(Click here to read reviews of this album!)
This page is devoted to Liza Minnelli's first live album, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli: "Live" at the London Palladium.
The two shows that Liza and Judy performed together at the London Palladium were recorded on November 8th and 15th, 1964 (the latter of which was also filmed, and became the 55-minute program that first aired on ITV British Television and was later released as a video for the rest of the world). However, as the quoted "Live" part of the album title would imply, it's an almost deceptive title, as many of the vocal tracks were later re-recorded on November 23rd, 1964 at Capitol's London studio. The history of this particular album is a long and muddled, turbulent tale.
Part of the reason for the retakes is that during the November 15th show, the television cameras used to film the show emitted a buzzing noise that effectively ruined the audiotapes that were recorded. Even more tragically, not only was the show not able to be 100% accurately preserve in audio format, but the very cameras that ruined the audio recordings only ended up airing and releasing 55 minutes of the show. The rest of the footage was destroyed, without any known copies surviving. (Such were the errs of UK television back in the 60's - this sort of treatment was given to many shows and programs that were aired on the BBC.) Similarly, the album received the same treatment. To date, the complete concert has not been released, save for a very briefly available German import that was quickly snuffed out of print. However, bootleg copies of the entire performance do exist, and are floating around quite easily accessible on the internet if you know where to look. As this was the only official joint performance between Liza and Judy (not including the impromptu appearances Liza made with Judy onstage from 1956 through 1967), this is why such heated feelings arise about the lack of the entire performance being available for purchase.
Depending upon which source you cite, the original Capitol Records release of the two-LP set (#SWBO-2295) was released on either July 25th, 1965, August 2nd, 1965, or October 1965 (specific date unspecified) - the correct date is even cause for debate amongst the fan community. Later, in May of 1973, the album was re-released in an abridged, single record version (Capitol ST-1191), then again issued as a half-speed master LP in 1978. The single LP was later issued into an even further abridged CD, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli: Together on January 12th, 1993. Some of the tracks, including the previously unreleased "Once In A Lifetime", "Just In Time", and "Don't Rain On My Parade" were included in the 1991 Capitol boxed set, The One And Only. Other tracks have been included in CD compilations such as It Was A Good Time - The Best of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli (released August 4th, 1998). A studio overdub version of "Don't Rain On My Parade" was released on the 2002 two-CD set Classic Judy Garland: The Capitol Years 1955-1965.
In 2002, Garland and Minnelli historian Scott Schecter produced a complete version of the fifty song concert, originally scheduled to be issued by Capitol Records on September 17th, 2002, but every attempt to release the album has been halted. Speculation leads one to believe one of several theories as to why the album has yet to see the light of day in the way it was originally intended. One theory is that the family was unhappy with the release because of the quality of Judy's voice on several of the vocals. Another theory is that Lorna Luft (Liza's younger sister) blocked the release because she wanted a cut of the profits and/or money for the usage of Judy's images. Still another theory is that Sid Luft (Judy's third husband and father of Lorna and Joey) had stepped in and stopped the release, as he'd negotiated Judy's original contract with Capitol in 1955 and at least one of its renewals five years later. He was in a position to know that the label wasn't allowed to disseminate any Garland tracks without her approval; or, after her demise, by those representing her. Sid had taken part in semi-regular dealings with various Capitol representative over the decades, so when he moved to halt the Palladium release, they listened. And finally, one more reason that the album perhaps has not yet been released is because Schecter has now since passed away, and the project remains in limbo. Hopefully, maybe one day, the album will be released in full. Until then, there's multiple versions of the album floating around as well as the bootlegs.
The shortened album received mixed reviews upon its 1965 release (including a scathing notice from Stereo Review) but it sold very well: the album debuted on Billboard's charts on September 4th, 1965, and spent a total of 14 weeks there, peaking at number 41 - a great accomplishment for something that wasn't the Beatles or rock in the fall of 1965.
(Read reviews of the album here!)
1. Overture (instrumental)
2. Once In A Lifetime
3. Maggie May
4. As Long As He Needs Me
5. Just In Time
6. It's Yourself
7. The Traveling Life
8. Pass That Peace Pipe
9. The Gypsy In My Soul
10. How Could You Believe Me?
11. Maybe This Time
12. Hello Dolly
13. Hello Dolly (reprise)
14. Together
15. Smile
16. Never Will I Marry
17. The Man That Got Away
18. We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together/
The Best Is Yet To Come
19. Bob White
20. Don't Rain On My Parade
1. "Judy Medley"
2. Hooray For Love
3. Make Someone Happy
4. Joey, Joey, Joey
5. The Music That Makes Me Dance
6. I'm All I've Got
7. It's Just A Matter of Time
8. If I Were In Your Shoes
9. What Now My Love?
10. Johnny One Note
11. Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy
12. Brotherhood of Men/When The Saints Go Marching In
13. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
14. Battle Hymn of the Republic
15. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
16. Who's Sorry Now?
17. Swanee
18. Chicago
19. Over The Rainbow
20. San Francisco
