A set consisting of five compact discs of songs performed by a single artist might seem like a bonanza to the singer's loyal fan base. It also could be daunting even to fervent followers when each song is followed by anywhere from one to four different recorded versions of the same number.
Judy Garland opens JSP Records’ 5-CD box set The Garland Variations: Songs She Recorded More Than Once (JSP 975) with “Everybody Sing,” the kind of rousing showstopper she was practically born to sing. Sessions for the song from MGM’s Broadway Melody of 1938 began when Garland was on the cusp of just fifteen years old, but the power of her vocal instrument was already in place. But even when belting with a force to rival the mighty Merman, there was always something unfailingly intimate – or personal – about a Judy Garland performance. There’s plenty of that intimacy, as well as that power, on this illuminating new set produced by JSP’s John Stedman and compiled and annotated by Lawrence Schulman.
CD1
01. Everybody Sing (MGM Soundtrack) (04:52)
02. Everybody Sing (Decca 30-Aug-1937 Version) (02:55)
03. (Dear Mr. Gable) You Made Me Love You (MGM Soundtrack Version) (04:00)
04. (Dear Mr. Gable) You Made Me Love You (Decca 24-Sept-1937 Version) (03:12)
05. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:56)
06. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart (Decca 29-Jul-1939 Version) (02:59)
07. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart (Capitol 19-May-1958 Version) (03:43)
08. It Never Rains, But What It Pours (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:27)
09. It Never Rains, But What It Pours (Decca 21-Aug-1938 Version) (02:36)
10. In Between (MGM Soundtrack Version) (04:35)
11. In Between (Decca 28-Jul-1938 Version) (04:06)
12. Ten Pins in the Sky (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:40)
13. Ten Pins in the Sky (Decca 18-Jul-1938 Version) (03:01)
14. The Jitterbug (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:27)
15. The Jitterbug (Decca 28-Jul-1939 Version) (02:46)
16. Over the Rainbow (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:16)
17. Over the Rainbow (Decca 28-Jul-1939 Version) (02:50)
18. Over the Rainbow (V-Disc 25-Aug-1944 Version) (02:46)
19. Over the Rainbow (Capitol 25-Aug-1955 Version) (03:33)
20. Over the Rainbow (Capitol Aug-1960 Version) (03:42)
21. Figaro (MGM Soundtrack Version) (01:20)
22. Figaro (Decca 16-Oct-1939 Version) (02:17)
23. I'm Just Wild About Harry (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:06)
24. I'm Just Wild About Harry (Decca 29-Jul-1939 Version) (02:01)
25. Swanee (Decca 16-Oct-1939 Version) (02:14)
26. Swanee (Capitol 03-Aug-1960 Version) (01:50)
CD2
01. Embraceable You (Decca 16-Oct-1939 Version) (02:52)
02. Embraceable You (15-Apr-1943 Version) (04:59)
03. Embraceable You (4-Nov-1943 Version) (03:15)
04. I'm Nobody's Baby (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:36)
05. I'm Nobody's Baby (Decca 10-Apr-1940 Version) (02:56)
06. Buds Won't Bud (MGM Pre-recording Outtake Version) (03:20)
07. Buds Won't Bud (10-Apr-1940 Version) (03:08)
08. Our Love Affair (MGM Soundtrack Version) (05:26)
09. Our Love Affair (Decca Dec-1940 Version) (02:59)
10. It's a Great Day for the Irish (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:40)
11. It's a Great Day for the Irish (Decca Dec-1940 Version) (02:29)
12. It's a Great Day for the Irish (Capitol Aug-1960 Version) (02:21)
13. A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:56)
14. A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow (Decca Version) (02:39)
15. A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow (Capitol Aug-1955 Version) (03:07)
16. Danny Boy (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:49)
17. Danny Boy (Capitol Sept-1955 Version) (03:08)
18. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:12)
19. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (Decca Dec-1940 Version) (03:02)
20. How About You? (MGM Soundtrack Version) (04:56)
21. How About You? (Decca Oct-1941 Version) (03:01)
22. F. D. R. Jones (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:51)
23. F. D. R. Jones (Decca Version) (02:32)
24. For Me and My Gal (MGM Soundtrack Version) (05:10)
CD3
01. For Me and My Gal (Decca 24-Jul-1942 Version) (02:33)
