfulness from the individual.
In other words
Phrasing a statement differently but conveying the same meaning.
I love you
An expression of the emotion of love to the individual.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bart Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keller109
Julie has such a sultry and graceful voice. This is my favorite version of this song.
@riokalistos1812
Cammiboe same here
@kirbyculp3449
Sounds hurried.
@RikAlessi
Mine too..
@jakobvarga1902
Joo won is better
@cokoladnatortica
@Walky someone's just finished Squid Game, i see
@bethheinecamp1061
My mom listened to this kind of music all the time, while she did chores around the house. I am always so grateful for being exposed to such a range of great sounds from the 50's - 60's when I was growing up.
@nickpalmer3076
same here what great memories.
@mogul2228
I'm aorund 40years old Korean. I used to listen this kind of Musics through Radio. The best moment in my life.
@freestyle43655
@mogul 2 such a good memory!!