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.
You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me
Julie London Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it started in fun;
I just wanted someone to be gay with,
To play with someone.
But now I realize that I could never let you go,
And I've come to tell you so;
[Chorus] Ev'ry kiss, ev'ry hug
Seems to act just like a drug;
You're getting to be a habit with me.
Let me stay in your arms,
I'm addicted to your charms;
You're getting to be a habit with me.
I used to think your love was something that I
Could take or leave alone.
But now I couldn't do without my supply,
I need you for my own.
Oh, I can't break away,
I must have you ev'ry day,
As regularly as coffee or tea.
You've got me in your clutches and I can't get free,
You're getting to be a habit with me,
(Can't break it!)
You're getting to be a habit with me.
I thought it was just another meeting,
But my fate had begun;
Something in my heart kept on repeating,
She's diff'rent, this one.
I'm getting, oh so used to having you around each day,
Don't you ever go away.
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Julie London's "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me" tell the story of someone who initially sought out a casual, fun relationship but has since realized they are deeply attached to their partner. The verses describe how the relationship began as a way to have someone to spend time with, but the singer has become increasingly reliant on their partner's affection to the point where they can no longer imagine life without them. The chorus reinforces this addiction metaphor, with each kiss and hug acting like a drug that the singer cannot resist. The final verse suggests that the singer didn't initially realize how important their partner would become, but now they cannot imagine life without them.
These lyrics speak to the universal human experience of falling in love and becoming dependent on another person. The song describes the rush of emotions that can initially make a relationship feel like a fun, lighthearted romp, but which can quickly evolve into a deep emotional bond. The song's catchy melody and jazz-infused instrumentation add to its appeal, making it a popular classic that has been covered by numerous artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know exactly how it started,
I am uncertain about the start of our relationship.
But it started in fun;
We started having fun in the beginning.
I just wanted someone to be gay with,
Initially, I just wanted someone to be happy and cheerful with.
To play with someone.
I wanted someone to play with.
But now I realize that I could never let you go,
Now I realize that I cannot let you go.
And I've come to tell you so;
That's why I am telling you now.
Ev'ry kiss, ev'ry hug
Every kiss and every hug
Seems to act just like a drug;
Feels like an addiction
You're getting to be a habit with me.
You are becoming a habit to me.
Let me stay in your arms,
Let me stay in your arms
I'm addicted to your charms;
I am addicted to your charms
You're getting to be a habit with me.
You are becoming a habit to me.
I used to think your love was something that I
I used to think I could live without your love
Could take or leave alone.
I could take it or leave it regardless
But now I couldn't do without my supply,
But now I need it all the time
I need you for my own.
I need you for myself
Oh, I can't break away,
I can't distance myself
I must have you ev'ry day,
I must have you every day
As regularly as coffee or tea.
As regularly as I have coffee or tea
You've got me in your clutches and I can't get free,
I can't break free from you
You're getting to be a habit with me,
You are becoming a habit to me
(Can't break it!)
I can't break it!
You're getting to be a habit with me.
You are becoming a habit to me.
I thought it was just another meeting,
I thought it was just another meeting
But my fate had begun;
But my fate had started
Something in my heart kept on repeating,
I felt something in my heart
She's diff'rent, this one.
You are different from others.
I'm getting, oh so used to having you around each day,
Now, I am getting used to seeing you every day.
Don't you ever go away.
Please, never go away.
[Chorus]
Chorus repeats.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY WARREN, AL DUBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind