The Music of Judy Garland Trivia Quiz

Answer: Over the Rainbow

Written by Harold Arlen (music) and E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg (lyrics) the song, 'Over the Rainbow' is a famous song sung by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie 'The Wizard of Oz'. She was only 16 years old when she recorded it.

In the movie, Judy plays a young girl named Dorothy Gale, who dreams of a magical place, that can be found 'somewhere over the rainbow', where everything is peaceful and happy. It talks about wishing for a better world.

The song ranked number one on the AFI's list of '100 Years...100 Songs' (greatest songs in American cinema), won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1940 and became her signature song throughout her career. It's considered one of the greatest songs of the 20th century.

Answer: Judy at Carnegie Hall

'Judy at Carnegie Hall' is a special album made from a live concert Judy Garland performed on April 23, 1961. The concert took place at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Judy sang many of her most loved songs, including 'Over the Rainbow', 'The Trolley Song', and 'The Man That Got Away'. She was backed by a full orchestra, and the audience included big stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Richard Burton. It was called 'The Greatest Show in Show Business'.

The album was released on July 10, 1961, and became a big hit. It stayed on the music charts for 73 weeks and won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

Answer: Babes in Arms

'Good Morning' is a song that Judy Garland sang with Mickey Rooney in the 1939 movie 'Babes in Arms'. In the scene, they've been working all night and are excited about their new show idea. It was written by Nacio Herb Brown (music) and Arthur Freed (lyrics).

'Babes in Arms' was one of several popular Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland films. It was based on the 1937 Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical of the same name, though most of the original stage songs were replaced with new ones for the film.

'Good Morning' became even more famous when it was reused in 'Singin' in the Rain' (1952), where Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor performed a memorable version. The 'Singin' in the Rain' version is probably the best-known today.

Answer: Decca Records

Judy Garland began recording with Decca Records in the mid-1930s and continued through the 1940s, creating many of her most well-known songs outside of her film soundtracks. These recordings helped shape her early career and revealed her powerful voice beyond the movie screen.

Her first Decca test recordings were made in March 1935, when she was just 12 years old, performing with her sisters as The Garland Sisters. Her solo on 'Bill' impressed Decca's executives, leading to her first contract in late 1935. Her Decca recordings from the 1940s included hits like 'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows'.

Many of these recordings from the 1930s and 1940s were later compiled into albums like 'Judy Garland: The Complete Decca Masters (Plus)', released in 1994. Her Decca work is distinct from her film soundtracks.

Answer: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' was first sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie 'Meet Me in St. Louis'. The original lyrics were more sombre, but Judy asked for changes to make it more hopeful for the movie scene.

In the movie, Judy plays Esther Smith, a teenage girl living in St. Louis in 1903. In a quiet, emotional scene, she sings the song to her younger sister Tootie (played by Margaret O'Brien), who is sad because their family might have to move away. Judy's singing comforts her, and the moment became one of the most touching scenes in the film.

The song became a holiday classic and was later recorded by many artists, including Frank Sinatra. It's now one of the most performed Christmas songs in the world.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Judy and Mickey Rooney were MGM's dream team in the late 1930s and early 1940s. They starred together in nine films, including the Andy Hardy series and musicals like 'Babes in Arms', 'Strike Up the Band', 'Babes on Broadway' and 'Girl Crazy'. In 'Words and Music' (1948), they reunited for the duet 'I Wish I Were in Love Again'.

Judy and Gene Kelly first teamed up in 'For Me and My Gal' (1942), which was Kelly's film debut. Their duet 'For Me and My Gal' became a wartime favourite. They also appeared together in 'The Pirate' (1948), where they performed 'Be a Clown'.

Judy and Frank Sinatra sang together in 'Till the Clouds Roll By' (1946), a musical tribute to composer Jerome Kern. Their duet 'Look for the Silver Lining' was a highlight of the film. Though they didn't co-star in many MGM musicals, they performed together in radio broadcasts and concerts, including Judy's famous 1961 Carnegie Hall show.

The only one she never sang with was Elvis Presley.

Answer: We're a Couple of Swells

'We're a Couple of Swells', written by Irving Berlin, is a funny duet performed by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in the 1948 MGM musical 'Easter Parade'. Dressed as tramps, they sing and dance their way through the song which pokes fun at high society.

They sang it as their vaudeville characters Hannah Brown and Don Hewes. The scene is set in a vaudeville theatre, where Judy and Fred wear oversized, ragged clothes and act out their comic routine.

The term 'swell' is old-fashioned slang for a rich, fancy person. The lyrics describe two poor characters pretending to be wealthy, joking about how they'd travel up Park Avenue, if only they had a car, a horse, or even ice to skate on.

Answer: The Trolley Song

'The Trolley Song' was sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie 'Meet Me in St. Louis'. It's one of her most famous musical numbers. She sings it while riding a bright red trolley, surrounded by cheerful passengers.

In the movie, Judy plays Esther Smith, a young girl who's thrilled to ride the trolley through town. She hopes to see her crush, and when she does, she bursts into song! The lyrics describe the sights, sounds, and feelings of the ride, especially the thrill of falling in love. The lyrics 'Clang, clang, clang went the trolley, ding, ding, ding went the bell' mimic the trolley's sounds.

The song was nominated for an Academy Award and became a classic which is still performed today.

Answer: True

'The London Sessions' is a posthumous Judy Garland album released in 1992 as part of the box set 'The One and Only', then as a standalone CD featuring recordings made in London in 1960. It includes both standards and medleys.

She recorded these tracks in August 1960 during sessions in London, conducted by Norrie Paramor. They were part of her work with Capitol Records, separate from her earlier Decca years. Though not released during her lifetime, these sessions were rediscovered and compiled decades later.

Some of the songs on it are: 'Stormy Weather', 'You Go to My Head', 'Come Rain or Come Shine', 'San Francisco', 'The Man That Got Away', 'Swanee', 'Lucky Day' and Medley: 'Judy at the Palace' / 'Shine On Harvest Moon' / 'Some of These Days' / 'My Man' / 'I Don't Care'.

Answer: Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody

The song 'Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody' was written in 1918 by Jean Schwartz (music) and Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young (lyrics). Judy Garland performed it with great flair, especially in her legendary 1961 Carnegie Hall concert.

It was first popularised by Al Jolson in the Broadway show 'Sinbad'. The lyrics mix lullaby imagery with Southern musical references, like 'Swanee River' and 'Mammy Mine'.

Judy recorded and performed the song multiple times and often used it as a showstopper, delivering big notes and dramatic phrasing that thrilled audiences. It's featured on 'Judy at Carnegie Hall', and included in compilations like 'The London Sessions' and 'The Capitol Masters' and is available in both studio and live versions.

The other three songs were written for movie musicals.