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.
When the World Was Young
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A boulevardier, the toast of Paris
For over the noise, the talk and the smoke
I'm good for a laugh, a drink or
A jokeI walk in a room, a party or ball
"Come sit over here" somebody will call
"A drink for M'sieur, a drink for us all!
But how many times I stop and recall
That we walked among lying in the hay
Games we used to play
While the rounds were sung
Only yesterday, when the world was young
Wherever I go they mention my name
And that in it'self, is some sort of fame
"Come by for a drink, we're having a game
" wherever I go I'm glad that I came
The talk is quite gay, the company fine
There's laughter and lights
And glamour and wine
And beautiful girls and some of them mine
But often my eyes see a diff'rent shine
Ah, the apple trees sunlit memories
Where the hammock swung
On our backs we'd lie looking at the sky
Till the stars were strung
Only last July when the world was young
Ah, the apple trees blossoms in the breeze
That we walked among lying in the hay
Games we used to play
While the rounds were sung
Only yesterday, when the world was young
While sitting around, we often recall
The laugh of the year, the night of them all
The blonde who was so attractive that year
Some opening night that made us all cheer
Remember that time we all got so tight
And Jacques and Antoine got into a fight
The gendarmes who came
Passed out like a light
I laugh with the rest, it's all very bright
The lyrics of Julie London's song "When the World Was Young" encapsulate the bittersweet nostalgia of reminiscing about a simpler and carefree time in the past. The singer establishes himself as a fashionable and popular figure in Paris, sought after for his wit, charm, and ability to bring laughter and entertainment to any social gathering. However, amidst the noise and excitement of his current surroundings, his mind often wanders back to the idyllic memories of youth.
The opening stanza reflects on the singer's reputation and his adeptness at being the life of the party. He mentions how he is frequently invited to join in on the merriment and revelry, enjoying the company of beautiful women and the intoxication of wine. Yet, underlying this external facade, he acknowledges that his eyes often reflect a different shine, hinting at a hidden longing for the past.
In the subsequent verses, the imagery of apple trees in blossom and memories of lying in the hay represent the innocence and joy of young love and playful games. The singer yearns for the simplicity and purity of those moments, when life was filled with wonder and possibilities. The repetition of the phrase "only yesterday, when the world was young" emphasizes the transience of time and the wistful longing for lost innocence.
As the song progresses, the singer and his friends engage in recalling the memorable moments they shared together. They laugh and reminisce about past escapades, including a memorable night where a fight broke out and even the police officers were left unconscious. The singer joins in the laughter, acknowledging the brightness and enjoyment of these present moments, while still carrying a deeper sentimentality for the past.
Overall, "When the World Was Young" is a poignant reflection on the bittersweet nature of growing older and the yearning for the enchantment and simplicity of youth.
Line by Line Meaning
It isn't by chance I happen to be
I didn't just happen to be here by coincidence
A boulevardier, the toast of Paris
I am someone who frequents the streets of Paris and is admired and celebrated
For over the noise, the talk and the smoke
Despite all the chaos, chatter, and haze
I'm good for a laugh, a drink or a joke
I am entertaining and enjoyable to be around, offering humor, drinks, and humorous anecdotes
I walk in a room, a party or ball
When I enter a room, a social gathering or formal event
"Come sit over here" somebody will call
Someone will invite me to join them in a seat
"A drink for M'sieur, a drink for us all!
"Let's have a drink for this gentleman, and let's all drink together!
But how many times I stop and recall
But often I pause and remember
Ah, the apple trees blossoms in the breeze
Oh, the beautiful blossoms of apple trees swaying in the gentle wind
That we walked among lying in the hay
That we strolled through while lying down in the hay
Games we used to play
The playful activities we used to engage in
While the rounds were sung
While songs were being sung in a circle
Only yesterday, when the world was young
It feels like just yesterday, when everything seemed new and full of possibilities
Wherever I go they mention my name
Wherever I travel, people bring up my name
And that in itself, is some sort of fame
And that, by itself, is a form of recognition and celebrity
"Come by for a drink, we're having a game
"Visit us for a drink, we're organizing a social gathering
" wherever I go I'm glad that I came
"Wherever I go, I am pleased that I attended
The talk is quite gay, the company fine
Conversations are lively and cheerful, and the company is of high quality
There's laughter and lights and glamour and wine
There is an abundance of laughter, sparkling lights, elegance, and exquisite wine
And beautiful girls and some of them mine
And there are gorgeous women, some of whom are in a relationship with me
But often, my eyes see a different shine
However, frequently I perceive a distinct radiance
Ah, the apple trees sunlit memories
Oh, the nostalgic memories of apple trees illuminated by the sun
Where the hammock swung
Where a hammock gently swayed
On our backs we'd lie looking at the sky
We used to lie on our backs, gazing up at the sky
Till the stars were strung
Until the stars formed a beautiful string of lights
Only last July when the world was young
Just last July, when the world felt youthful and full of promise
While sitting around, we often recall
While sitting together, we frequently reminisce
The laugh of the year, the night of them all
The most hilarious moment of the year, the most memorable night
The blonde who was so attractive that year
The blonde person who captivated everyone's attention and was incredibly attractive during that period
Some opening night that made us all cheer
An exciting and successful opening night that brought joy and applause from all of us
Remember that time we all got so tight
Recall that occasion when we all became quite intoxicated
And Jacques and Antoine got into a fight
And Jacques and Antoine engaged in a physical altercation
The gendarmes who came
The police officers who arrived
Passed out like a light
Fainted and lost consciousness immediately
I laugh with the rest, it's all very bright
I laugh along with everyone else, as everything feels cheerful and lively
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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