Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals Reviews

• This is Movie Musical Soundtrack Heaven. A MUST!

  
  By on 2002-06-06
  The great folks at Rhino and Turner have once again come up with a treasure chest of great (if not THE GREATEST!) songs from the golden era of Movie Musicals. With an emphasis from the masterpieces of MGM, but also with selections from Warner Bros. and RKO, this 2 CD set is simply a must-have for fans of soundtrack gems. All the great moments are here: Fred Astaire's romantic warblings to Ginger Rogers of CHEEK TO CHEEK, THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME and LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE; Gene Kelly's immortal SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, his fabulous duets with Judy Garland on FOR ME AND MY GAL and BE A CLOWN, and then of course there's Judy herself: The amazing GET HAPPY, the Oscar winning ON THE ATCHISON,TOPEKA, & SANTA FE, and of course the track that influenced the collection's title, OVER THE RAINBOW.

  The list goes on and on; I got chills listening to the huge stereophonic splendor of HALLELUJAH from "Hit the Deck", and the gorgeous duet by Vic Damone and Ann Blyth of STRANGER IN PARADISE from "Kismet". The superstar line-up also includes Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Tommy Dorsey, Lena Horne, Mickey Rooney, and dozens of others.

  If you don't have any of the full Rhino albums these tracks are taken from (each one of which is worth buying on its own), then this double CD is a sampler that will make you want all of them.
  If you already have the full albums, you'll want this super compilation as something you'll listen to in the car or the house or on your walkman over and over again.

  To top it off, there are SUPERB liner notes which are succinct and eloquent in encapsulating the genius of such a varied and unique collection of soundtrack performances. The notes are written by John Fricke, who has previously worked his magic on several great reissues and compilations, including many for Rhino. His work here is, as usual, superb.

  The sound quality overall is simply terrific. Some of the tracks are nearly 70 years old, but sound very, very good. Many of the tracks from the later vintage sound as if they were recorded yesterday. All in all, a sensational product, highly recommended!
  
  

• You won't be able to stop listening to this gem. A WINNER!!

  
  By on 2002-07-18
  Take all the greatest songs from Hollywood's greatest musicals, use top modern technology to make them sound amazing (while maintaining faithfulness to the original sonics), put them all together in a beautifully designed double CD, and you've got SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW.

  I've had this for over two weeks now, and still don't want to listen to anything else. All my favorite performers are here from Bing Crosby to Doris Day and everyone else in between. There are great liner notes, wonderful pictures, and at this price, getting so many songs for so (relatively) little money is an amazing bargain. I highly recommend this CD set.
  
  

• "Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us"

  
  By A2A7NHE5HTK79N on 2005-07-13
  Rhino Records and Turner Classic Movies Music present - "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS", some of the long ago musicals and stars that will never be forgotten...a 2-CD-Set covering several decades from 1935-1965 with many of the show stoppers of that time...some rare moments from entertainers that you haven't heard or thought of in sometime.
  
  The lineup is fantastic and gives the listener a variety of what musicals were all about in the "Golden Age of the Hollywood Musicals"
  June Allyson, Kay Armen, Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire, Ann Blyth, Jack Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Doris Day, Nanette Fabray, Connie Francis, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Kathyrn Grayson, Georges Guetary, Lena Horne, Betty Hutton, Louis Jourdan, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Grace Kelly, Peter Lawford, Oscar Levant, Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, Page Cavanaugh Trio, Debbie Reynolds, Winifred Shaw, Nancy Walker, Ethel Waters, Esther Williams, Dooley Williams and Keenan Wynn.
  
  On Disc One 21 Classic Songs from great musicals with songs in alphabetical order:
  AS TIME GOES BY - Dooley Wilson with Elliot Carpenter, pianist (1942)
  BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban (1949)
  BLESS, YORE BEAUTIFUL HIDE - Howard Keel (1954)
  EASTER PARADE - Fred Astaire & Judy Garland (1948)
  FOR ME AND MY GAL - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland (1942)
  GET HAPPY - Judy Garland (1950)
  HALLELUJAH! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs (for Russ Tamblyn) (1955)
  HONEYSUCKLE ROSE - Lena Horne with Benny Carter & His Orchestra (1943)
  LARA'S THEME (MAIN TITLE) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (1965)
  LULLABY OF BROADWAY - Winifred Shaw & Dick Powell (1935)
  MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET - Nancy Walker with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1944)
  NIGHT AND DAY - Fred Astaire (1934)
  PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - Clark Gable & Company (1939)
  'S WONDERFUL - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary (1951)
  SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - Gene Kelly (1951)
  STRANGER IN PARADISE - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone (1955)
  TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (1943)
  THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant (1953)
  THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern (1950)
  THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME - Fred Astaire (1949)
  TRUE LOVE - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly (1956)
  
