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.
Frenesi
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I knew that "frenesi" meant "please love me"
And I could say "frenesi"
A handsome caballero caught my eye
I stood enchanted as he wandered by
And never knowing that it came from me
He stopped and raised his eyes to mine
His lips just pleaded to be kissed
His eyes were soft as candle-shine
So how was I to resist
And now without a heart to call my own
A greater happiness I've never known
Because his kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say "frenesi"
(A lovely señorita caught my eye)
(I stood enchanted as she wandered by)
(And never knowing that it came from me)
(I gently sighed "frenesi")
He stopped and raised his eyes to mine
His lips just pleaded to be kissed
His eyes were soft as candle-shine
So how was I to resist
And now without a heart to call my own
A greater happiness I've never known
Because his kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say "frenesi"
(Who wouldn't say "frenesi")
In Julie London's song "Frenesi," we hear about a fiesta in Mexico where the singer stops to see the show. She knows the word "frenesi" means "please love me" and she can say it to the handsome caballero who catches her eye. She sighs "frenesi" without him knowing it was from her. He stops and raises his eyes to hers, his lips pleading to be kissed, and his eyes soft as candle-shine. The singer cannot resist him, and she has never known a greater happiness because his kisses are for her alone.
The song "Frenesi" was originally written by Alberto Dominguez in 1939, and its popularity reached its peak in the 1940s when it was performed by the famous Latin band leader Xavier Cugat. The song has been covered by many famous artists throughout the years including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. In fact, Elvis Presley's version hit the charts in 1960, making it to #72 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Line by Line Meaning
It was fiesta down in Mexico
I stumbled upon a Mexican festival
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I took a break to observe the festivities
I knew that "frenesi" meant "please love me"
I was aware that 'frenesi' translates to 'please love me'
And I could say "frenesi"
I eagerly uttered the word 'frenesi'
A handsome caballero caught my eye
I noticed a handsome gentleman
I stood enchanted as he wandered by
I was captivated as he strolled past me
And never knowing that it came from me
Unbeknownst to the man, I whispered 'frenesi'
I gently sighed "frenesi"
I softly exhaled the word 'frenesi'
He stopped and raised his eyes to mine
He paused and locked eyes with me
His lips just pleaded to be kissed
His lips begged to be kissed
His eyes were soft as candle-shine
His eyes were gentle and radiant like candlelight
So how was I to resist
I was powerless to resist his charm
And now without a heart to call my own
I no longer have my heart but I am content
A greater happiness I've never known
I've never been happier
Because his kisses are for me alone
His kisses are only for me
Who wouldn't say "frenesi"
Who wouldn't want to express their love with 'frenesi'
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fernando Cuevas
I just love her voice and manner of singing. It's beautiful and sounds natural 😊😀
Lana Asja Hegeduš
It was Fiesta down in Mexico
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I knew that frenesi meant please love me
And I could say frenesi
A handsome caballero caught my eye
I stood enchanted as he wondered by
And never knowing that it came from me
I gently sighed frenesi
He stopped and raised his eyes to mine
My lips just pleaded to be kissed
His eyes were soft as candles shined
So how was I to resist?
And I without a heart to call my own
A greatest happiness I've never known
Because his kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say frenesi?
Long, long ago
I wondered down into Old Mexico
There, at a dance
I met my first real romance
Moon was shining bright
And I could hear laughing voices in the night
Everyone was gay
It was the start of a holiday
Quiero que vivas solo para mi
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
Para que mi alma sea nomas de ti
Besame con frenesi
Hay en el beso que te di
Alma, vida why Corazon
Dime que sabes to sentir
Lo mismo que siento yo
And I without a heart to call my own
A greatest happiness I've never known
Because his kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say frenesi
Sprongo
She sounds so indifferent. I love it!
Praveen Samant
Very clear sound and nice tune
helios1912
Thanks amuggle15, for an enchanting post of this velvet and satin sledgehammer of a song. I've hit Replay several times while writing this. Julie pours the honey. The backing brass presents her voice and intonation as on a lucid pedestal. The cover screams 1963.
Mister Rees
Classics!
juan monge
Julie said that they spent more time on the album cover than they did on the songs.
Jennifer nataly Londoño Caicedo
Frenesí 🤗
Melanie Lane
lovelovelove