"For the first time I have done a tribute album. The challenge of serving myself, the music, and the incredible woman it honors hit me right before we were about to record the first track. But Judy picked great songs, and the fun we had recording them quickly made me forget anything else. I'm proud of the album and so impressed with the work of everyone involved. I am, as always, thankful to and for Judy Garland."

BY MYSELF: THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND, Linda Eder's ninth solo album, is billed as a tribute to the incomparable Judy Garland. However, it is so much more than that. The album is a gift and a work of art that honors Judy Garland's legendary talent in a manner that elevates the music to an unequaled level — as only Linda's voice and passion for the music can.

Linda has said on many occasions that Judy Garland was one of her biggest musical influences from the time she was a young girl. Now, Linda herself will inspire generations to come with her distinctive take on these classic Garland songs, and one original song by Jack Murphy, with her latest album.

Here, for the readers of THE VOICE, we've provided some insight into the creation of the album through interviews with Executive Producer and Senior Vice President/General Manager of Manhattan Records (EMI) Ian Ralfini and Producer Ettore Stratta, background on the songs and how they relate to Judy Garland's career by Author/Historian John Fricke, commentary from songwriters Jack Murphy and John Meyer, and more.

A Chat With Ian Ralfini…

L to R: Ian Ralfini (Senior Vice President/General Manager Manhattan Records), Linda Eder, Bruce Lundvall (President EMI Jazz and Classics). Photo by Gary Gershoff

VOICE: How long have you known of Linda and her work?

IAN: I first became aware of Linda when I heard a track from a record she did for Angel Records called "And So Much More," which I believe was in 1994. I thought, "Who is this voice? Where did this voice come from?" I'd been around the record business for a long time and hadn't heard of Linda Eder and thought, "This is a terrific album!" That was the first time I heard her. There was a track on that record… "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Everybody knows that song from Simon & Garfunkel. I loved Linda's version… she took that song and made it her own.

VOICE: When and how did you first meet Linda?

IAN: I first met her when I was working with Ahmet Ertegun [founder of Atlantic records]. She came by the office to say hello to him. They had a really nice relationship. My first impression of Linda was how tall she was... I was awed by how tall she was! What an elegant woman she is! She has such a presence. That was the first time I actually met Linda in person, and then, of course, I went to see the show [JEKYLL & HYDE] and fell in love with her.

VOICE: Had you worked on any projects with Linda before BY MYSELF: THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND?

IAN: Yes. When I came here to EMI, I started the Manhattan Label in 2001. Under the EMI umbrella is Angel Records. Bruce Lundvall is President of EMI Jazz and Classics Division, and a big fan of Linda's. I asked Bruce if I could put together a compilation of the tracks that she had recorded during the time she was with Angel in the early 90s. I compiled an album called STORYBOOK. We had some remixes and then added a bonus track, "Vole Mon Ange." What an incredible voice that is on the bonus track… a real soprano voice!

VOICE: Would you please tell us how BY MYSELF: THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND was conceived? Whose idea was it and when did it all begin?

IAN: Bruce Lundvall was the one who first met Linda back in Minneapolis. He was asked to go down and hear her way back in the early 90s. He became a fan of hers, but he didn't actually sign her then. She came to Angel which became part of his division, and that's when he first got to work with her. After this, Linda went to Atlantic. When I came to EMI, I said to Bruce, "Linda's contract is coming up again at Atlantic and if she doesn't sign with them, I'd love to sign her." I knew that Bruce would do it in a heartbeat [laughs] because he loved her! Anyway, after completing the deal, I wanted to start making a record with Linda that was different from the ones that she'd made before. At the same time, I wanted something that would hopefully please her strong and loyal fan base but that also would attract a new and wider audience. There were a lot of artists doing standards and I didn't want to do just another standards album. I wanted her to have new opportunities and I wanted to associate Linda with great songs. In doing some research, I discovered that no one had actually recorded an album that was exclusively all Judy Garland songs and I thought that it was a good idea. I decided to suggest it to Linda, so immediately I called Linda asked if I could come to the house and talk about some ideas for the material for the album. At that point, I didn't say anything about Judy.

