Judy Garland Albums (15)
'Back to Back Hits'
Release Date 2/24/2004
Tracks 10
Label Collectables
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What The Critics Say
One of the lesser-known stops in the illustrious career of Judy Garland is likewise one of her most beloved by enthusiasts of all ages. Gay Purr-Ee was a 1962 full-length animated feature highlighted by voice-overs and vocals from Garland and Robert Goulet -- as Mewsette and Jaune-Tom, a pair of Parisian felines -- along with the inimitable Paul Frees (as Meowrice), whose unmistakable pipes have brought to life classic cartoon characters such as John Lennon in Yellow Submarine, Boris Badenov in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, and everybody's favorite octopus, Squiddly Diddly, among countless others. Interestingly, it was not Disney Studios that created Gay Purr-Ee, but rather Warner Bros.' Chuck Jones and United Productions of America, a company founded in the midst of the infamous 1941 strike that put Disney at odds with their own animators. As inferred above, not only did the primary cast act out Jones' screenplay, but they sang a host of memorable compositions by none other than Harold Arlen and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, the duo responsible for the score to The Wizard of Oz some two decades earlier in 1939. This expanded edition boasts an absolutely stunning remaster of the soundtrack and, arguably best of all, five never before released demos courtesy of Arlen that were tucked away in the Warner Bros. tape vaults. Although Garland's private demons had become public knowledge, her career was on another ascent. She had just won five Grammys for Judy at Carnegie Hall -- a double-disc package of her April 1961 show at the venerable venue -- and that same year had also been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actress category for her portrayal of Irene Hoffman in Stanley Kramer's Judgment at Nuremburg. Garland's confidence is evident throughout, especially on the enchanting ballad "Little Drops of Rain," the happy-go-lucky "Roses Red, Violets Blue," and the achingly poignant "Paris Is a Lonely Town" -- any of which easily stands up against her voluminous cinematic repertoire. As for Goulet, who had just completed an extended stint on Broadway in Camelot, he is superb on the charming "Mewsette," and sports a slightly silly faux French accent on "The Horse Won't Talk." Indeed, both the film and subsequent soundtrack are full of fun for the entire family. For collectors, the bonus demos from Arlen should all but seal the deal. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Harvey Girls, starring Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Ray Bolger and Angela Lansbury, depicted the gradual civilizing of the Southwest, this time in the form of Fred Harvey, Sr.'s restaurant chain and philosophy. Not to leave it at that, of course, the film also had love stories, romantic interludes, grand vistas, and huge production numbers. The result might have been thin in terms of straightforward plot, but it did serve as the vehicle for some wonderful music. This album compiles all of the available material, including underscore, and tacks on a handful of supplemental tracks, including an alternate end title piece. As always, the booklet includes copious notes about the film, the production, and the music. This is another gorgeous release, with some very welcome stereo mixes from the existing MGM angles -- the production work on these soundtrack releases continues to be astonishing. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Judy Garland's Alone was first released in 1957 and was recently re-released on CD . This LP was her third for Capitol Records. The CD includes a bonus track not included on the Alone LP, "Then You've Never Been Blue." Garland teams up with arranger-conductor Gordon Jenkins who adds three different backgrounds to the album: strings, orchestra alone, and orchestra with voices. Alone is a collection of tender and heartbreaking ballads centering around solitude and the blues. It is a moody album not recommended for fans of Judy Garland's more upbeat material. Alone was also re-released on vinyl by Capitol in an "abridged" form without the track "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues." ~ JT Griffith, All Music Guide
'Live at the London Palladium'
Release Date 1/1/1979
Tracks 35
Label Mobile Fidelity
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What The Critics Say
