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.
Memphis in June
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A shady veranda under a Sunday blue sky
Memphis in June
And cousin Amanda's making a rhubarb pie
I can hear the clock
Outside a-ticking and tocking
Everything so peaceful and dandy
I can see old Granny cross
The street still a-rocking
Watching the neighbors go by
Memphis in June
With sweet oleander blowing perfume
In the air up jumps the moon to make
It that much grander
It's paradise, brother, take my advice
Nothing's half as nice as Memphis in June
In "Memphis in June," Julie London paints a vivid picture of a lazy, idyllic summer day in Memphis, Tennessee. The song begins with the image of a shady veranda under a clear blue sky, setting the peaceful and serene tone of the scene. The mention of cousin Amanda making a rhubarb pie adds a touch of warmth and domesticity, creating an atmosphere of familial togetherness.
As the song progresses, we are transported deeper into the setting. London describes hearing the sound of a ticking clock, emphasizing the tranquility of the moment. She paints a picture of old Granny, still rocking on her porch while watching the neighbors go about their daily routines. This portrays a sense of community and tradition, as Granny observes the ebb and flow of life around her.
Line by Line Meaning
Memphis in June
The experience of being in Memphis during the month of June
A shady veranda under a Sunday blue sky
Sitting on a comfortable porch, enjoying the serene sky on a Sunday
Memphis in June
The continued experience of being in Memphis during the month of June
And cousin Amanda's making a rhubarb pie
In the midst of family and home, cousin Amanda is busy preparing a delightful rhubarb pie
I can hear the clock
The sound of the clock ticking
Outside a-ticking and tocking
The ticking and tocking of the clock can be heard from outside
Everything so peaceful and dandy
Everything is tranquil and delightful
I can see old Granny cross
Observing the sight of Granny crossing
The street still a-rocking
While the street remains lively and active
Watching the neighbors go by
Observing the various neighbors passing by
Memphis in June
The ongoing experience of being in Memphis during the month of June
With sweet oleander blowing perfume
The fragrance of sweet oleander fills the air
In the air up jumps the moon to make
Suddenly, the moon rises in the sky, enhancing the overall beauty
It that much grander
Making the experience even more magnificent
It's paradise, brother, take my advice
Referring to the exceptional quality and beauty of Memphis in June, offering advice to appreciate it
Nothing's half as nice as Memphis in June
Emphasizing that there is nothing that compares to the wonderfulness of Memphis in June
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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