L to R: Byron Olson, Linda and Ettore Stratta in the studio.

VOICE: Once you had the idea for Linda to do a Judy Garland album, what was your next step as executive producer?

IAN: Before I went to see Linda, I started to think about producers. If Linda liked the idea, who would I use to produce it and who would be the right person for the project if she did agree to do it? I knew of this wonderful producer named Ettore Stratta who had produced many artists over the years. Artists such as Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Cleo Laine, Sissel and Diahann Carroll. One of the things about Ettore… apart from being very talented, is he's a very sensitive man and I thought this might be a very difficult and unusual record for Linda to do. It would be the first time she is going into the studio with unfamiliar people. She really hadn't worked with me before. We'd gotten to know each other but we hadn't known each other for a long time. So she would be going into the studio with a new team who was trying to move the direction a little bit. It was going to be a scary time for her. So I wanted to get somebody I felt would be sympathetic to this and someone I knew musically could do it. If we did the Judy Garland album, I wanted somebody who would be perfect and I thought Ettore was that person. I felt Ettore, as a human being, would work well with Linda and as it turned out, the two of them got along very well. She respected him and she felt really comfortable with him in the studio, which was my goal. Ettore also happens to be the last person to record Judy Garland before she died. I met with Ettore, who is also a great Linda Eder fan, and he agreed that the songs of Judy Garland were the perfect repertoire for her. I explained to him that although I wanted the album to be very contemporary, I also wanted the arrangements to reflect the era in which Judy recorded them. That is what we strove for.

VOICE: What was Linda's reaction when you presented your idea of doing an album of Judy Garland songs?

IAN: I went to Linda's house with Ettore to sell her the concept and I was greeted by the dogs! [laughs] Having gotten passed the dogs, which was the first test I suppose, I barely got inside the living room when I started my pitch. I was excited and a little anxious… I started to blurt it out and I said, "I've got this really great idea… what do you think of doing a record of all Judy Garland…" That was as far as I got and Linda said, "I LOVE IT!" and it was as simple as that. I had worked up how I was going to do this and what I was going to say if she said, "No, I don't like the idea." But I didn't have to… I just got as far as "Judy Garland" and she said, "LET'S DO IT!" It was as easy or as difficult as that. But I had thought about it very carefully and it was something that really made sense to transition her from the kind of songs she had been singing, and even the Broadway songs, into something else. But whatever the next step is going to be, this album was an important step to take. Linda's fan base will hopefully like it and maybe it will bring Judy's fan base into the fold as well. Obviously I love the concept and not just because I came up with it! [everyone laughs] It works so beautifully and it's such a perfect vehicle for Linda. I mean… this VOICE! She has a one of kind voice. It is one of the great voices of our time! It's simply remarkable. You've heard her many times but in the studio you see that person standing behind the microphone, and then she opens her mouth… I don't know how the microphone stands there!

VOICE: Well, she's blown out a few!

IAN: [shouts enthusiastically/laughing] I know! [everyone laughs] It is just such a powerful voice.

VOICE: Were you a fan of Judy Garland before you were involved in this project?

IAN: First of all, I love female singers. My father was a Big Band leader in the 40s and 50s in England, and he would always have girl singers in front of the band. I thought that was absolutely amazing, so I grew up with that. My father played Judy Garland's records at home. I loved her from the first time I heard her and, of course, then eventually when I saw her singing "Over The Rainbow" in THE WIZARD OF OZ. I really fell in love with her — she had something incredible, which I think Linda has as well. That quality is something that they both share.

VOICE: Did you ever meet Judy Garland or see her perform live?

