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.
Fools Rush In
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to say
A game I thought I'd never play
"Romance is a game for fools"
I said and grinned
Then you passed by
And here am I
Throwing caution to the wind
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
Though I see the danger there
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Fools rush in where wise men never go
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
When we met, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Fools rush in where wise men never, never, never go
Eh, but wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Ahh, when we met, girl, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!!
The song "Fools Rush In" by Julie London talks about how the idea of romance was once considered a game for fools. However, the singer's perspective changes when they meet someone special. They throw caution to the wind and rush into love, despite the potential danger. The singer acknowledges that wise men never fall in love, but for them, meeting their love interest was a new beginning in life. They urge the other person to open up their heart and let this "fool" rush in.
The lyrics of "Fools Rush In" paint a picture that suggests love is something that can't be planned, controlled or predicted with certainty. What once seemed illogical and foolish, because of the risk involved, has now become a logical and meaningful decision. The singer is taking a leap of faith with his heart on his sleeve. The phrase "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" means that people are more likely to take risks if they don't fully understand the danger when it comes to matters of the heart. In the end, the lyrics are about not being afraid to take a leap of faith with love, even if there are risks involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Romance is a game for fools
I used to believe that pursuing love was a foolish endeavor
A game I thought I'd never play
I believed I was too smart to fall for someone romantically
Romance is a game for fools
I continued to hold this preconception with a smirk and a laugh
I said and grinned
I confidently declared my belief to myself and anyone who would listen
Then you passed by
But when I saw you, everything changed
And here am I
Now I find myself
Throwing caution to the wind
Acting recklessly and impulsively, disregarding any risks
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
People who act impulsively and take risks do so in situations where more cautious people would not dare to go
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
Despite the risks, I come to you with reckless abandon, letting my emotions lead over my rational thinking
Though I see the danger there
I acknowledge the threat and consequences that come with acting impulsively
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
But I am willing to take the chance, consequences be damned
Fools rush in where wise men never go
Acting impulsively is not something wise people do
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
But categorizing people as 'wise' would mean they have never taken such emotional risks and how could they know the joys and woes of love
When we met, I felt my life begin
When we found each other, it was as if I discovered a new sense of purpose
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Therefore, I implore you to let me follow through with my impulsiveness and reveal my heart to you
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
All I ask of you is to be vulnerable and take a risk with me
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
And I promise to fill the space with all of my heart and soul
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!!
Together, we can take this chance and live in the moment, consequences be what they may
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, RUBE BLOOM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind