Meet Me in St. Louis

Judy Garland

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Meet Me in St. Louis Review

by Lindsay Planer

As one of the premiere MGM musicals of all time, it is amazing that a definitive Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) had never been available prior to this 1995 single CD. Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin's complete score is included, as are the oft-overlooked orchestrations from Conrad Salinger. Even though the role seems to have been written specifically for Judy Garland, the actress purportedly fought the studio, as she had grown weary of portraying children onscreen. As fate would have it, her performance not only stole the show, but became one of Garland's most critically and commercially successful performances. The plot deals with the Smith family during the winter of 1903, as they eagerly await the opening of the World's Fair in their hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. However, when the father is offered a substantial job in the Big Apple, their hopes of attending the event are dashed. Simply put, Garland -- who plays the second oldest female of five siblings -- is splendid from tip to tail. Especially notable are her solos on the yearning "The Boy Next Door," the holiday standard "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," the career-defining "Trolley Song," and on this edition, an outtake titled "Boys and Girls Like You and Me." She is joined by Lucille Bremer on the familiar reprise of the theme "Meet Me in St. Louis" and on the high-energy square dance routine "Skip to My Lou." Tom Drake -- the object of Garland's affections in the film -- pairs up for the poignant waltz ballad "Over the Banister." Although it tends to be eclipsed somewhat by the other luminous entries in the songbook, the vaudevillian "Under the Bamboo Tree" is a great production number with a very young Margaret O'Brien accompanying Garland. The liner notes are extensive, housing plenty of eye candy, as well as a detailed essay by George Feltenstein.

Track Listing

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Main Title Kerry Mills / Conrad Salinger / Andrew B. Sterling	Judy Garland feat: MGM Studio Chorus	03:02
2	Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis Public Domain / Kerry Mills / Andrew B. Sterling	Judy Garland feat: Joan Carroll / MGM Studio Chorus / Harry Davenport	01:24	Amazon
3	The Boy Next Door Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin	Judy Garland	03:28	Amazon
4	Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis Public Domain / Kerry Mills	Judy Garland feat: Lucille Brenner	01:56	Amazon
5	Getting Ready for the Party Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin / Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	01:36
6	Skip to My Lou Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin / Traditional	Judy Garland feat: Lucille Brenner	02:25	Amazon
7	Under the Bamboo Tree Bob Cole / Public Domain	Judy Garland feat: Margaret O'Brien	01:37
8	Saying Goodbye Ralph Blane / Roger Edens / Hugh Martin	Judy Garland	03:31
9	Over the Bannister Roger Edens / Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland feat: Tom Drake	01:26
10	The Trolley Song Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin	Judy Garland feat: MGM Studio Chorus	04:04	Amazon
11	Boys and Girls Like You and Me Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers	Judy Garland	02:16	Spotify Amazon
12	All Hallow's Eve Roger Edens / Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	04:19
13	The Most Horrible One Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	04:25
14	You and I Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed	Judy Garland feat: Arthur Freed / Denny Markas	02:40
15	Winter in St. Louis Roger Edens / Calvin Jackson	Judy Garland	00:44
16	I Hate Basketball Roger Edens / Calvin Jackson	Judy Garland	03:24
17	Under the Anheuser Bush	Judy Garland	01:40
18	Esther Accepts Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin / Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	03:51
19	Tootie's Music Box Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	01:46
20	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin	Judy Garland	02:37	Amazon
21	Tootie's Grief Conrad Salinger	Judy Garland	01:57
22	Finale Lennie Hayton / Harry Mills / Basil Poledouris	Judy Garland	03:32