IAN: Regretfully I never met Judy. I saw her at The Dominion Theatre and The London Palladium several times. In fact, I was at a Royal Command performance in England, which happens once a year, when the royal family hosts an evening for their invited guests. They have lots of show business personalities and there is a performance. This particular year, the Beatles were the headline guests and Judy was in the audience. The audience cheered her to go up on stage and she did, and in the end they got her to sing. It was quite remarkable… off-the-cuff, you know. So I did get to see her. I was around a lot of those people at the time, but I never did get the chance to meet her.

VOICE: In your opinion, what qualities make Linda and Judy similar as performers? While at the same time, what makes them different?

IAN: I think the first thing that comes to mind about the two singers is the dramatic quality in their respective voices. When they sing a sad song, they immediately tear at your heartstrings and build the emotion… it's something they both can do. When you hear them sing a song, even if it is an emotional song, somehow they can make it even more so. They take every word and give it its true meaning. I hang on every word. As I hear Linda's album over and over again, she makes me listen to the words. Every note resounds when Linda and Judy sing, and I think that's what they have in common. And yet, they are opposites and not just their heights! [laughs] Judy was such a diminutive person and Linda is a woman of stature with a beautiful powerhouse voice. I felt Judy was coquettish and mischievous but with an equally powerful voice.

VOICE: Now… to the songs! How did you ever manage to choose what songs to include on the album from Judy's seemingly endless catalog of fantastic songs?

L to R: Ettore Stratta, Ian Ralfini and Linda Eder after a recording session.

IAN: Choosing the songs for the album was easy because there were so many to choose from, but choosing what ultimately finished up on the record was hard. [chuckles] We talked a lot about it collectively. Ettore and I talked; Linda and Ettore talked; Linda and I and Ettore talked. We talked with Byron Olson, the wonderful arranger, who helped us to made this project really work with his beautiful musical interpretations of each of the songs. We thought about it long and hard. What we wanted to do was not just all of the obvious songs… that would be too easy. Ettore came up with some songs by John Meyer, one of Judy's last boyfriends. He had written a couple songs for Judy and we had Linda listen to them. Many people have never heard these songs so we were able to introduce songs that Judy Garland had done, but songs that are going to be new, maybe even to her fans. In the end, the songs on the album are Linda's choice. She's very happy with the songs that ended up on the album.

VOICE: Please tell us about the original song on the album.

IAN: Linda wanted to do one original song. She had it written and it fit so perfectly. I wondered if this song was going to stand out because all of the other songs have a certain quality about them that was of an era. This one wasn't… but it worked perfectly. Jack Murphy wrote a really great song that fits right in the concept of what we did. I wanted this album to be a contemporary album, but at the same time I wanted it to have a feel of that era when Judy Garland sang the songs… like an album when Nelson Riddle or Billy May wrote for Frank Sinatra… that sound, that time.

VOICE: Do you have a favorite song from BY MYSELF?

IAN: We talked long and hard about "Over The Rainbow." We thought maybe we shouldn't put it on the album because everybody's done it and everyone claims it as their song. We thought, "Maybe we'll leave it off," but then, "How could you do a Judy Garland album and not have 'Over The Rainbow' on it!" We were talking about it and Linda said, "You know, I'd like to do 'Over The Rainbow' but it's got to be really simple. We can't go out and try to do a big Judy Garland arrangement. Why don't we just do it on piano?" What became the last track is now called "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows/Over The Rainbow." When I listened to this medley, it was so dramatic and so beautiful that it had to be the last track. I felt there was no way that other songs could follow it on the CD, and Linda agreed. The album opens with a blockbuster, "By Myself," so we had to have something perfect to end it. When I listen to the record and get to "Over The Rainbow," I thnk it is absolutely amazing! The way Linda carries the notes… her breathing and intonation are perfect. What a mood she creates! At this moment in time, I think this is the best version of "Over The Rainbow" that I have heard.

VOICE: So "Over The Rainbow" is your favorite?

IAN: It's my favorite. I took the long way around to tell you that!

