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.
Guess Who I Saw Today
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you miss your train?
Were you caught in the rain?
No, don't bother to explain
Can I fix you a quick martini?
As a matter of fact I'll have one with you
For to tell you the truth
Guess who I saw today, my dear?
I went in town to shop around for something new
And thought I'd stop and have a bite
When I was through
I looked around for someplace near
And it occurred to me where I had parked the car
There was a most attractive French cafe and bar
It really wasn't very far
The waiter showed me to a dark, secluded corner
And as my eyes became accustomed to the gloom
I saw two people at the bar who were so in love
That even I could spot it clear across the room
Guess who I saw today, my dear?
I've never been so shocked before
I headed blindly for the door
They didn't see me passing through
Guess who I saw today?
Guess who I saw today?
Guess who I saw today?
I saw you!
The lyrics of Julie London's "Guess Who I Saw Today" describe a couple who have both had a long day, and upon being reunited, decide to have a martini together. The singer then recounts her experience of seeing her partner at a French cafe with someone else, and the shock and pain that it caused her. The song takes the listener through her thought process as she tries to come to grips with what she has just learned.
The lyrics begin with the singer welcoming her partner home, but there is a sense of tension in the air. The questions she asks about the train and the rain are an attempt to make small talk, but it is clear that she is distracted by something else. She offers to make him a martini and then reveals what has happened. The use of the phrase "Guess who I saw today" is a clever way of drawing the listener into the story, and creating a sense of intrigue.
The second verse describes the moment when the singer sees her partner and the other person at the cafe. The language used is evocative, with phrases like "dark, secluded corner" and "eyes became accustomed to the gloom" creating a sense of tension and mystery. The revelation that the two people were so in love that even the singer could see it from across the room adds to the emotional impact of the song.
Overall, "Guess Who I Saw Today" is a powerful exploration of a relationship betrayed. The lyrics are sparse but effective, conveying a sense of pain and confusion that anyone who has been cheated on can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
You're so late getting home from the office
You're delayed returning from work
Did you miss your train?
Did you miss your transportation?
Were you caught in the rain?
Did rain cause a delay?
No, don't bother to explain
No need to explain
Can I fix you a quick martini?
Can I offer you a drink?
As a matter of fact I'll have one with you
I'll join you for a drink
For to tell you the truth
To be honest
I've had quite a day too
I've had a long day as well
Guess who I saw today, my dear?
Can you guess who I saw today?
I went in town to shop around for something new
I went shopping in town for something different
And thought I'd stop and have a bite
I decided to have a meal
When I was through
After finishing my meal
I looked around for someplace near
I searched for a nearby location
And it occurred to me where I had parked the car
I remembered where the car was parked
There was a most attractive French cafe and bar
I found a beautiful French cafe and bar
It really wasn't very far
The location wasn't too far away
The waiter showed me to a dark, secluded corner
The waiter led me to a private table in a dark corner
And as my eyes became accustomed to the gloom
After a while, my vision adjusted to the darkness
I saw two people at the bar who were so in love
I observed two people at the bar deeply in love
That even I could spot it clear across the room
Their love was so obvious, I could see it from afar
I've never been so shocked before
I was incredibly surprised
I headed blindly for the door
I rushed towards the exit
They didn't see me passing through
They didn't notice me leaving
Guess who I saw today?
Can you guess who I saw at the French cafe?
Guess who I saw today?
Can you guess who I saw in love at the bar?
Guess who I saw today?
Can you guess who I saw and was surprised?
I saw you!
It was you!
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Elisse Boyd, Grand Murray
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind