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.
Misty
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I feel like I'm hanging from a cloud, I can't understand
I get misty, just holding your hand, walk my way
And a thousand violins begin to play
Or it might be the sound of your hello
This magic I hear, I get misty the moment you're near
You could say that you're leading me on, but it's just what I want you to do
On my own, would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove
I get misty, and too much in love on my own
Would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left
My hat and my glove, I get misty and too much in love
Look at me
In "Misty," Julie London describes the overwhelming feeling of falling in love. She compares herself to a helpless kitten stuck in a tree and feels as though she is hanging from a cloud, unable to understand or comprehend the emotions swirling within her. Just holding the hand of the person she loves makes her feel misty, as if a thousand violins are playing, or the sound of their hello creates its own kind of magic that she can't help but be enchanted by.
Despite the possibility that her love interest might be leading her on, Julie is drawn hopelessly toward them, following along without any question. In her own words, she feels as though she's wandering through a wonderland alone, never knowing which way to turn or where to go. But when she's with the one she loves, everything makes sense, and she becomes misty and too much in love.
Overall, "Misty" is a beautifully poetic interpretation of love and the overwhelming emotions that come with it. It speaks to the confusion and uncertainty that can arise when falling for someone, while also celebrating the magic and beauty that love can bring into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me, I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree
I am vulnerable and defenseless, like a helpless kitten stuck up in a tree.
And I feel like I'm hanging from a cloud, I can't understand
I feel like I am suspended in mid-air, unable to comprehend this surreal feeling.
I get misty, just holding your hand, walk my way
My emotions overwhelm me and I feel a sense of mistiness as I hold your hand and walk beside you.
And a thousand violins begin to play
My heart is full of love and I feel as though an orchestra of a thousand violins is playing a beautiful melody.
Or it might be the sound of your hello
Perhaps it is just the sound of your greeting that makes my heart flutter with excitement.
This magic I hear, I get misty the moment you're near
There is a magical aura surrounding me and I become misty-eyed the moment you are close to me.
You could say that you're leading me on, but it's just what I want you to do
You may think that you are teasing me, but in reality, I want you to lead me on because it brings me happiness.
Can't you see just how hopelessly I'm drawn, that's why I'm following you
I am hopelessly attracted to you and that's why I am following you blindly.
On my own, would I wander through this wonderland alone
If I were alone, I would wander through this magical place aimlessly by myself.
Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove
Without you, I would be lost and confused, unable to differentiate between my right and left, or even distinguish my hat from my glove.
I get misty, and too much in love on my own
I become misty-eyed and feel overwhelmed with love when I am by myself.
Would I wander through this wonderland alone
If I were alone, I would aimlessly roam this magical place alone, without you.
Never knowing my right foot from my left
I would be lost and unable to distinguish between basic things if I were alone.
My hat and my glove, I get misty and too much in love
Even the simple act of seeing my hat and glove reminds me of my love for you, and I become overwhelmed with emotion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Erroll Garner, Johnny Burke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
香港人
Misty Lyrics
Look at me,
I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree;
And I feel like I'm clingin' to a cloud,
I can' t understand
I get misty, just holding your hand.
Walk my way,
And a thousand violins begin to play,
Or it might be the sound of your hello,
That music I hear,
I get misty, the moment you're near.
Can't you see that you're leading me on?
And it's just what I want you to do,
Don't you notice how hopelessly
I'm lost
That's why I'm following you.
On my own,
When I wander through this wonderland alone,
Never knowing my right foot from my left
My hat from my glove
I'm too misty, and too much in love.
Too misty,
And too much
In love
Patricia Roncayolo
Look at me,
I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree
And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud, I can't understand
I get misty, holding your hand.
Walk my way,
And a thousand violins begin to play
Or it might be the sound of your hello
That magic I hear, I get misty, the moment you're near.
You can say that you're leading me on,
But it's just what I want you to do
Don't you realise how hopelessly
I'm lost, that's why I'm following you.
On my own,
Would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove
I get misty, and too much in love.
On my own,
Would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left
My hat and my glove, I'm too misty
And too much in love.
るみえーる Kojiro519
Look at me
I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree
And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud
I can't understand
I get misty, just holding your hand
walk my way
And a thousand violins begin to play
Or it might be the sound of your hello
That music I hear
I get misty the moment you're near
You can say that you're leading me on
But it's just what I want you to do
Don't you notice how hopelessly I'm lost
That's why I'm following you
On my own,
would I wander through this wonderland alone
Never knowing my right foot from my left
My hat from my glove
I'm too misty, and too much in love
Penumbra
Julie is #1 with me. I was 17 and my rock band broke up. I was crushed and vowed to study jazz where you just showed up and played this music with new players at a gig. Fantastic, I got to play in big bands for 4 years. Man, give those brushes and let me stir the soup with Julie in heaven on Misty and Cry Me a River.
genatzvale'
Gorgeous song, but very hard to sing because of its contrasts. Plunging to C3 and then jumping up to D4 is true vocal acrobatics. Bravo Julie! What a great sultry and flexible voice! (As a contralto I especially admire the way she does it!)
Frank Steltenkamp
This woman is just an amazing singer. How she wasn't a bigger star baffles me.
Sal
the only voice that doesn't bother me while studying. it makes me feel relaxed and my stress really goes away.
香港人
Misty Lyrics
Look at me,
I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree;
And I feel like I'm clingin' to a cloud,
I can' t understand
I get misty, just holding your hand.
Walk my way,
And a thousand violins begin to play,
Or it might be the sound of your hello,
That music I hear,
I get misty, the moment you're near.
Can't you see that you're leading me on?
And it's just what I want you to do,
Don't you notice how hopelessly
I'm lost
That's why I'm following you.
On my own,
When I wander through this wonderland alone,
Never knowing my right foot from my left
My hat from my glove
I'm too misty, and too much in love.
Too misty,
And too much
In love
Emblem
lorenzo magazzeni I thought misty as in misty-eyed.to be so emotional that you might cry. Not knowing her right foot from her left or her gloves from her hat :she was describing being dazed in love. Not confused nor drugged just that lovey-dovy feeling. I dont think it would have been appropriate for people to sing about date raping back then. Women were still stereotyped as soft and hopelessly romantic. But apart from the artist's intent, anything is open to interpretation :)
Paul Martin
lorenzo magazzeni guess you don't know what love is
Handa Yani
香港人
Mainus29
光復香港 時代革命
SR SR
Love this version by the sadly missed Julie London, her voice was smooth and sultry.