The Drifters Album: “Save The Last Dance For M”

This CD offers an excellent collection of some--not all--of the best of Judy Garland's work for Decca Records when she was an actress at MGM. Judy's voice is in excellent form on this CD although there is a fair amount of surface noise on the initial two or three tracks. In addition, just so you know, these recordings are mostly, if not all, the ones she recorded for Decca Records--they are NOT the recordings from the soundtracks of her movies. That having been said, however, this CD does add some splendid bonuses that we would not have heard were it not for Decca Records: Judy's duet with Bing Crosby on "Yah-Ta-Ta, Yah-Ta-Ta (Talk, Talk, Talk);" and her duet with The Merry Macs on "The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe."

To state that Judy Garland "had the pipes" to be Hollywood's undisputed Queen Of The Musical would be a crass understatement. Judy's voice sensed and invariably expressed every little nuance of every word and phrase she ever sang. Her voice sounded much, much better than any female recording artist or actress I've ever heard. She could sing like a woman whose heart had been so irreparably broken that even the hardest of hearts would be deeply moved. She could also perform a rousing number that would make you want to jump up and dance with joy from the very moment she began to sing.

On this CD just one listen proves it: Once you've heard Garland, there are no other female singers. She delivers a charming performance of "Over The Rainbow" and this is followed by "Dear Mr. Gable: You Made Me Love You." Her "Friendship" duet with Johnny Mercer charms you and she sings "Blues In The Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)" in such a way that your heart feels everything she sings. Judy also performs great numbers by George and Ira Gershwin with grand aplomb; her renditions of "Embraceable You;" "But Not For Me" and "I Got Rhythm" stun you with the total synchronicity of the finest Gershwin tune and Judy Garland's magnificent voice.

This CD also contains alternate takes of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Yah-Ta-Ta, Yah-Ta-Ta (Talk, Talk, Talk)." Wonderful!

The liner notes include an extensive essay about Judy, MGM and Decca Records by Ron O'Brien; and the notes include several lovely photos of Judy as well. You get the song credits, too.

I sing the praises of many vocalists when I write reviews of CDs I have in my collection; but there is no one I can think of who deserves praise more than the unparalleled Judy Garland. Indeed, I doubt we'll ever see another quite like her. She was not only a natural talent; she became so polished and sophisticated in her presentations that others could merely aspire to be like her. She remains the greatest American entertainer ever; and she is very possibly the world's greatest entertainer as well. Judy's immeasurable contributions to the arts could never be overlooked or forgotten; and she remains fondly remembered and loved by old fans and new to this day.

Thank you, Judy.

Over the Rainbow is a great budget priced CD that showcases the singular vocal talents of the immortal Judy Garland. Nobody could ever touch audiences the way Judy could; and this CD more than proves her contributions to the arts were beyond comparison.

The CD starts out with Judy singing "Over The Rainbow" which was recorded around the time she was in The Wizard Of Oz. This rendition of "Over The Rainbow" sometimes picks up the pace a bit from the movie soundtrack version--this is NOT from the soundtrack of The Wizard Of Oz. Nevertheless, Judy turns in a fabulous performance and it makes the perfect appetizer for the rest of the CD's hits.

"You Made Me Love You (Dear Mr. Gable)" was one of Judy's first masterpieces ever captured on old 78s and in the movie Broadway melody of 1938; the story goes that Judy sang this so well the movie going audiences applauded at the end of this song as if Judy had given a live performance! Judy sings "You Made Me Love You (Dear Mr. Gable) with panache and great sensitivity; I could never forget this performance. "For Me And My Gal" showcases Judy singing sweeter than I've ever heard a lady sing; and she enhances the natural beauty of this number simply by using her incredible voice!

"I'm Nobody's Baby" again features Judy's excellent vocals from her MGM years; the strings work well in the musical arrangement, too. "I Got Rhythm" from Girl Crazy features a great big band arrangement to accompany Judy as she flawlessly delivers this number.

"Swanee" is a solid number that Judy always loved to sing; and you can tell she's enjoying every minute of recording this when you hear this! Judy's excellent diction bolsters her performance even more. The album ends strong with Judy singing "Changing My Tune;" this features a slightly older Garland in perfect form; the strings and more make a fine musical arrangement.

Overall, for the casual Judy Garland fan, this CD is a great choice. Many diehard fans will also want this for their collections. I highly recommend this fine album.

HER VOICE IS TIMELESS, BUT WHEN YOU HERE A SONG A CERTAIN WAY YOUR DISSAPOINTED WHEN IT SOUNDS DIFFERENT. ALL IN ALL GOOD CD

Nice tunes !!! I put this on my Kindle Fire and play it often. I enjoy it a lot. Nice.

This is a great CD with many fantastic songs from her many musicals and movies. It is a wonderful selection of her earlier years!