Judy Garland: By Myself, 1966

[poormadpeter2]

Found this on youtube tonight and was rather surprised at how good Garland sounds here. I spoke recently in another thread about her Alone album, and that starts with By Myself. However, she used a more dramatic arrangement for the film I Could Go On Singing in 1963, and that is the one she continued to perform afterwards. Here she is in 1966, in one of her best performances of what turned out to be her final years. Often the orchestra would come in at the end and take over the final big notes for her, but that doesn't happen here - although it should be said she doesn't sound as good on the other songs she sings on the show.

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Also, if you're ever in doubt what a bit of make-up, nice hair-do and a nice dress can do to an appearance and demeanour, here's Judy in rehearsal for the same show "singing" What the World Needs Now - followed by a video of the actual performance.

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[George Smith]

Fascinating, Peter, thanks for posting.

[drjohncarpenter]

Found this on youtube tonight and was rather surprised at how good Garland sounds here. I spoke recently in another thread about her Alone album, and that starts with By Myself. However, she used a more dramatic arrangement for the film I Could Go On Singing in 1963, and that is the one she continued to perform afterwards. Here she is in 1966, in one of her best performances of what turned out to be her final years. Often the orchestra would come in at the end and take over the final big notes for her, but that doesn't happen here - although it should be said she doesn't sound as good on the other songs she sings on the show.

..

Also, if you're ever in doubt what a bit of make-up, nice hair-do and a nice dress can do to an appearance and demeanour, here's Judy in rehearsal for the same show "singing" What the World Needs Now - followed by a video of the actual performance.

..

..

ABC-TV's "Hollywood Palace" always seemed like an attempt to emulate Ed Sullivan's Sunday variety program. Still, tons of famous entertainers made appearances, and that's pretty cool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollywood_Palace#Full_list_of_guest_stars

Judy Garland's guest-hosting spot was initially taped on 4-01-1966 (Fri), but she re-did her closing numbers, "Comes Once In A Lifetime" and "By Myself" two days later to capture a superior performance, which was why they sounded so much better.

The show was broadcast on 5-07-1966 (Sat), and these are the numbers Judy delivered that night:

"What the World Needs Now Is Love"
"Mr. and Mrs. Clown" (w/Van Johnson)
"Comes Once In A Lifetime"
"By Myself"

Just 43 then, she would leave us just three years later. So sad.

[poormadpeter2]

Found this on youtube tonight and was rather surprised at how good Garland sounds here. I spoke recently in another thread about her Alone album, and that starts with By Myself. However, she used a more dramatic arrangement for the film I Could Go On Singing in 1963, and that is the one she continued to perform afterwards. Here she is in 1966, in one of her best performances of what turned out to be her final years. Often the orchestra would come in at the end and take over the final big notes for her, but that doesn't happen here - although it should be said she doesn't sound as good on the other songs she sings on the show.

..

Also, if you're ever in doubt what a bit of make-up, nice hair-do and a nice dress can do to an appearance and demeanour, here's Judy in rehearsal for the same show "singing" What the World Needs Now - followed by a video of the actual performance.

..

..

ABC-TV's "Hollywood Palace" always seemed like an attempt to emulate Ed Sullivan's Sunday variety program. Still, tons of famous entertainers made appearances, and that's pretty cool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollywood_Palace#Full_list_of_guest_stars

Judy Garland's guest-hosting spot was initially taped on 4-01-1966 (Fri), but she re-did her closing numbers, "Comes Once In A Lifetime" and "By Myself" two days later to capture a superior performance, which was why they sounded so much better.

The show was broadcast on 5-07-1966 (Sat), and these are the numbers Judy delivered that night:

"What the World Needs Now Is Love"
"Mr. and Mrs. Clown" (w/Van Johnson)
"Comes Once In A Lifetime"
"By Myself"

Just 43 then, she would leave us just three years later. So sad.

That's interesting about the retakes. I didn't realise that - but it makes sense given the very different quality of the Bacharach number and By Myself.

Sadly, Hollywood Palace has been largely untapped when it comes to home video, which is a great shame as a casual stroll through YouTube shows just how many fine performances were captured by the likes of Garland, Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Sinatra (particularly his set with Count Basie), Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr, etc. To know that most of these episodes are just languishing in the vaults is rather sad.

[jetblack]

I been watching and playing a lot of Judy lately.

One of my faves.

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Andy

[drjohncarpenter]

I been watching and playing a lot of Judy lately.

One of my faves.

..

Andy

Did she do well on the U.K. charts?

[lovin' EP]

How old was Judy in "Wizard of Oz"? Wasn't she a lot older than she appeared in the movie? Just wondering. That's one of my favorite movies.

Elvisly,

Linda

[drjohncarpenter]

How old was Judy in "Wizard of Oz"? Wasn't she a lot older than she appeared in the movie? Just wondering. That's one of my favorite movies.