VOICE: Why did you decide to record in Studio 1 at Abbey Road with the London Symphony?

Linda in the studio with some of the guys "behind the scenes."

IAN: I am an Englishman obviously [Ian speaks with a charming English accent]. I've spent all my life in the record business and I've recorded at Abbey Road. Abbey Road is a really wonderful studio to record in… it's a beautiful building and it has a lot of history and was perfect for Linda. I was there when the Beatles recorded "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The primary reason why I wanted to go to Abbey Road was that I wanted to use the London Symphony Orchestra, which is a terrific string orchestra… wonderful… and for what we wanted to do with this record, I thought they were the best orchestra to do it. When you hear the strings on the CD, you will understand why. Equally as important, is that Judy Garland had recorded in Abbey Road, and I wanted to try and get a little bit of that Karma and atmosphere. I told Linda, "I hope that when you are there that you will feel you are in her presence… that she was there…." So there were several reasons for recording there, but overall it was the right place to record with the London Symphony Orchestra and the right studio for Linda Eder to record this material. There is a little side story to this. Judy Garland did record there with the orchestra and she sent in cases of champagne for the musicians. Judy was notorious for always being late for her sessions… arriving two or three hours late. When she arrived, the band was so smashed… they could hardly play. I sent Linda one case of champagne and I said, "That's all you're getting! Because I don't want the orchestra to get drunk!" I don't know if they knew it at the time or just thought, "Oh, well, that's nice he sent champagne!" but that was the reason.

VOICE: What a great story! We have one final question, we were wondering what your responsibilities are as executive producer?

IAN: The executive producer doesn't necessarily have to be someone who is a musician, but they are responsible for organizing all of the elements of the recording process including, sessions, budgeting, arrangers, studios, repertoire, but most of all to help make the recording process as easy and unstressful for the artist as possible. You help to create the environment for everyone to work in. It is the producer, in this case Ettore Stratta, and the associate producer and arranger, Byron Olson, who were responsible for putting together the actual musicians and arrangements and working with the engineers to achieve the sound and feel for the record.

VOICE: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us and providing all of this insight for the fans.

All About Ian Ralfini…

Ian Ralfini is an executive with many years of experience in the domestic and international music business. Originally based in the UK, he's created, developed and managed several successful international record and music companies for major U.S. corporations, taking them from start-up to multi-million dollar businesses. He relocated to the U.S. in the early 1980s to acquire and develop music and non-music related businesses.

Ian is currently Senior Vice President/General Manager of Manhattan Records, a division of Blue Note/Angel Records/Manhattan Records which are EMI owned companies. Artists signed by these labels include: Bernadette Peters, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Norah Jones, Sarah Brightman, and Linda Eder; and Cast Albums include: ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, CRAZY FOR YOU, MISS SAIGON, COMPANY, FUNNY GIRL, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, and PASSION.

Ian's many years of experience prior to his current position include: President/CEO MGM Records Europe where he was responsible for establishing and developing MGM's European and International music companies; President/CEO Warner-Reprise Records UK where he established and developed WB's international record companies; Chairman/CEO WEA UK where he developed the UK base for the combined Warner Bros. Atlantic & Elektra labels, which led to the roll out of the WEA International network of companies throughout Europe; Chairman/CEO ABC Records UK (known in the UK as Anchor Records) where he developed an A&R base, marketing and sales company for the ABC group of companies. This led to the development of ABC's music and record interests worldwide; Chairman/Owner Shelter Records in New York. Shelter artists included: Tom Petty, Leon Russell, Phoebe Snow, Freddie King, Gap Band, Dwight Twilley and the Grease Band. Throughout his career, he's signed many well-known talents, including: Fleetwood Mac, Rod Stewart, America, Alice Cooper, YES, Chrissy Hynde, and ACE.

