Just for Openers

Just for Openers
Live album by Judy Garland
Released	March 30, 1964 (1964-03-30)
Genre	Traditional pop standards show tunes
Length	34:00 (Sources vary regarding the equivalent duration in seconds)
Label	Capitol Records
Producer	Kermit Walter

Just for Openers is the third live album by Judy Garland. It was released on April 6, 1964, by Capitol Records, compiling selections from her performances on The Judy Garland Show, her television series that aired during 1963–64. This album marks the only official release of material from the show at the time, with Garland performing a mixture of standards, show tunes, and traditional pop, such as "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". The original release included both mono and a simulated stereo version (Capitol's "Duophonic" process) to appeal to various playback systems popular at the time.

The album's producer, Kermit Walter, arranged for a selection of songs that highlighted Garland's vocal versatility and stage presence, despite her show being canceled after one season. While the album was popular among her fans, it remained out of print for years. Later releases, including an abridged 1980 version and other compilations, have since made more of her TV recordings available in higher fidelity.

The Billboard review expresses a positive opinion about the album. It mentions that although her CBS-TV show was canceled after one season, the album delivers enough audio excitement to be a strong seller. It also highlights that Judy is in top vocal form and questions why her show didn't succeed.[1] The Cashbox review praises the album, describing it as a collection of "vocal beauties" and highlighting Garland's "distinctive brand of vocal artistry" applied to both old and new favorites such as "It's A Good Day," "More," "As Long As He Needs Me," and "I Wish You Love."[2]

Over the years, recordings from The Judy Garland Show have appeared on various unofficial or "bootleg" albums and CDs, some reportedly produced by Garland's ex-husband, Sid Luft. These bootleg releases often suffered from low audio quality or were heavily altered with electronic enhancements. Capitol Records did not release any official compilation of songs from the series until 1989, when selected tracks were included on the CD Judy Garland Live! In 2001, a more comprehensive collection of recordings from The Judy Garland Show was issued under the title The Show That Got Away, offering fans higher-quality versions of songs from the show.[3][4]

Track listing

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date
1	"It's a Good Day"	Peggy Lee, Dave Barbour	November 8, 1963
2	"That's All"	Alan Brandt, Bob Haymes	October 11, 1963
3	"Some People"	Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim	October 11, 1963
4	"More"	Andrea Morricone, Riz Ortolani, Norman Newell	November 30, 1963
5	"Island in the West Indies"	Harold Arlen, Leo Robin	October 18, 1963
6	"As Long as He Needs Me"	Lionel Bart	July 16, 1963
7	"Get Me to the Church on Time"	Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner	November 30, 1963
8	"Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)"	Bart Howard	September 20, 1963
9	"I Wish You Love"	Charles Trenet, Albert Beach	September 27, 1963
10	"Jamboree Jones"	Vernon Duke, John Latouche	November 30, 1963
11	"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"	Traditional, arranged by Mort Lindsey	December 13, 1963
12	"Maybe I'll Come Back"	Charles Strouse, Lee Adams	July 30, 1963

References

1. "Album reviews". Billboard. Vol. 76, no. 16. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 18 April 1964. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
2. "Album reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XXV, no. 34. 2 May 1964. p. 30. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
3. "Judy Garland Discography: Just for Openers". The Judy Room.
4. "Judy Garland – Just for Openers". AllMusic.