The Letter

Judy Garland | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 13, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Drg
• ASIN: B000MM1F1E
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,666 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Judy's most obscure album comes back into print, March 17, 2007

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Letter (Audio CD)

"She found the answer to love in 'The Letter'...."

Finally, here's the super-rare Judy Garland album THE LETTER, making it's compact disc premiere. Garland teamed with musical director/arranger/composer Gordon Jenkins for this concept album, which at heart works as a song-cycle. Of all the albums Garland made during her decade with Capitol Records, THE LETTER is by far the most experimental, as it features a complete through-narrative.

The Ralph Brewster Singers offer a solid back-up for Garland's vocals, and the gentle narration is provided by John Ireland. This album provided Garland the chance to explore the full spectrum of emotions, like the catty comedy of "The Worst Kind of Man"; reminisces of childhood reverie in "The Red Balloon"; and the sobering realisation that comes "At the Stroke of Midnight".

While "The Worst Kind of Man" and "The Red Balloon" both surfaced on a 2002 double-disc compilation of Garland's Capitol recordings (Classic Garland: Capitol Years 1955-1965); this release from DRG marks the first time that THE LETTER has been issued on compact disc. Added as bonus tracks are alternate takes for several of the key numbers ("Beautiful Trouble", "That's All There Is...", "The Worst Kind of Man", "The Red Balloon").

Snap it up today!

[DRG 19102]

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Judy's Maginficent "Lost" Letter, April 19, 2007

By 

Steven Housman "SHARK" (West Hollywood, CA & Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Letter (Audio CD)

Garland's out-of-print Capitol Records 1959 masterpiece The Letter, which is one of the most unique albums of her career, has been digitally remixed and remastered directly from the multi-track stereo session tapes.

This lost treasure of Garland's tells the story of a relationship throughout its first meeting, a breakup, and then reconciliation. The Letter contains narration of a letter written to Garland by her beau, played by acclaimed Academy Award nominee John Ireland. As Judy reads his letter, her thoughts mend with his, and she answers him musically, through ten songs, beginning with her exquisite interpretation of "Beautiful Trouble" and carries us through other magnificent renditions of "Love In The Village," "Charley's Blues," "The Worst Kind Of Man," the spectacular "That's All There Is, There Isn't Any More," "Love In Central Park," "The Red Balloon," "The Fight," "At The Stroke Of Midnight" and the closer, "Come Back."

The Letter is crafted by Gordon Jenkins, a musical conductor and arranger most famously associated with Nat "King" Cole and Frank Sinatra. Back in those days, a concept album was a rarity and only recorded by a handful of greats, and Garland certainly ranked as the finest female vocalist of her era.

For those familiar with this 1959 recording, it simply becomes a whole new listening experience. For those of you who are fans but have never had the opportunity to hear this album, trust me, you will be floored. Along with the sparkling sound, this CD features four bonus tracks, rare single versions of songs meant for radio play in 1959, and a lavish booklet that includes rare artwork and detailed liner notes by Scott Schechter, the preeminent Garland authority and author of the book Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend.

When it comes to a Garland recording, especially one this fine, no words could fully sum up her genius.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, March 24, 2007

By 

Grant Richards (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Letter (Audio CD)

This CD deserves 5 stars on just two reasons alone: 1) a high-quality, remastered release--thank you DG! 2) a prominent Judy Garland recording from 50 years ago finally making it to CD! Buy this amazing CD and support DG's efforts, please.