As manager to Anthony Newley, Ian was involved in the Broadway productions of STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF and ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, SMELL OF THE CROWD. He also has music publishing experience and was responsible for starting Warner Bros. first independent music publishing company in the UK. He also managed and developed MGM's publishing companies in Europe, working with movie producers and directors placing music for soundtracks. He created ABC's music publishing company in the UK and developed their music interests throughout Europe. And, he owned Shelter music publishing companies, Skyhill Music and Tarka Music. These companies owned copyrights by: Tom Petty, Leon Russell, Phoebe Snow, Eric Clapton, and Bob Marley.

In addition to being a skilled businessman, Ian has a big heart and has used some of his influence to make the world a better place. He serves as the President of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation, a foundation he formed with Ahmet Ertegun to raise funds to support a clinic in New York based at New York University. The clinic works with autistic and severely handicapped children, using music as the method of communication and therapy. Ian has developed a support group for this venture including: Pete Townshend, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, and others.

A Chat With Ettore Stratta…

Ettore Stratta is a multi-talented conductor, composer, arranger and producer. His work touches many musical bases — Classical, Pop and Jazz, and sometimes combines these genres in unique recording and concert projects. He's worked with many world-renowned artists, including Judy Garland. This, combined with his incredible talent and wealth of experience, made him the perfect person to produce BY MYSELF: THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND. Here, Ettore talks about Linda, the album and Judy Garland.

Linda and Ettore Stratta

VOICE: How did you meet Linda Eder?

ETTORE: I knew Linda because I had seen her at Carnegie Hall. I first met with her professionally at Ian's office, where we discussed the idea of recording a Judy Garland album.

VOICE: You had the extraordinary honor of working with Judy Garland. Would you please tell us a little about that experience?

ETTORE: I recorded the last album of her life, JUDY: JUNE 1969 LONDON, when she was performing at the Talk of the Town. We were making a live recording only to make her feel comfortable that she could record again. She was feeling pretty good about it, but it never came about because she died. So, eventually we decided to release the record. This was the last recording of Judy Garland.

VOICE: You have worked with two of Linda's three greatest influences — Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. What similarities between Linda and the other ladies do you find?

ETTORE: Having worked with Barbra and Judy, the similarities are that all three are the greatest singers in this genre. They are emotionally fantastic givers… they have those kind of qualities. But nobody has touched the songs in the way that Linda has on this album… nobody could. They didn't have the power of the voice and the emotional quality to do that.

VOICE: How did your work with Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand influence the way you approached producing BY MYSELF?

ETTORE: It influenced me only for the fact that I work with great singers and as a producer, it is about great material — great songs. People like Judy, Barbra and Linda are great and the songs are great. Speaking as a producer, musician, arranger and conductor, we had a fabulous band and one of the greatest orchestras in the world. You can dress it up any way you want, but it is the interpretation and delivery that make the difference in the end. Linda was very open to suggestions and ideas. She displayed a great deal of respect for the engineers and musicians, and everybody responded to her terrifically, which comes across on the CD.

VOICE: What is your favorite song on the CD?

ETTORE: "It Never Was You." Judy sang and recorded this song more intimately with just a piano. It is one of the greatest songs that Cole Porter wrote… in fact, one of the great songs, period. I love the rest of the album, but this song is a little bit different and special. I chose this song among the others to say to Linda, "I think you are going to sing it great, but let's put in the orchestra as a complement to your voice." The London Symphony Orchestra was an important aspect of this recording. It was easy to choose the most famous songs. Linda Eder didn't take the easy route, and I think this distinguishes her from all other singers.

VOICE: Speaking of the lesser-known songs, how did you think to introduce John Meyer to Linda? What was that meeting like?

ETTORE: I thought of John Meyer because I was the publisher of the two songs he wrote for Judy, "It's All For You" (which didn't make this CD) and "I'd Love To Hate Myself In The Morning." John played the piano at my apartment and Linda flipped, so we wound up recording them. John is such a musical person. He knew the beauty of Linda's voice immediately, so he knew this was going to be great!

