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.
In the Still of the Night
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I gaze from my window
At the Moon in its flight
My thoughts all stray to you
In the still of the night
While the world is in slumber
Oh, the times without number
Darling, when I say to you
Do you love me as I love you
Are you my life to be, my dream come true
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Like the Moon growing dim on the rim of the hill
In the chill, still of the night
The song "In the Still of the Night" by Julie London is a romantic ballad about the yearning and longing that one feels for their loved one in the stillness of the night. The lyrics convey the idea of staring at the moon while thoughts of their loved one fill their mind. The singer asks their partner if they love them as much as they love them and if their dreams will come true. The moon serves as a symbol of the singer's love, as it slowly fades away in the night, suggesting that their love may not be eternal.
The song's poignant lyrics are enhanced by the smooth and sultry vocals of Julie London, who delivers the song in a calm and serene manner. The arrangement is simple, with gentle guitar chords and soft percussion, adding to the romantic atmosphere. The song's poetic lyrics, combined with the soothing vocals and serene music, create a powerful emotional impact that captures the essence of love and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
In the still of the night
During the quietness of the night
As I gaze from my window
While I stare outside my window
At the Moon in its flight
Watching the Moon as it moves across the sky
My thoughts all stray to you
My mind wanders to thoughts of you
While the world is in slumber
When the entire world is asleep
Oh, the times without number
So many times before
Darling, when I say to you
My love, when I talk to you
Do you love me as I love you
Do you feel the same intense love towards me?
Are you my life to be, my dream come true
Are you the one who will fulfill my life and dreams?
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Will my dream of us together disappear?
Like the Moon growing dim on the rim of the hill
Just like how the Moon slowly disappears on the hill's horizon
In the chill, still of the night
During the cold, calm night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind