Search - Judy Garland :: The Essential Judy Garland

Judy Garland IS essential listening!

Paul A. Tassone | Glenwood, NSW , Australia | 08/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There was a time when a compilation album was titled "Greatest Hits" or "The Best Of..." Now it seems that they are all being entitled "Essential." In Judy Garland's case, practically everything she did career-wise could be deemed essential. She was dubbed in her lifetime as "the world's greatest entertainer" and the legacy she left of film, television, radio and recorded performances certainly bears out the claim.



So, to the album at hand...



Here is a 20 track collection of songs that Judy recorded during her decade long tenure with Capitol records that began in 1955. It presents, to my mind, not the essential performances of her career but a few of her classics teamed with a collection of lesser know numbers. It seems as though the producers of this set were looking for material that had not been featured on too many previous compilations of the legend's work. Nevertheless, Judy Garland is a riveting performer regardless of what she performs as is the case with this set.



All the songs presented here are worth hearing from the classics ("Over The Rainbow", "The Man That Got Away" and "Rock-a-bye Your Baby") through to genuine rarities ("The Faraway Part Of Town") and less well remembered album tracks ("I Get The Blues When It Rains" and "I Happen To Like New York"). It gives an interesting overview of Judy's output for Capitol Records.



Of greatest interest here are four tracks, two of which are listed as previously unreleased, one that should be listed as such but isn't and another that is a partial alternate take. These are as follows:



"It Never Was You" was pre-recorded by Judy for the film "I Could Go On Singing" in 1962. However, it was not used when the decision was made that Judy would perform the song live for the film. The unreleased studio version is included here, released for the first time. Although Judy's vocal treatment doesn't really differ from her earlier 1960 studio version included on the album "Judy! That's Entertainment!" or the film version mentioned above, this newly released version is still a beautifully realised performance mainly of interest for the full orchestral treatment it receives from Mort Lindsay. Beginning with solo guitar underscoring Judy's vocal, the arrangement builds to full orchestra with solo piano prominently featured. It's a lovely performance, one that deserves the release it finally receives here.



"Why Was I Born" is an alternate take from the 1960 recording sessions that Judy undertook in London. Again, the vocal treatment does not differ significantly from the officially released version until the ending where Judy chooses a dramatic, full voiced finale as opposed to the quietly reflective ending on the previously released version. Again, it's a welcome inclusion.



Not specified as a previously unreleased alternate take is "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", also from the London sessions. The give away here is that this new version is about 10 seconds shorter than the officially released version though again this version is basically given the same treatment by Judy.



Finally, the opening lines of "By Myself", also from "I Could Go On Singing" differ from the film soundtrack version which must have been overdubbed once the film was in production.



In all, this is a fine set that highlights the genius of Judy Garland. Perhaps it does not present the essential songs from her substantial repertoire but it still provides conclusive proof if such is at all needed of why Judy Garland will always be beloved and revered as singer and entertainer.

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Essential?

Bruce K. Hanson | Petersburg, VA | 08/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I fear that I may be condemned as being guilty of sacrilege when I write that this CD is not "The Essential Judy Garland". Capitol's other Garland projects come closer to the category of "essential" with their "25th Anniversary Retrospective", "Classic Judy Garland- 1955 -1965", and of course, the best of the lot: "Judy at Carnegie Hall". Rhino Records also has a great CD titled, "Judy Garland in Hollywood". All of the above are essential Garland releases. The question that should be asked by Capitol is: Who is buying Judy Garland CDs? Who bought the previous CD releases of "Judy at Carnegie Hall" before the more recent brilliant restoration? Are they not usually Garland fans?

That said, this new CD does contain some lovely surprises including the opportunity to hear "The Far Away Part of Town" as part of a compliation set of Judy's rather than having to navigate through the soundtrack of "Pepe" to hear it. There are also unreleased versions of "It Never Was You" and "Why Was I Born". Otherwise, the other seventeen songs are available on other CDs which Garland affectionados most likely own as well.

Here's the problem kids: if Collectors' Choice can take a chance and reissue the soundtrack of a film that bombed ("Pepe") why can't a major player like Capitol Records (or whatever the name of the company is) re-release Garland's "The Letter", "Live at the Grove", or her concert with Liza in London? Yes, it's always nice to have remastered versions of her material (although even then we seem to be getting remastered versions of material already remastered in the last few years). Ahhh, thank goodness for technology. It's nice to know that I will be able to own many remastered versions of the same material while other treasures will remin collecting dust in the vaults.

Perhaps the oldies label, Collectibles, will add the unreleased albums of Judy Garland as they have done so beautifully with "That's Entertainment", "I Could Go On Singing", "Judy", and "Miss Show Business". Otherwise, it's a wait of about another ten years before the various labels in England, Holland, Germany and Italy will be able to market the material as it will have reached their public domain requirements. But wouldn't it be nice if Capitol Records would reach into their vaults for the best possible sound? Oh well, thank goodness that I never got rid of my records; I just upgraded my turntable."

One track makes the album

Christophe | London, UK | 06/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"True, Judy Garland recorded some of her best works for Capitol. The tracks in this compilation are all digitally remastered of course but you still might wonder "Why another compilation from Capitol when 'The Letter' for instance hasn't been released on CD yet?" I did.



Well, it is a compilation with a difference: not just a previously unreleased alternate take (Why Was I Born), which is always a treat. This time we have an amazingly rare treat indeed, a previously unreleased studio recording (It Never Was You). Material like this is rare so this track alone would justify the album and it is beautiful, very moving. It takes your breath away, gives you goose pimples, all that usually happens when she is at her best. It is a good reminder of how great she was - is.



So are the other tracks. Because they're well known, they do not have the attraction (to me at least) of the "new" recording.



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