Album Review: JUDY GARLAND: THE TWO-A-DAY IS BACK IN TOWN, Brings Our Judy Into Your Living Room Like Never Before

Heigh Ho, dear lovely rainbow tribe, welcome back to Bobby’s CD sandbox where we offer our broken-down breakdowns of new music releases. So, strap in and get ready, as Bobby goes on the record ABOUT the record.

This week’s album entry in the BobbyFiles comes from the darlings at JSP Records, who have recently released a NEW Judy Garland album!  OK, it’s not “new-new,” but it is new to the recording world, in a lot of important ways, my dear ones.  Those fine and clever folks at JSP have released (this is a long one, darlings) Judy Garland: THE TWO-A-DAY IS BACK IN TOWN, CLOSING NIGHT AT THE PALACE, FEBRUARY 24, 1952.  Fans will remember that La Judy played the famous theatre for an unprecedented 19 weeks and this was the final performance.  Produced by John Stedman, the dis is described as “based on a new transfer and restoration of original acetate transcription discs and other sources,” (phew) this new, first-ever complete release of the concert was remastered by John H. Haley and features liner notes by Garland expert Lawrence Schulman (who has a 2023 book out about the legend), as well as eyewitness accounts by singer-pianist Charlie Cochran.  And, my dears, the album is just lovely.  It is wonderful and joyful and not just worth it to the Garland fans, it would be an album to use to introduce a Garland neophyte to the legend.  Why?  Gather 'round and Let Little Bobby tell you…

Sooooo. This is not new material.  There are other albums with these songs and arrangements on them.  There are other live albums with these songs and arrangements on them.  There are bootlegs and there are YouTubes with versions of these cuts.  But this is a live Judy Garland album, and it is always worth listening to a live Judy Garland album, even if all of the songs and arrangements are ones you have already heard, because every time Judy Garland went out on the stage, it was a different show.  Judy Garland was possibly (for many, definitely) the most authentic performer to ever step onto a stage.  She didn’t do an act, even though her shows were written like a nightclub act, including boy singer/dancers (as on this one), specialty material, and a variety show arc.  But Judy Garland always went on stage as herself.  So whatever Judy Garland said in her live shows was coming right off the top of her head.  And that’s the magic.  Oh yes, dear Bobby readers, the Garland singing and storytelling are beyond compare, whatever era you are diving deep into - so that’s always in the air.  You can count on the tracks to be FAB, whether it is the Palace Medley, a laugh-filled duet with Jack McClendon from Easter Parade, or the Judy’s Olio number, and guess what?  They are good.  They are marvelous.  They are what you think they will be and they are very well restored by Mr. Haley.  But in between all of these numbers performed in 1952, with Judy sounding in a good and powerful voice, there are lots of talkie bits where you get to hear Judy be Judy.  There are chats about the engagement (remember, this was her closing night), about her dress, about her shoes and whether they are or are not comfortable, and there are giggles and laughs and lovely genuine moments with Judy Garland that don’t come with studio recordings.  She wonders aloud if she will know the words to a song that the audience has requested on the fly, she even remarks that she is worried she might not sound good on one very important song… as if, Dorothy, as if.  She expounds about the special nature of a song written for one of her children.  She shares that she will sing one particular song just for her husband, Sid Luft.  Judy Garland shares, full stop.  That’s what she does on this album.  She was a most generous performer, always giving of herself, and it is really present on these live recordings.  It is really present on this album, and that is what makes it wonderful.  

This new treasure from JSP also features a bonus track, recorded live on a different night this Palace run… the liner notes offer that:
 

*Some prior releases of this show substituted a different live “Over the Rainbow” taken from a performance at the Curran Theatre, San Francisco, on June 22, 1952. The present release presents the original. In addition, the Palace show is presented here with the numbers in correct sequence.
 

JSP Records has an entire Judy Garland section on their website HERE and that’s a wonderful thing because the Judy Garland legacy and music catalogue must never be ignored on this side of the rainbow, my angels  - they need to be supported, promoted, and always placed in the light, and it is albums like this one that help keep the memory and the music alive.  Judy Garland: THE TWO-A-DAY IS BACK IN TOWN, CLOSING NIGHT AT THE PALACE, FEBRUARY 24, 1952 is a great addition to their catalogue and to all of your FAB-U-LOUS music collections, which is why …

This one gets 4 Out Of 5 Rainbows

Jump In The Amazon & Order This CD TODAY: HERE

You Can See And Hear Everything About This And Other JSP Albums On The Webbysite: HERE

Tracklist:

Overture (first release)
Chorus introduction (Judy’s Boyfriends)
Call the Press/On the Town (Judy & her Boyfriends)
Judy at the Palace Medley
Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody
Introduction of Hugh Martin; Judy’s Olio
This is Our Spot (Judy’s Boyfriends)
Get Happy (Judy & her Boyfriends)
What Next? What’ll She Do Now? (Judy’s Boyfriends)
A Couple of Swells (Judy & Jack McClendon)
The Trolley Song (instrumental)
Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow (instrumental)
Love (Hugh Martin, piano)
Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow (Hugh Martin, piano)
Liza (Hugh Martin, piano)
Judy introduces Lauritz Melchior
Auld Lang Syne (audience) 
Over the Rainbow (concluding instrumental)
 

BONUS TRACK:

After You’ve Gone (Hugh Martin, piano), from another night, date unknown 
 

RKO Palace Orchestra; Jack Cathcart, Conductor; Hugh Martin, Piano. Judy’s Eight Boyfriends: Hal Bell; Jack Boyle; William Lundy; Bert May (Dance Specialty); Jack McLendon; Hamil Petroff; Jack Regas; and Ricky Riccardi.

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