VOICE: What do you think Judy Garland would say about this record if she could hear it?

ETTORE: It's difficult to say… I can only guess. I think she would understand and approve, definitely, because without copying her, Linda created the same aura. That unique quality is something very special that only a few people in the world have, and Linda has it.

THE SONGS...

Judy singing "By Myself" in I COULD GO ON SINGING (1963).

BY MYSELF
(Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz for Broadway's BETWEEN THE DEVIL, 1937)

Originally recorded by Judy in 1957 as a lighter ballad, the Garland arrangement Linda echoes here was reconfigured in a much more bravura vocal style (by Saul Chaplin) and orchestration (by Mort Lindsey) in 1962 for what would prove to be Judy's final film, I COULD GO ON SINGING. It was Garland's self-declared "favorite of all time" in terms of her musical repertoire — and one of her three favorite songs, along with Noel Coward's "If Love Were All" and (supremely) the Vincent Youmans/Edward Heyman "Through The Years." Judy later sang this version of "By Myself" on five television programs and in countless concerts.

Judy singing "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't be Love" in her 1963 CBS-TV special.

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE/THIS CAN'T BE LOVE
(Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe for Broadway's BRIGADOON, 1947/Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers for Broadway's THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, 1938)

This vocal arrangement was assembled for Judy by her M-G-M coach, accompanist, composer, lyricist, mentor, and surrogate father, Roger Edens. He tied together the two tunes as a new addition to her repertoire for the 1959 "Opera House" tour (see biography timeline); she subsequently sang the chart on numerous television shows and in her concert programs into 1968.

Album cover of ALONE (1957) on which Judy recorded "Me And My Shadow."

ME AND MY SHADOW

(Billy Rose/Dave Dreyer & Al Jolson, 1927)

Hauntingly orchestrated for Garland by Gordon Jenkins, this song was a highlight of her moody Capitol concept album ALONE in 1957; it was a concert staple for the rest of that season as well.

I'D LIKE TO HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING
(John Meyer, 1968)

Judy with Margaret Hamilton (original Wicked Witch of the West) on The Merv Griffin Show in 1968. Judy once performed John Meyer's "I'd Like To Hate Myself In The Morning" live on the show.

Dynamically introduced by Judy in one of her final United States television appearances (on "The Merv Griffin Show" in December 1968), "Hate Myself" was charted by Mort Lindsey and included by Garland in all her 1969 concert appearances. Meyer himself taught her the song and accompanied her in impromptu renditions of it in New York and Boston cabarets prior to its television debut.

John Meyer comments... "I think it was in Casey's, a little bistro on West 10th Street. I was drinking Chassagne Montrachet with my pal Fred, and we'd had a little too much (didn't we always?). That's the trouble with these white Burgundies — when you hit a good one, restraint goes out the window. At some point, Fred turned to me and said, 'I'm not stopping, but we're gonna hate ourselves in the morning.'

The next morning his phrase was still buzzing around in my head (along with a few other things) — and I thought… hang on, there's a great song idea here. When I'm lucky with an idea, the melody rises up in my subconscious along with the words... and that happened this time. I went to the piano and worked out the first sixteen bars — music and lyric — in about forty minutes. The lyrics are always easier. I must be a left-brain person… I can construct fitting words with much less effort than it takes to come up with original music.

I was introduced to Judy Garland because of this song, 'I'd Like To Hate Myself In The Morning.' One of the customers heard me playing it at the little bar where I entertained, and he introduced the two of us. Judy liked the song, and when she was booked on The Merv Griffin Show, her ex-conductor, Mort Lindsey, wrote the orchestration (the 'chart'). Because he was familiar with Judy's style, he knew just how to arrange the tune to showcase her vocal to maximum effect.

This past May, Michael Feinstein told me he'd forwarded Mort's original chart to Byron Olson, Linda's arranger. Byron was able to expand on and enlarge Mort's arrangement. It really swings now."