Elvisly,

Linda

When filming began at MGM in October 1938, Judy Garland was just 16 years old. She was born on June 10, 1922. When it hit the movie theaters in August 1939, she was 17.

I agree, "The Wizard of Oz" is not only a favorite, it is one of the greatest films ever made. I never get tired of watching it.

[poormadpeter2]

I been watching and playing a lot of Judy lately.

One of my faves.

..

Andy

The discovery (if they were indeed ever actually lost) of the Judy Garland Show was remarkable, not just for Garland's performances, but those of some of her guests too - and the marvellous duets often arranged by Mel Torme. I actually bought my first DVD player back in the late 1990s so I could collect them on disc as they were slowly but steadily released! What is also remarkable is just how consistent Garland's performances were - for someone regarded as unreliable, she managed to perfectly well throughout twenty-five of the twenty-six shows (the exception being the unfinished final show, by which point she had been screwed over by CBS anyway).

[jetblack]

An excellent compilation DVD.

THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW 1963/1964 (CBS)

BY MYSELF (SHOW 17)
WHO CARES? (SHOW 1)
OL'' MAN RIVER (SHOW 1)
YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU / FOR ME & MY GAL / THE TROLLEY SONG (SHOW 9)
WHEN YOU'RE SMILING (SHOW 13)
HELLO BLUEBIRD (SHOW 14)
ZING! WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART (SHOW 14)
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ (SHOW 16)
BATTLE HYM OF THE REPUBLIC (SHOW 16)
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT (SHOW 20)
ROCK A BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY (SHOW 20)
SMILE (SHOW 21)
AFTER YOU'VE GONE (SHOW 21)
SWANNEE (SHOW 22)
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE / THIS CAN'T BE LOVE (SHOW 22)
JUST YOU, JUST ME (SHOW 22)
ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA & THE SANTA FE (SHOW 23)
ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND (SHOW 23)
STEPPIN' OUT WITH MY BABY (SHOW 23)
I'M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS (SHOW 23)
CHICAGO (SHOW 24)
GET HAPPY (SHOW 25)
AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME (SHOW 25)

Judy TV Guide 1963.jpg

Andy

[Hobbes]

I'm glad I saw this thread. I've been reading "Get Happy: the Life of Judy Garland" by Gerald Clarke and I've been accompanying my reading with her songs and films.

Lately, this performances has got my attention, as it was televised just three weeks after the assassination of JFK. Watching this makes me feel like I'm transported back to those horrible days. Remember that everyone watching her that night must have felt the need for some soothing balm for the traumatizing event that just occurred. Her performance, like Elvis' American Trilogy, starts softly and builds. She sings the final verse softly:

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy let us die to make men free
While God is marching on"


This leads into the final, rousing, chorus. I love the part toward the end, when Judy thrusts her hand in the air as she hits a big note. The song ends and the audience jumps to its feet. Goosebumps!

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[poormadpeter2]

I'm glad I saw this thread. I've been reading "Get Happy: the Life of Judy Garland" by Gerald Clarke and I've been accompanying my reading with her songs and films.

Lately, this performances has got my attention, as it was televised just three weeks after the assassination of JFK. Watching this makes me feel like I'm transported back to those horrible days. Remember that everyone watching her that night must have felt the need for some soothing balm for the traumatizing event that just occurred. Her performance, like Elvis' American Trilogy, starts softly and builds. She sings the final verse softly:

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy let us die to make men free
While God is marching on"


This leads into the final, rousing, chorus. I love the part toward the end, when Judy thrusts her hand in the air as she hits a big note. The song ends and the audience jumps to its feet. Goosebumps!

..

I think Get Happy explains the circumstances of the shooting of this - it was done a few days after Kennedy was shot, and Garland wanted to change the show to an hour of Americana and gospel material, but CBS wouldn't hear of it. Garland performed this anyway - and Bobby Darin, performing on the show that week, did two spirituals for his section, although the rest of the episode was business as usual. In a later episode, Garland performed a fifteen minute Americana medley anyway! Due to popular demand, Garland performed Battle Hymn again a few weeks later. It's a remarkable moment of what was often, despite the odds, a remarkable series. Get Happy is a fine biography - probably the best of Garland. As for the TV series, they are all available on DVD and virtually all are in excellent quality - they are worth getting, even if some are understandably better than others. The episodes with Darin, Streisand, and Martha Raye are three of the best, and the concert-format shows are also particularly good for the most part. The disc that Jetblack mentions is also a good starting point if you just want Garland's best solos. It's called Just Judy and still available used at a reasonable price.

[r&b]

The Hollywood Palace was a pretty good show. Not as hip musically as Sullivan, but they had their moments. I wish a nice comp DVD of some of the acts on that show existed. I do remember The Stones on it. I think Dino was the host that night. He kind of rolled his eyes or something after their performance. It was funny at the time, but shows how performers like him looked upon the new musical wave that was taking over the 60's.