The Song That Was Almost Cut From The Wizard of Oz: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland



Poster for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  Image Credit

 It’s true. The song that defines The Wizard of Oz was almost cut from the movie. Some execs thought that the song slowed down the movie, and that it wasn’t exactly seemly for one of their stars to be singing in a farmyard, according to thewizardofoz.info.

Fortunately, they kept the song in—farmyard and all—and it became a signature song for the movie, as well as for Judy Garland.

You can download Garland’s version on Freegal. About a jillion people have recorded the song, so you’ll want to use the “Advanced Search” feature to pinpoint her performance.

As for the jillions of others: one of the most famous versions is by Katharine McPhee, American Idol finalist and current star on the TV show Smash.

Another group lighting up the Freegal charts, The Piano Guys has a medley of “Rainbow” and the tune “Simple Gifts.”

Also in the mix are Susan Boyle, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, John Williams, Doris Day, Aretha Franklin, Harry Connick, Jr., Placido Domingo, and Barbra Streisand.  Mary La Plant does a version with violin & guitar, Cidade Negra serves up a Reggae version, and Sound of the Rockies does it barbershop quartet style.

 

Adele Better Than Streisand? You Can Be the Judge at the Academy Awards

Adele at a concert in January 2009  Image Credit

I was on the phone the other day, teasing my dad about his long-lived crush on the singer Peggy Lee.

“No, it’s Adele now,” he said.

“You know about Adele?” I said. This is a fellow that call me and asks me to do internet research because he’s never been on that new-fangled contraption.

“Why sure,” he said. “She’s better than Streisand.”

I just read that Streisand is performing tonight on the Academy Awards. And Adele will singer her nominated song “Skyfall.” So you can line them up and be the judge: which is better?

And, unlike my dad, you probably have an internet connection and can download Adele’s songs through Freegal. I just checked, and there are dozens and dozens of Streisand’s, too.

For Days Gone By: "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns

Christmas bauble for "Auld Lang Syne: photo credit

Everyone knows we play this song at the New Year, but what does "Auld Lang Syne" mean?

The song is by Scottish poet Robert Burns (who also wrote the lines "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley").

The Scottish "auld lang syne" is translated literally "old long since," that is to say "old, old times" or "days gone by."

Take a look at the words in Scottish on Wikipedia.

Freegal has lots of versions of “Auld Lang Syne” available for download.

You can find versions by Barbra Streisand, Drums and Tuba, Banjo Christmas, Guitar Christmas, Romantic Christmas, Washingrton Saxophone Quartet, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (be sure you like bagpipes for this one), Tropical Steel Band, and a Celtic version by Shanon.