Dirk Bogarde and Judy Garland in I COULD GO ON SINGING (1963), Judy's final film in which she performed "It Never Was You."

IT NEVER WAS YOU
(Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill for Broadway's KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY, 1938)

Recorded for Capitol by Judy in 1960, she purportedly added it to her repertoire at the behest of good friend, British actor Dirk Bogarde, as it was his favorite song. In August that year, she brought him up on stage at The London Palladium when she sang the number publicly for the first time; he sat at her feet as she crooned the lyric to a simple piano accompaniment. It was one of five songs she went on to perform two years later in her final screen appearance, I COULD GO ON SINGING; therein, she was filmed at Britain's Shepperton Studios on a mockup of the Palladium stage, with David Lee at the piano. The entire sequence was shot in a single fluid "take" and sung "live" by Garland, rather than prerecorded and lip-synched as in most film musical situations.

ZING! WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART/THE TROLLEY SONG
(James F. Hanley, for the revue THUMBS UP, 1935/Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, for the film MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, 1944)

Title lobby card for LISTEN, DARLING (1938) in which Judy sings "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart."

The first of these titles was Judy's vaudeville and audition piece throughout her 1935 appearances and was one of the numbers she sang when called to be heard by executives at M-G-M that year. It was later added to her repertoire for the 1938 film, LISTEN, DARLING. Her concert arrangement, restructured here for Linda, was orchestrated by Nelson Riddle for the 1958 Capitol album, JUDY IN LOVE; she sang it everywhere for the next decade. The second song in the grouping was written for Garland for one of her four greatest motion pictures; it was an Academy Award nominee as Best Song and an ever-after concert, television, radio, and recording success for her.

THE RAINBOW'S END
(Jack Murphy, 2005)

"The Rainbow's End" is the only original song on BY MYSELF: THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND. It was written for Linda by Lyricist/Composer and friend Jack Murphy as a tribute song to Judy. Learn more about the song in a detailed interview with Jack Murphy below.

Judy Garland (second from right) with the cast of BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938, in which she sang "You Made Me Love You."

THE BOY NEXT DOOR/YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU
(Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane for the film MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, 1944/Joseph McCarthy/Jimmy Monaco, 1913)

The former grew slowly to become standard after its debut in MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, written for Judy's character, Esther Smith, in her declaration of affection from the window of her home at "5135 Kensington Avenue" for the young man who lived "at 5133." "You Made Me Love You" was already a standard when Judy reprised it as a celebration of her fan-madness for M-G-M's "King of the Lot" in 1937, book-ended by Roger Edens' exemplary special material, "Dear Mr. Gable." It became her first Decca record hit, and she sang it for the rest of her life in virtually every medium.

DO IT AGAIN
(Buddy DeSylva/George Gershwin, for Broadway's THE FRENCH DOLL, 1922)

Poster for Judy's 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall, which was recorded live and included the song "Do It Again."

First done by Garland as a bouncy, saucy uptune on the Capitol album, JUDY IN LOVE (1958), "Do It Again" was almost immediately turned around to become instead a haunting, sensuous, innocence-abandoned ballad for her concerts later that same year. Both versions were orchestrated by Nelson Riddle, and she made a studio recording of the more languid arrangement in London in 1960, as well as performing it "live" on the following season's Carnegie Hall album.

Opening night at the Cocoanut Grove, July 23, 1958, where Judy sang "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody."

ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY
(Sam Lewis & Joe Young/Jean Schwartz, 1918)

Judy debuted her arrangement of this standard on Bing Crosby's radio show in December 1950, offering unspoken homage to entertainer Al Jolson who had died the preceding October 23rd. It was an immediate show-stopper for her, even over the airwaves, and it became a permanent part of her repertoire when she returned to live stage work the following April at The London Palladium. Judy was soon regarded as one of the few singers who could repopularize the Jolson standards and make them her own. (Tune detectives will note a clever orchestral bridge that utilizes another Garland/Jolson number — "Swanee" — for the accompaniment of Linda's new treatment of "Rock-A-Bye" on the BY MYSELF CD.)

I'M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS/OVER THE RAINBOW
(Joseph McCarthy/Harry Carroll, 1918)/E. Y. "Yip" Harburg/Harold Arlen, for the film THE WIZARD OF OZ, 1939)

With its main melody based on a classical (and classic) Chopin refrain, "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" was one of many standard tunes repopularized in her films by Judy during the M-G-M era. This one provided a highlight of 1941's ZIEGFELD GIRL, wherein her soulful rendition won her a solo spot in the famous Florenz FOLLIES. As far as "Over The Rainbow" is concerned, it's pointless to recap its history here; suffice it to say that, in recorded time, there's never been a more perfect marriage of material and singer. It's unlikely that any other song and vocalist combination will ever be more firmly and timelessly assured of an ongoing position in the consciousness and affection of a cross-generational public.

Judy Garland poses with the other famous characters of Oz in 1938. "Over The Rainbow" would become her trademark and most-loved song.

Source and Photos: Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer (Henry Holt and Company, 1992), and Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote (Bulfinch Press, 2003), both by John Fricke.

Lyricist/Composer Jack Murphy discusses "The Rainbow's End"...

VOICE: Could you tell us more about the song "The Rainbow's End?"

JACK: Linda was doing a demo of a song our mutual friend, Chris Hajian, had written for a TV show that he had done the film score for — he's a very talented composer. Chris asked me to write a lyric for the main theme and Linda sang the demo of it. Anyway, while walking back to the car for the ride home, she stopped in the middle of the street and sort of out of the blue asked, "Do you think you could write a tribute song for Judy Garland that I could sing?" I thought about it for a second while dodging taxis and said, "Sure, I'd love to." Anyway, when I started writing it, I realized that musically it would need to have a certain vocabulary that would send the listener back in time. This informed the "kind of song" it wanted to be. I called Linda and told her I don't think it could be a "pop" song, for want of a better word. She said she never imagined it would be, which was a relief. It seemed that we were on the same page, so I forged ahead.

VOICE: Did you write the lyrics or music first? Did you have input from Linda as you worked on the song?

JACK: I wrote the music first, or at least the main theme. I then played it for Linda who seemed to like it a lot, so I started writing the lyric and refining the music at the same time. I played a finished version for Linda and she had a couple of comments, so I did a rewrite of the third verse and a new chorus section. So I guess the answer to the question is: yes, Linda had input into what the song became.

VOICE: What was your inspiration for the song? Did anything from Judy or Linda's life inspire you?

JACK: I've always been a big Judy Garland fan, so that part was easy. The hard part for me was conveying the rather troubled life the lady led while at the same time celebrating her enormous talent. Linda and I both agreed that the song should be a tribute to Judy Garland without ever saying her name in the lyric.

VOICE: What was Linda's reaction when she heard the finished song?

JACK: I think she really liked it. At least that's the impression I got from her. I've written things for her in the past and I have a sense for when she likes something or not — she's pretty up front about it. There's a little smile that plays across her face and a look that shines out of her eyes... she had that when I played her the song.

VOICE: What went through your mind the first time you heard Linda sing "The Rainbow's End?"

JACK: First of all, this is Linda Eder we're talking about. One of a handful of singers on the planet possessed of such an incredible instrument, so it's a little like asking, "What went through your mind the first time you heard Frank Sinatra sing one of your songs?" Having said that, I feel I can say the first time I heard her sing it was in the Studio doing a guide vocal for the big band track that was being laid down. She'll be the first to admit that she didn't yet really know the melody and was faking it through the verses — still, this is Linda Eder faking, so it's good anyway, with flashes of brilliance to the point where you know it's gonna be great when it's finished. Now the first time I heard the finished, mixed product, I was totally blown away. She makes me sound smarter than I am.

Friends and Fans of Linda and Judy say...