Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is an Ac… Read Full Bio ↴Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. She is the daughter of legendary entertainer Judy Garland and her second husband, acclaimed film director Vincente Minnelli (who was of Italian and French descent).

Minnelli's first film appearance was at the age of three in the final scene of the 1949 musical In the Good Old Summertime, starring her mother and Van Johnson. Minnelli started performing at age 16, in 1963, in an Off-Broadway revival of the musical Best Foot Forward, for which she received good notices. The next year, her mother invited Minnelli to perform with her at the London Palladium. The audience loved her, launching her musical career. She returned to Broadway at 19, and won a 1965 Tony Award for Flora the Red Menace. Minnelli would also receive Tony Awards for The Act in 1978 and a special Tony in 1974. She was nominated in 1984 for The Rink but lost to her costar, Chita Rivera.

The film The Sterile Cuckoo (1969), in which Minnelli starred as a love-seeking teenage misfit, garnered the young actress her first Academy Award nomination. In 1972, Minnelli won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Sally Bowles in the movie version of Cabaret, along with Joel Grey who won an Oscar reprising his role from the original Broadway production (that of the Emcee).

Minnelli has the distinction of being one of the few Academy Award winners whose parents are both Academy Award nominees. She has also won an Emmy Award for the 1972 TV special Liza with a Z. Minnelli received a 1990 Grammy Legend Award. She received Golden Globe Awards for Cabaret and for the TV movie A Time to Live.

Minnelli, like her mother, is known for her powerful vocal style, as in her trademark songs "Cabaret" and "Theme from New York, New York". Minnelli's original version of the latter, for the film in which she was a co-star with Robert DeNiro, preceded Frank Sinatra's successful cover version (for his Trilogy album), by two years.

After her performance as leading lady to Dudley Moore in 1981's Arthur, Minnelli made fewer, and fewer successful, film appearances.

She returned to Broadway in 1997, taking over the title role in the musical Victor/Victoria, replacing Julie Andrews. In his review, New York Times critic Ben Brantley commented, "her every stage appearance is perceived as a victory of show-business stamina over psychic frailty... She asks for love so nakedly and earnestly, it seems downright vicious not to respond."

Following her 2002 wedding to David Gest, Minnelli and Gest signed with the American cable network VH1 to star in their own reality series, but production of the series was cancelled at the last minute.

In 2004 and 2005 she appeared as a recurring guest star on the critically acclaimed TV sitcom Arrested Development as the lover of sexually and socially awkward Buster Bluth.

On January 1, 2006, she sang "New York, New York" at the second inauguration of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Other famous performances were at the 1978 Studio 54 party honoring New York City's revival, at which a guest was Mayor Ed Koch; the reopening of the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 1986; and at a 2001 New York Mets baseball game that was the metro area's first major sporting event after the September 11 attacks.

In 2013, she guest-starred on the NBC musical drama Smash, where she performed the number A Love Letter From the Times. She also reprised her role in the fourth season of Arrested Development.

Yes
Liza Minnelli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ladies and gentlemen - Liza Minnelli
Yes
Say yes
Life keeps happenin' every day
Say yes

When opportunity comes your way
You can't start wonderin' what to say

You'll never win if you never play
Say yes

There's ?.........? and Marigold right outside
And warm white Cadillacs you can ride
Nothin's gained if there's nothin' tried
Say yes

Don't say why
Say why not
What lies beyond what is, is not
So what, say yes...

Yes I can, yes I will
Yes I'll tinker, said yes I'll touch
Yes of cause, yes how nice
Yes I'll happily, thank you very much
Yes, oh-oh, Yes...

Yes
There's lots of chaff, there's lots of wheat
Yes
You might get mugged as you walk the streets
But on the other hand you might reach
That handsome stranger you've longed to meet
Say yes...

Yes I'll look, yes I'll walk
Yes I'd love to do such and such
Yes I'll try, yes I'll dare
Ye-es I-I'll fly, ye-es I- I'll share

And yes I am, and yes I'll be
And yes I'll go...

Oh Yes...
Yes

Overall Meaning

The song "Yes" by Liza Minnelli is an uplifting and motivational call to action for listeners to seize opportunities that life throws their way. The song encourages listeners to say "Yes" to life, to take chances and to embrace all that it has to offer. The lyrics suggest that life is full of opportunities waiting to be seized, and that we should not let fear or hesitation stop us from pursuing the things we want.