02. After You've Gone (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:22)
03. After You've Gone (Capitol 25-Aug-1955 Version) (02:17)
04. After You've Gone (Capitol 08-Aug-1960 Version) (02:20)
05. I Got Rhythm (MGM Soundtrack Version) (08:06)
06. I Got Rhythm (Decca 02-Nov-1943 Version) (02:52)
07. But Not for Me (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:34)
08. But Not for Me (Afrs May-1943 Version) (02:43)
09. But Not for Me (Decca 02-Nov-1943 Version) (03:10)
10. Bidin' My Time (MGM Soundtrack Version) (05:01)
11. Bidin' My Time (Decca 04-Nov-1943 Version) (03:08)
12. Could You Use Me? (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:46)
13. Could You Use Me? (Decca 04-Nov-1943 Version) (03:04)
14. Boys and Girls Like You and Me (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:19)
15. Boys and Girls Like You and Me (Decca 20-Apr-1944 Version) (03:11)
16. The Trolley Song (MGM Soundtrack Version) (04:06)
17. The Trolley Song (Decca 21-Apr-1944 Version) (02:55)
18. Meet Me in St. Louis (MGM Soundtrack Version) (01:59)
19. Meet Me in St. Louis (Decca 21-Apr-1944 Version) (02:16)
20. Skip to My Lou (Mgm Soundtrack Version) (02:28)
21. Skip to My Lou (Decca 21-Apr-1944 Version) (03:01)
22. The Boy Next Door (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:32)
23. The Boy Next Door (Decca 20-Apr-1944 Version) (03:06)
24. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:41)
25. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Decca 20-Apr-1944 Version) (02:45)
CD4
01. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (MGM Soundtrack Version) (03:31)
02. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (Decca 07-Jul-1945 Version) (03:10)
03. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (Decca 10-Sept-1945 Version) (03:13)
04. In the Valley (When the Evening Sun Goes Down) (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:30)
05. In the Valley (Where the Evening Sun Goes Down) (Decca 07-Sept-1945 Version) (02:53)
06. March of the Doagies (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:52)
07. March of the Doagies (Decca 14-May-1945 Version) (02:59)
08. Swing Your Partner 'Round and 'Round (MGM Soundtrack Version) (05:58)
09. Swing Your Partner 'Round and 'Round (Decca 14-May-1945 Version) (02:59)
10. It's a Great Big World (MGM Soundtrack Version) (06:22)
11. It's a Great Big World (Decca 07-Sept-1945 Version) (03:45)
12. You'll Never Walk Alone (Decca 10-Jul-1945 Version) (03:20)
13. You'll Never Walk Alone (Capitol 03-Aug-1960 Version) (04:07)
14. I Wish I Were in Love Again (Decca 15-Nov-1947 Version) (02:49)
15. I Wish I Were in Love Again (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:28)
16. Last Night When We Were Young (MGM Soundtrack Version) (02:56)
17. Last Night When We Were Young (Capitol 31-Mar-1956 Version) (03:30)
18. The Man That Got Away (Columbia 04-Sept-1953 Version) (03:41)
19. The Man That Got Away (Capitol 04-Aug-1960 Version) (04:10)
20. Rock-a-Bye Your Baby (with a Dixie Melody) (Capitol 25-Aug-1955 Version) (02:42)
21. Rock-a-Bye Your Baby (with a Dixie Melody) (Capitol 05-Aug-1960 Version) (03:12)
22. Judy's Olio (Capitol 29-Aug-1955 Version) (06:19)
CD5
01. Judy's Olio (Capitol Aug-1960 Version) (05:43)
02. Judy at the Palace (Capitol 29-Aug-1955 Version) (06:10)
03. Judy at the Palace (Capitol Aug-1960 Version) (06:45)
04. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe (Capitol 01-Sept-1955 Version) (04:27)
05. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe (Capitol Aug-1960 Version) (04:48)
06. Lucky Day (Capitol 27-Mar-1956 Version) (02:49)
07. Lucky Day (Capitol 02-Aug-1960 Version) (02:36)
08. Come Rain or Come Shine (Capitol 31-Mar-1956 Version) (03:44)
09. Come Rain or Come Shine (Capitol 04-Aug-1960 Version) (03:43)
10. By Myself (Capitol 22-Feb-1957 Version) (02:38)
11. By Myself (Capitol 09-May-1962 Version) (04:30)
12. Do It Again (Capitol 17-May-1958 Version) (02:46)
13. Do It Again (Capitol 02-Aug-1960 Version) (04:30)
14. I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Capitol 26-May-1958 Version) (04:44)
15. I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Capitol 08-Aug-1960 Version) (04:44)
16. It Never Was You (Capitol 08-Jun-1960 Version) (03:22)
17. It Never Was You (Capitol Outtake Take 4 Version) (04:30)
18. It Never Was You (Capitol W1861 û 1962 Version) (03:43)
