Girl Crazy is a studio album by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. It was released on April 6, 1944, by Decca Records. The album features songs presented in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer eponymous motion picture.[1] Garland's recording sessions for the album took place during November 1943.[2]
The recording was made specially for Decca, which Garland was under contract to.
The album features Garland on vocals for most of the tracks, including "Embraceable You", "But Not for Me", "Bidin' My Time", and "I Got Rhythm".[3] Rooney also contributes vocals to two tracks, "Could You Use Me?" and "Treat Me Rough".[3] The album's orchestral accompaniment was conducted by Georgie Stoll, with additional harmonica accompaniment by Leo Diamond's Harmonica Quintet on "Bidin' My Time".[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Billboard | negative[3] |
| The New Records | positive[4] |
| The Nation | no rating[5] |
In his review for Billboard magazine, Maurie Orodenker noted that the album lacked the warmth and cohesion of the stage version, with songs selected randomly.[3] He observed that while Garland performed most of the tracks, the album didn't capture her live energy.[3] Orodenker also remarked that Rooney's singing was merely tolerable, affirming that his contribution to the album’s appeal stemmed more from his popularity and public recognition than from his vocal abilities.[3]
Conversely, The New Records magazine gave the album a very positive review, writing: "All of the tunes are catchy and the lyrics are irresistible. Mr. Rooney and Miss Garland put them across in good style with the aid of a chorus, good orchestra, and the Leo Diamond Harmonic Quintet. If you liked the movie you'll like this album; it contains a lot of pleasing music considerably above the average. It has been well recorded and the record surfaces are smooth."[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Embraceable You" | 3:11 |
| 2. | "Could You Use Me?" | 3:00 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "But Not For Me" | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Treat Me Rough" | 3:00 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bidin' My Time" | 3:04 |
| 2. | "I Got Rhythm" | 2:50 |
1995 box set
In 1995, Rhino Records released a 4-CD box set entitled Mickey & Judy which includes songs from Girl Crazy and other songs that Garland and Rooney recorded for their Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) films.[6][7][clarification needed]
References
- ^ "Record Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1944. p. 202. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Schechter, Scott (2006). Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-58979-300-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g Orodenker, Maurie (22 April 1944). "Popular Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 56, no. 17. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 19, 67. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ a b "The New Records". The New Records, Volume 11. 1943.
- ^ "The Nation". The Nation, Volume 162. 1946.
- ^ Morris, Chris (26 August 1995). "Vital reissues". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 34. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 82. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Bessman, Jim (28 October 1995). "Rhino, Turner Join For Movie Music". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 43. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 20. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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