Throughout the song, Minnelli uses a variety of metaphors to illustrate her message. For example, she sings about "chaff" and "wheat," suggesting that life is full of both good and bad experiences. She also references "Marigold" and "warm white Cadillacs," symbols of luxury and comfort that are waiting for us if we are willing to take risks and chase our dreams.

Minnelli's message is clear: life is short and full of opportunities, and we should not let fear hold us back from seizing those opportunities. The song is a powerful reminder that we are capable of achieving great things if we are willing to take risks and pursue our passions.

Line by Line Meaning

Ladies and gentlemen - Liza Minnelli
The song is being introduced as a performance by Liza Minnelli

Yes
An enthusiastic affirmation to follow

Say yes
Encouragement to adopt a positive attitude

Life keeps happenin' every day
Life is full of opportunities and experiences that are constantly occurring without regard for anyone's personal plans or agendas

When opportunity comes your way
A situation or circumstance presents itself that has the potential to be a positive experience

You can't start wonderin' what to say
It is important to be prepared and open to opportunities when they arise

You'll never win if you never play
If you never accept an opportunity, you will never reap the benefits that can come from taking a chance

Say yes
Encouragement to take advantage of positive opportunities, with confidence

There's ?.........? and Marigold right outside
There are likely some positives available to experience and enjoy, right outside, in the world around you

And warm white Cadillacs you can ride
There are luxuries or opportunities available that you can take advantage of, if you keep an open mind and are willing to try something new

Nothin's gained if there's nothin' tried
The only way to benefit from possible positive outcomes is to take action and try new things

Say yes
Encouragement to take action and try new things even in the face of risks or unknown dangers

Don't say why
Negative reactions can be restrictive and close off the possibility of reaping long-term benefits

Say why not
Encouragement to take a positive approach and be open to new possibilities, taking risks when it is worthwhile

What lies beyond what is, is not
The possibilities beyond what is currently known are infinite and can offer truly life-changing benefits

So what, say yes...
Encouragement to adopt a bold and positive attitude, embracing the unknown

Yes I can, yes I will
An affirmation of a positive attitude, confident in taking action

Yes I'll tinker, said yes I'll touch
Indicates a willingness to experiment with new opportunities, even in the face of potential risk

Yes of cause, yes how nice
Indicates an open willingness to participate in even unlikely or less important opportunities with enthusiasm

Yes I'll happily, thank you very much
Indicates a readiness to try new things, with joy and gratitude for the opportunities presented

Yes, oh-oh, Yes...
An enthusiastic declaration of a positive attitude and willingness to take action and accept opportunities

Yes
A final re-affirmation of a positive, open, and affirming attitude

There's lots of chaff, there's lots of wheat
There are many opportunities in life, and not all are worthwhile, so it's important to be mindful and discerning

You might get mugged as you walk the streets
Life can have dangerous or unfortunate outcomes, but these should not completely prevent open-mindedness

But on the other hand you might reach
On the other hand, good things can and will happen if one is willing to be open to possibilities

That handsome stranger you've longed to meet
Encourages being ready to take a positive approach to encountering new opportunities, people, or experiences

Say yes...
Encouragement to accept positive opportunities and experiences wholeheartedly

Yes I'll look, yes I'll walk
An openness to experience the world around you with confidence and enthusiasm

Yes I'd love to do such and such
Enthusiastic expression of enjoyment and excitement for taking action and trying new things

Yes I'll try, yes I'll dare
An openness and willingness to take risks in order to achieve something positive

Ye-es I-I'll fly, ye-es I- I'll share
An affirmation of courage and determination to reach for and achieve goals, with a willingness to share that joy with others

And yes I am, and yes I'll be
A declaration of a positive attitude and willingness to embrace all of life's experiences

And yes I'll go...
An enthusiastic willingness to move forward in life and take on new opportunities and experiences

Oh Yes...
Final enthusiastic affirmation of an open, exploratory, and positive attitude

Yes
An enthusiastic affirmation to follow, summarizing the entire song's central message

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED EBB, JOHN KANDER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS