Judy Garland : Favorite Judy Garland songs

At the moment, my favorite Judy song is 'Lost In the Stars.' Such magnificent and intense power and concentration.

I think some of Judy's best and fun songs were sung with Bing Crosby and Dick Haymes. They include;

With Bing Crosby

Connecticut
Mine


With Dick Haymes

For You, For Me, Forever More
Aren't You Kinda Glad We Did?

Both versions of 'You're Just In Love', one with Bing Crosby and one with Vic Damone.

'Oceans Apart' is a nice and lovely song.

'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows' from ZIEGFELD GIRL is a nice song.

And also try her 1942 version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone.'

Judy was very soothing when she sang 'On the Sunny Side of the Street.'

'Come Rain Or Come Shine', the most glorious and intense performance from the GREATEST OF THEM ALL.

'It Only Happens When I dance With You', a special song because it was written for Judy by Irving Berlin for EASTER PARADE.

'More Than You Know'

'Nothing But You'

'Boys and Girls Like You and Me'
'No Love, No Nothin''

'Over the Rainbow.' The perfect marriage between singer and song.

'Somebody Loves Me'

'Blues In the Night'

'Over the Rainbow' [1955]

'Balboa' from PIGSKIN PARADE

'Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen'

'Melody Farm'

'Meet the Beat Of My Heart' from LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY.

'On the Bumpy Road To Love' from LISTEN, DARLING.

'The Drummer Boy' in STRIKE UP THE BAND.

'A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow' was a nice little song and said to be a favorite of Sid Luft's.

'Minnie From Trinidad'

'How About You' from BABES ON BROADWAY with Mickey Rooney. Judy also did a wonderful version without Rooney.

I would also recommend Judy's renditions of 'I Got the Sun In the Morning' [1946 and 1949].

Judy's top ten from her television series.

Lost In the Stars
Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe
Ol' Man River
Moon River
Shenandoah
Dirty Hands, Dirty Face
Smile
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Lorna
The Battle Hymn of the Republic

'Love' with Judy at her passionate and exuberant best.

'Wearing of the Green' [1940]. Judy's voice is like honey.

Judy and Vic Damone with 'You're Just In Love' is just beautiful.

'These Lush Moments' with Judy and Bing.

Judy was the best singer to sing Chaplin's 'Smile.'

'Swanee' is one of those perfect moments when Judy took over from Al Jolson.

From the 'Alone' album, Judy really delivers with 'Blue Prelude' [1957].

'Love's New Sweet Song' written by Judy herself.

'The Worst Kind Of Man' from THE LETTER [1959], Judy's concept album.

'Without a Memory'

'Go Home Joe'

'Send My Baby Back to Me'

'Please Say Ah' is a bit of fun fluff that was written for Judy and Dirk Bogarde to sing in Garland's last film, I COULD GO ON SINGING. Garland sings it here with the film's musical supervisor, Saul Chaplin,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Oza1LHoHY

Some of Judy's most touching and beautiful moments occured when she sang tributes to Jerome Kern.

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly reunite to sing a medley of Jerome Kern's final score CENTENNIAL SUMMER on July 20, 1946 at the Hollywood Bowl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaLI2MmuE0E

Judy also performs other songs by Kern that same day.

'Who'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARoBCHU0kGA

'Why Was I Born?'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfH4hSv5mrg

'Look For the Silver Lining'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcff_FE2byw

==

This a lovely tribute to the greatest songwriter of all time, Jerome Kern. It is a medley of his songs sung and played by Judy Garland, Les Paul Trio, & Paul Whiteman Orchestra and Chorus on the Philco Radio Hall of Fame.

17-12-1944

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf60qxTVjmk

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g4IolmIBaw

==

Judy also sang others in the CBS memorial to Kern on December 9, 1945.

'They Didn't Believe Me'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpgyhRrIxlQ

'Look For the Silver Lining'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9fMXBGzNes

After her appearance on October 26, 1935 Judy made a return visit on November 16 on THE SHELL CHATEAU HOUR to sing 'Zing! Went the Strings Of My Heart.' Her rendition was all the more impassioned that night; her father had been taken to the hospital earlier that day, and Marc Rabwin had called to say that Frank Gumm would be listening. He died the next day of spinal meningitis. Thus, this song remains one of Judy's saddest and most haunting songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhTq4DFLkD4

Judy named her children after popular songs. Liza was named after the Gershwin song of the same name and Joey was named after the song 'Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe.' But there was nothing for Lorna. Judy looked and looked for one but to no avail. They had a lovely theme on her tv series written by Mort Lindsey and everyone thought it would be nice if they put some words to it. They thought of asking Johnny Mercer to help them out.

Bill Colleran remembers that the creation of 'Lorna' was a story in itself. Colleran flew to Detroit where Mercer was embroiled in the out-of-town tryouts for FOXY starring Bert Lahr. Colleran discovered that Mercer was under the influence. He took the tape of music that was sent over and told Colleran that it wouldn't take too long.

About two in the morning, passed out on the typewriter, Mercer looked up and said to Colleran, "Who the *beep* are you?"

"I produce Judy's show and I'm here for the Lorna theme."

"Whose theme?"

"Lorna."

"Oh, yeah."

This went on all night until about eight in the morning and everytime Mercer woke it was the same thin 5b4 g. At about ten, Mercer finished the lyric and 'Lorna' was born.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za-Qyu6akHU

Bill Colleran recalls both versions of the song:

"The first time Judy sang it was at dress rehearsal. The first one, I think was even better, if that is possible, than the one that aired. That's when, right before she sang it, she looked straight into the camera and said, 'This is for you, Jack.' It was a powerful moment in my life. I will not forget that as long as I live. Never. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. People on their knees crying. It was devastating. I was sobbing out loud. I've never been so moved in my life by anything, anybody, or any drama. Nothing compared to what that did to me the first time she sang it. She gave every bit of her soul to that number. Everything that was Judy Garland was there and on the line at that moment, everything she had to give. The final taping was an hour later. She felt so deeply, she knew what she had. She got a standing ovation. The audience was crying, they were so moved. When she came backstage, she was crying and I was crying. She was pleased at doing it for Jack. She knew what she had done. But she was very easy, very quiet. Everyone just quietly went home. I was handling her very carefully that night. She was very, very fragile. She had given so much. I can still see that four-foot-eleven-inch gal standing there, her head going higher and higher, tears streaming down her face as she sang her heart out. It's moments like this that make you forget your problems."

It remains one of Judy's great moments and one of the great moments of television. Judy's performance is explosive, dynamic, yet subtle. There are no other words to describe it. Such words do not exist.

'The Battle Hymn Of the Republic'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Xz7WV_qJs

Radio recording from December, 1941. Judy is electrifying.

'Abe Lincoln Had Just One Country'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rekBYLM6wo

"'Chicago' and 'San Francisco' – Happy songs and memories of Judy skipping around the stage." - Joan Coulson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3SOsNPaUoc

'The Man That Got Away' – "One of the best versions of this song. Love the solo sax that comes in behind her. If I could only have one song with me on a desert island, I would choose to have every version of this song." - Joan Coulson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSs44KjlAFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-alqj0nd9-A

“'You'll Never Walk Alone' – When I first heard this song years ago (Judy recorded it the first time in NY in 1945, just after her marriage to Vincente Minnelli), I felt then it was nearly operatic. She wanted so much to do a Broadway show". - Joan Coulson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6c9_3yjV7k

"The songs she recorded that evening were, 'I Happen to Like New York', 'Why Was I Born?', 'Swanee' and 'You'll Never Walk Alone.' She would record one song and then we would go into the sound proof room and listen to it in the playback. At one point after one version of “I Happen to Like New York”, another guest, an English girl pop singer, made some disparaging remarks about New York. It was along the lines that it was a dirty smelly place. Judy stood looking down at sheet music on a table, said quietly and very firmly, 'I happen to like New York!'" - Joan Coulson

"Many years later Lorna Smith asked Judy about the recording she had made that day of 'Why was I Born', commenting how beautiful it was and asked what they did with it. Judy laughed and said, 'I expect they lost it.' That is how she was -- a funny, charming, woman. It is nice to know that these recordings have been discovered and are being re-issued." - Joan Coulson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7B6Ni6tK2M