Ziegfeld Follies [Soundtrack]

All I can say is that I think that this CD is wondeful. It includes outtakes and the full versions (and extended ones) of the songs from the film. Highlights from the CD include 'Love' by Lena Horne and 'The Interview' by Judy Garland, and Kathryn Grayson singing 'There's Beauty Everywhere'. Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire's 'The Babbitt and the Bromide' is quite fun too. Believe me you'll find yourself singing along to the tunes all day long. All in all, a great CD featuring great stars.

Ziegfeld Follies was one of MGM's greatest extravaganza musicals with all the gaiety and pizzazz MGM could ever muster. This CD gives us the music and lyrics to some of the best musical numbers MGM ever produced.

The album starts with the "Main Title" which is essentially the music they played at the beginning of the movie when they ran the intro credits. The arrangement uses the brass, strings, percussion and more to create an exciting theme for the opening of the movie.

Listen for Fred Astaire and the MGM Studio Chorus to perform a fabulous "Here's To The Girls." Fred never sounded better; and the arrangement charms me with its beauty. The chorus harmonizes perfectly, too. Virginia O'Brien, famous for delivering a ballad with a deadpan face, sings "Bring On Those Wonderful Men." Virginia sings this quite sweetly and the strings enhance the natural beauty of this number.

Avon Long and the MGM Studio Chorus perform a fine number entitled "Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away." This ballad features a lush musical arrangement; although Avon Long's voice is a tad thin he still delivers every note right on target. In addition, Lena Horne sings "Love" with passion, heart and soul. Ooh, how Lena could sing!

"Limehouse Blues" is one of the two or three instrumental tracks on this disc; and the musical orchestration will impress you--it sure did me! I also really like Judy Garland's performance of "The Interview" with the MGM Studio Chorus. "The Babbitt And The Bromide" is another treat delivered by the great Fred Astaire with Gene Kelly.

The CD ends with two renditions of "There's Beauty Everywhere" by Kathryn Grayson and James Melton. Kathryn sings as perfectly as she ever did and James Melton never misses a note, either!

The liner notes have excellent artwork and we get the songs credits. There's also an informative essay about the numbers and the movie overall.

If you like the best musicals ever produced, then you're a fan of the MGM musical. The soundtrack to Ziegfeld Follies, here on disc with outtakes, is a must have for you.

Pretty cool collection of some good songs, some great songs, and a little interesting banter as well that takes one back to a way different time. Recording quality is excellent for music this old.