  On Disc Two more memorable performances from the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals:
  A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON - Louis Armstrong (1951)
  ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter (1950)
  ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE - Gene Kelly (1954)
  BE A CLOWN - Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (1948)
  BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE - June Allyson & Peter Lawford (1947)
  CAN'T HELP LOVIN' DAT MAN - Ava Gardner (beautiful woman, who my youngest grandaughter is named after...Avalon) (1951)
  CHEEK TO CHEEK - Fred Astaire (1935)
  EMBRACEABLE YOU - Connie Francis (1965)
  GIGI - Louis Jourdan (1958)
  GOING HOLLYWOOD - Bing Crosby (1933)
  I GOT RHYTHM - Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney (1943)
  IF SWING GOES, I GO TOO - Fred Astaire (1946)
  IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY - Jane Powell (1948)
  LADY IS A TRAMP - Lena Horne (1948)
  LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE - Fred Astaire (1936)
  ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE - Judy Garland & Company (1946)
  ONE FOR MY BABY (AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD) - Fred Astaire (1943)
  OVER THE RAINBOW - Judy Garland (became her theme song for the rest of her life) (1939)
  PUT 'EM IN A BOX - Doris Day & the Page Cavanaugh Trio (1948)
  THE TROLLEY SONG - Judy Garland & MGM Studio Chorus (1944)
  WUNDERBAR - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel (two of MGM's favorite singing duos) (1953)
  
  It was once said by the songwriters of that era - "There are two artists you want perform your songs on the big screen, they are Fred Astaire and Judy Garland they sing it just the way we wrote it, for which you will have a guaranteed hit on your hands"...well, this collections certainly has some merit to that statement...because with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire performing seven songs each, there must be something to it.
  
  This collection of musicals still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years...but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten...hats off to Rhino Records, George Feltenstein (producer) and Doug Schwartz (engineer) and Turner Classic Movies for sharing those 42 selections from 42 films...celebrating decades of the tunes and artists that gave it their all...from what it commonly called "The Hollywood Dream Factory"...The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals is still among us...gotta love it!
  
  Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Rhino Records 78323 ~ (6/02/2002)
  
  

• Hollywood at it's Best

  
  By A3OY7CS2DJJ7SS on 2004-05-29
  The music on this double CD is excellent, as is the sound quality. Every song brings a smile to my face. I love Classic Rock, and although I'm not going to compare apples to oranges, I love to just stop rocking now and then, and listen to the great music from this era. Over the last few years I have been adding great music from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Glen Miller, etc. to my library, and this one ranks very high on my list for a compilation of great Hollywood musicals. Crank up the volume and enjoy!
  
  

• A must for any musical nuts!

  
  By A2RFOLPMETPPUH on 2002-10-04
  That's it, guys! This two CDs will make us return to the golden era of musicals, it selects the most famous songs of movies of 30's, but mostly 40's and 50's.
  Some people say it should have been more Fred and Ginger musics, others say there should have been more Bing Crosby... but one thing is undeniable it's a true masterpiece that I never get tired listening.

  It includes some classics that I had already known- "Singin' In The Rain", "There's No Business Like Show Business" (the original, not the Ethel Merman version), "S'wonderfu"l, "That's Entertainment"(4 people singing!), "Lullaby of Broadway", "Night and Day"(a gem, even today!), "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Over the Rainbow"(moving), "The Trolley Song", "Gigi", "I Got Rhytm", "The Lady Is a Tramp" (I knew the Sinatra version from Pal Joey), "Cheek to Cheek" (immortal), "A Kiss To Build A Dream On" (I prefer other orchestration, this one is too calm), "Let's Face The Music And Dance" (not by Diana Krall!), "Be a Clown, Embraceable You, On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe" (I knew the Crosby version), "One For My Baby" (I knew the Sinatra version).
  But there where a lot of musics that I didn't know and I began to love- Easter parade (too bad there wasn't "It Only Happens When I Dance With You"!) True Love (I'm a huge Crosby fan), "Baby It's Cold Outside" (Delicious! Fantastic! No wonder it earned the 1949 oscar!), "Bless Your Beautiful Hide", "Taking a Chance On Love" (very beautiful), "Wunderbar" (I adore Cole Porter), etc.

  There are two tracks that some guys might say that they aren't from musicals- "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago and "As Time Goes By"- but I was happy to found them here, cause I'm not going to buy the complete soundtracks.

  A word to describe the CDs-TIMELESS!
  
  

• WHEN HOLLYWOOD COULD SING
  By A2IU2BSVWQLKJ7 on 2004-10-02
  WOW!! AWESOME!! RHINO HAS DONE IT AGAIN. Rhino Records always puts out great anthologies. I can remember growing up in the 60's and these musicals were always playing on the television on a Saturday afternoon. I have to thank my Mom for that. I remember most of these tunes and I can't wait to order this. It took some time to search it out on Amazon. Congratulations!! You won't find another collection as good as this. It's the closest you can get to owning the best of Hollywood Musicals without buying every soundtrack. If you remember lazy days on the family couch singing along with JUDY GARLAND, FRED ASTAIRE, and GENE KELLY, this collection should HIT THE SPOT.
  
  I agree, this collection needs more BING CROSBY. But I disagree that it needs some SINATRA. (Even though I love ON THE TOWN and GUYS AND DOLLS.) There are plenty of great SINATRA recordings to own (I have 12), but these recordings are RARE. Man, they had to make room for CLARK GABLE. What a great choice. But never fear SINATRA fans, maybe Rhino will do a box set. One can only hope.
  
  "FORGET YOUR TROUBLES, COME ON GET HAPPY." IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN HOLLYWOOD COULD SING, YOU HAVE TO GET THIS. ENJOY.
  
  
• They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!
  By A2R6RA8FRBS608 on 2006-11-17
  Everything that happens in life
  Can happen in a show
  You can make 'em laugh
  You can make 'em cry
  Anything
  Anything can go....
  
  The clown with his pants falling down
  Or the dance that's a dream of romance
  Or the scene where the villain is mean
  That's entertainment!
  
  The lights on the lady in tights
  Or the bride with the guy on the side
  Or the ball where she gives him her all
  That's entertainment!
  
  The plot and the hot simply teeming with $ex
  A gay divorcee who is after her ex
  It could be Oedipus Rex
  Where a chap kills his father
  And causes a lot of bother
  
  The clerk who is thrown out of work
  By the boss who is thrown for a loss
  By the skirt who is doing him dirt
  
  The world is a stage,
  The stage is a world of entertainment!
  
  This two CD set amply proves that the musical melodies and lyrics from the golden age of the Hollywood musical remain unsurpassed to this day. This generous two CD set offers 42 incredible songs from Hollywood classic musicals. Most of these fine numbers are indeed from MGM, as Amazon correctly notes; but there are some RKO numbers and even a little from Warner Brothers. Thank goodness, though, that most of these songs came from MGM movies; MGM was the only studio that could boast that it truly had "more stars than there are in the heavens."
  
  I love so many songs on these two CDs. Of course, there's the unforgettable classic "Over The Rainbow" sung by Judy Garland; she also performs "Easter Parade" and "Get Happy" on this two CD set and she carries most of the tune for "I Got Rhythm" even though Mickey Rooney helps her a little. I love "Baby, It's Cold Outside" for its' romantic overtones; and Lena Horne's "The Lady Is A Tramp" is flawless! We also get a rare chance to hear Clark Gable sing in "Puttin' On The Ritz;" and Bing Crosby's "Going Hollywood" may be brief but it's a fun song anyway.
  
  There are two "bonus" tracks on the first CD: "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago. "As Time Goes By" is a good choice; it is another unsurpassed classic song that brings back memories and touches even the hardest of hearts. "Lara's Theme," however, is from the mid 1960s and I don't consider this period to be part of the "golden age" of Hollywood musicals.
  
  The liner notes are excellent and they offer wonderful photos of the stars as well. The cover art is well done and the reverse cover art tells which movie each song is from and who is performing each song. Moreover, the quality of the sound is excellent especially when you consider that these numbers were recorded quite a few decades ago.
  
  In short, this superlative two CD highlights the glory of the Hollywood musical when a certain type of sophistication dominated professional movie production. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Hollywood musicals, classic pop vocals and fans of the artists and actors who perform on this two CD set.
  
  
  
• Wundebar!
  By A2J1F3ERZXO9GY on 2003-05-24
  This is a a fun-filled walk down Memory Lane!
  
  
• Very Good
  By AXOMR2AKER252 on 2002-12-02
  I've been writing a musical comedy for awhile, and needed some music for the scene segues. It takes place in Hollywood circa 1940s, and I'll tell you, this captures the era perfectly. It wasn't the classics like "Singin' in the Rain" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that really impressed me. Some of my favorites are "Going Hollywood", an upbeat and hopeful tune...Astaire's "If Swing Goes, I Go Too", Brilliant! Stop reading this review already, and add this to your cart. You'll be the envy of all your friends-Ok, maybe not. But who the heck cares, its a great CD.
  
  
• Somewhere Over The Rainbow
  By AUV4VXZOLA9X5 on 2006-02-24
  A Sensational CD with Lots of Showtunes that Keep You Happy and makes You Want To Sing Along With!!!
  
  

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