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.
The Good Life
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You will find me hangin' 'round
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
When the evenin' sun goes down
You will find me hangin' 'round
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
But it's my life
Dreamin' of old used-to-be's
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
Ah, but it's my life
Listen to the blues that they're playin'
Listen what the blues are sayin'
Life is just another scene
In this old world of broken dreams
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
But it's my life
Oh, the night life ain't no good life
Oh, but it's my life
Yeah, it's my life
The song "It's The Good Life" by Julie London is a reflection on the nightlife, the hours when life takes a different pace, and the sadder and more melancholic side of the lifestyle comes to the fore. The lyrics are slow and reflective, almost like a sad ballad. The evening sun comes down, and the singer can be found hanging around. The night life is not a good life; it is full of broken dreams, and there is a sense of sadness about it all. Even though many people like the singer dream of the past, they still find themselves in this life. It's not a good life, but it's still their life.
The singer advises the listener to listen to the blues that are playing, to hear what they are saying. Life is just another scene in this old world of broken dreams. The night life is not good, but it's part of life. The singer is acknowledging the melancholic state of the nightlife but is also finding comfort in it. She knows the lifestyle is tough, but it's still who she is, and she is content with it.
Line by Line Meaning
When the evenin' sun goes down
When darkness falls
You will find me hangin' 'round
You'll see me meandering aimlessly
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
The world of nightlife is not ideal
When the evenin' sun goes down
When darkness falls
You will find me hangin' 'round
You'll see me meandering aimlessly
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
The world of nightlife is not ideal
But it's my life
But this is the life I choose for myself
Many people just like me
There are many others like me out there
Dreamin' of old used-to-be's
Nostalgic for past moments or events
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
The world of nightlife is not ideal
Ah, but it's my life
But this is the life I choose for myself
Listen to the blues that they're playin'
Pay attention to the melancholy music being performed
Listen what the blues are sayin'
Take heed of the message conveyed by the music
Life is just another scene
Life is just a brief moment in a larger story
In this old world of broken dreams
In this world of shattered aspirations
Oh, the night life, it ain't no good life
The world of nightlife is not ideal
But it's my life
But this is the life I choose for myself
Oh, the night life ain't no good life
The world of nightlife is not ideal
Oh, but it's my life
But this is the life I choose for myself
Yeah, it's my life
Yes, this is the life I have chosen for myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOSHUA JACKSON, TONI NIELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hschoi4677
Oh, the good life, full of fun
Seems to be the ideal,
Yes, the good life lets you hide
All the sadness you feel,
You won't really fall in love
For you can't take the chance,
So please be honest with yourself
Don't try to fake romance.
It's the good life to be free
And explore the unknown,
Like the heartaches when you learn
You must face them alone,
Please remember, I still want you
And in case you wonder why.
Well, just wake up
Kiss the good life, goodbye.
(musical interlude)
It's the good life to be free
And explore the unknown
Like the heartaches when you learn
You must face them alone
Please remember I still want you,
And in case you wonder why
Well, just wake up,
Kiss the good life goodbye
@miltonmoore5294
Woooooooow!
She was really "IN
VOICE" on this one!
Sometimes her interpretations are too high in key, whispery, and sighing
for me, perhaps trying to sound too "smokey-voiced," sultry, and "stylish."
This is SPOT ON,
as most of her work
was. Never another voice like this in a
trillion years! A woman to be admired
for all time!
@ianmorton4136
Sadly forgotten, but one of the most beautiful talented singers
@musicmann059
Julie London... she was the whole package. There are certain songs that she sings that makes one feel as though she is singing to u and u only. Then again, maybe that's what we want to think. Rest in peace Julie and know u are always remembered.
@hcrun
What an utterly gorgeous voice she had. A superb vocalist and as enjoyable today as 50 years ago. Thank you.
@musicmann059
I agree 100% sounds73.... I still love listening to her music today and only wish I was listening to her back when she was alive. Rest in peace Julie and know that u are still loved
@dmanLVN
a great song by a great vocalist with a beautiful arrangement.... one of those rare moments when everything comes together.... just incredible.
@meganconnell6853
RIP Julie London
(1926-2000).
@sammybuzzz
With her voice, she reaches inside and takes my heart in her hands and doesn't let go. Transcendent!
@mefly50665
What an amazing job of singing a great song!
@elysianfields49
Smoky, sultry, and sophisticated, here's to you, Julie London - one of the greatest - and last - torch singers. (The world lost a legendary performer when she left us...)
@TheLovwomen
God and his angels are appriciating this ladies talent now !!