RSS

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Judy Judy Judy!


For as long as I can remember, I have idolised Judy Garland. Even before Audrey Hepburn and Julie Andrews (though I have practically grown up watching Mary Poppins). I remember in class 5 or so, I read 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' and then waited eagerly, with my VCR ready to record 'The Wizard of Oz' when it came on TNT. I recall being extremely disappointed with the movie. It was my first dose of the bitter fact that movie adaptations of books do not always follow the original storyline. How could the script writers make Glinda and the good witch of the North the same? How could they send Dorothy back home straight from Emerald City, without her final journey to the South across Chinatown and the hill of the Hammerheads. And most sacrilagious of all, how could the whole thing have been a dream?! I was extremely upset and refused to watch the movie for a long time since then. But slowly, it grew on me. The iconic status that this movie has achieved now is farily understandable..I have never seen any movie so supremely designed to end up as iconic! Every line is quotable, every song is hummable, every character is memorable...Its a great package. And Judy Garland was soon my heroine.

She is pretty much the quitessential solo music performer. In my opinion, no one can quite perform like her. In 'Over the Rainbow', she unconciously holds your attention..her simple vulnerability, her innocence, her pleading eyes and the longing in her voice can appeal to people of all ages, be it young children or adults longing to get away from their stressful existence. This is officially my most favourite song of all time (surprisingly!). No song has so consistently moved me or inspired so many feelings like this song. I can listen to it even today and feel a lump in my throat. I totally think it deserves its status as the greatest movie song ever...to think it was almost deleted from the final cut of the movie! My admiration for Judy grew, watching her opposite Mickey Rooney in the 'Andy Hardy' movies. And then, I saw 'The Man that Got Away'. At the risk of repeating myself, I truly think this is one of the greatest performances I have ever seen of a song. And its unnerving how I know and can imagine, while listening to the song, ever hand gesture of hers, every expression..the way she covers her stage, throws her hand out, pushes her fringe back (I know I'm starting to sound slightly creepy now)etc etc! Simply amazing.

Judy Garland is the reason I have always wanted to be a singer in a night club (and consequently wished I was born white). Two songs, 'The Man that Got Away' and 'An Affair to Remember' (this one has Deborah Kerr singing) have always epitomised the elegant, smoky nightclubs of the 50s for me...and era and scene that I've always longed to be a part of. Of course, its all fantasy, nothing will ever come of such dreams. But every now and then, I like to imagine myself singing 'The Man that Got Away' with my backing band, an elegant dress on, wowing the crowd like Judy Garland continues to wow me. This post to dedicated to her, my childhood heroine, who's influence remains to this day.

1 comment:

RAP said...

I've always loved her too!!!! :-D