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.
Free and Easy
Julie London Lyrics
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Try to learn the secret I have found
Free and easy, easy and free
That's the way it's gotta be
I saw the mornings covered with care
Suddenly my mind said, "No despair!"
Free and easy, easy and freeThat's the way it's gotta be
Once I was so inclined to
Take life so seriously
Gee, but I'm glad to find
There's a brand-new free me
Throw all your fears and
Doubts down the drain
Learn to see a sky where there's no rain
Free and easy, easy and free
That's the way it's gotta be
Once I was so inclined to
Take life so seriously
Gee, but I'm glad to find
There's a brand-new free me
Throw all your fears and
Doubts down the drain
Learn to see a sky where there's no rain
Free and easy, easy and free
That's the way it's gotta be
That's the way it's gotta be
That's the way it's got to be
That's the way it's gotta be
The lyrics of Julie London's song "Free and Easy" convey a message of embracing a carefree and optimistic approach to life. The song suggests that life is like a merry-go-round, and the secret to navigating it successfully is to adopt a free and easy attitude. The singer implies that they have discovered this secret and urges others to follow suit.
The first verse speaks about learning the secret and finding a way to be free and easy. It implies that life can be enjoyable and fulfilling if we choose to embrace a more relaxed and lighthearted perspective. The second verse describes a moment of realization, where the singer's mind tells them not to despair but to remain free and easy.
The chorus reinforces the idea that being free and easy is the way life should be. It suggests that once the singer was inclined to take life seriously but is now glad to have found a new sense of freedom. They invite listeners to let go of their fears and doubts, expressing the desire to see a clear sky without rain. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the importance of embracing this carefree mindset.
Overall, the song encourages listeners to release the burdens of life, adopt a more carefree attitude, and find joy in simplicity. It serves as a reminder that life doesn't always have to be taken seriously and that freeing oneself from worries can lead to a more fulfilling existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is a merry merry-go-round
Life is full of ups and downs, like a carousel
Try to learn the secret I have found
Attempt to discover the wisdom I have uncovered
Free and easy, easy and free
Carefree and relaxed, without any constraints
That's the way it's gotta be
That's how it must be
I saw the mornings covered with care
I witnessed the mornings filled with worries and concerns
Suddenly my mind said, "No despair!"
Suddenly my mind exclaimed, "Do not lose hope!"
Once I was so inclined to take life so seriously
In the past, I was prone to treating life with great seriousness
Gee, but I'm glad to find there's a brand-new free me
Goodness, but I'm delighted to discover a completely liberated version of myself
Throw all your fears and doubts down the drain
Discard all your anxieties and uncertainties completely
Learn to see a sky where there's no rain
Learn to perceive a sky without any rain or sadness
That's the way it's gotta be
That's how it must be
That's the way it's got to be
That's how it absolutely must be
That's the way it's gotta be
That's how it must be
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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