Technically, this is the original motion picture soundtrack album for the 1963 film I Could Go on Singing. Since the primary musical performer is the movie's star, Judy Garland, however, and only a few tracks are given over to instrumental orchestral performances, it is usually classified as a Garland album. But it should not be confused with a regular Garland album. Here, she really only introduces two new songs to her repertoire, the title tune, specially written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, and the 1926 Tin Pan Alley evergreen "Hello, Bluebird." "I Could Go on Singin' (Till the Cows Come Home)" appears twice, once with an introductory orchestral fanfare, and a second, longer rendition beginning with an introductory verse, but both turn into show stoppers for Garland. "Hello, Bluebird" is one of those old chestnuts she was always so good at making her own. Elsewhere, she reprises "By Myself" from her 1957 album Alone and repeats the solo piano arrangement of "It Never Was You" from her 1960 album That's Entertainment! There is also an impromptu soundtrack performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's "I Am the Monarch of the Sea" from H.M.S. Pinafore, performed with a group of English boys. The whole thing adds up to less than 27 minutes of music, but the album makes a nice souvenir of what turned out to be Garland's final film appearance, one in which she played a character thought to be much like herself. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Judy at Carnegie Hall'
Release Date 1/1/1961
Tracks 26
Label Capitol
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What The Critics Say
This 40th anniversary edition of Garland's seminal Judy at Carnegie Hall recording is a completely fresh experience even for those intimately familiar with previous versions. By accessing tapes which have not been used on any other release -- including the pricey DCC gold disc -- many sonic foibles which plagued the original have now been repaired. The overwhelming success of this album, which initially spent 95 weeks on the charts and garnered five Grammy Awards, makes it a prime candidate for a sonic overhaul. By reclaiming tapes that were once considered MIA, the sound is now notably more balanced. In addition, much of the fake applause has been thoughtfully removed, unveiling previously masked dramatic pacing and audience interplay between songs. But the highlight of the entire package is the return of "Alone Together" from the actual Carnegie Hall performance. The song had been replaced by a studio version on the 1989 CD reissue due to missing master tapes. Since then, those tapes have been put back into commission and provide the jaw-dropping sound on this delightful set. There is a good reason that Garland historian Scott Schechter titled his specially-penned liner notes essay "Two Hours of POW!" With relentless verve, Garland takes on her entire musical catalogue with astonishing aplomb. There is little sign of the decades of self-abuse which had left her frail by the early '60s. But what we are fortunate enough to have is the magic and youth of her voice. Especially poignant are "You Go to My Head," "Just You, Just Me," and her quintessential reading of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Judy at Carnegie Hall is far and away the finest live performance to be issued during her lifetime. The numerous improvements made on this 40th anniversary edition will no doubt serve her legacy well. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
'The Magic of Judy Garland'
Release Date 1/1/1961
Tracks 12
Label Decca
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'That's Entertainment!'
Release Date 1/1/1960
Tracks 12
Label Capitol
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What The Critics Say
Five years into her tenure at Capitol Records, Judy Garland had slipped from the top rung of the label's concerns. After her first three Capitol LPs all figured in the charts, her next three did not, and when she came to record her sixth studio album and seventh release overall, her sessions were no longer being overseen by heavyweight arranger/conductors Nelson Riddle or Gordon Jenkins, who had handled her last four; this time, the arrangements were farmed out and Jack Marshall conducted. Nevertheless, the results were engaging. Twelve songs Garland had never before recorded were chosen, including a good newly written tune by André Previn and Dory Langdon, "Yes." The rest came from the treasure chest of pop standards written for Broadway and the movies in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s (plus the 1953 title song), by such songwriters as Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Dietz & Schwartz, and Garland's personal favorites, Arlen & Harburg. Marshall and his arrangers mixed up the styles, from full-scale orchestral settings to the bluesy small-band accompaniment to "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and Marshall's own piano on Kurt Weill's "It Never Was You." Garland was in good voice and sang with assurance, resulting in another terrific collection. Unfortunately, she was touring in Europe when the album was released and, lacking any real promotion, it didn't sell. The following year, however, Garland used the material as the basis of her stage show, singing five of the songs at the performance that produced her chart-topping, Grammy-winning comeback album Judy at Carnegie Hall, so That's Entertainment! serves as something of a curtain raiser to that collection. [The reissue released as Capitol LP SM-11876 is an abridged version of this album that deletes "I've Confessed to the Breeze" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?," and was released on CD in 1987.] ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
