Judy's Sydney concert

I needed a break from formatting this book of mine and as I have written about Sydney and Judy before, thought I would comment on the recording that I had been sent by one of my Judy friends of her concert on May 16, 1964.  It was so exciting for me to hear a new concert-new because I had not heard it before.  Think this must have been the last really great concert the likes of Palladium (1960) and Carnegie Hall (1961) because soon after this concert Judy was ill in Hong Kong and damage was done to her throat.

If any of the young fans want to understand Judy’s relationship with her audience, this recording captures it. I’ve tried to include as many of Judy’s comments as I can decipher. The comments about the songs are fragmented but all the fans know the words.     

‘Clang, Clang, Clang…’ and we are into the familiar overture.   Dear Mort (Lindsey) conducting a wondrous, enormous orchestra. Sydney spared no effort to give Judy what she needed.  People react to all the well-loved songs – you KNOW this is going to be a great night!  The crowd (10,000 of them) cheered and cheered even before she came out.

But here she is, thanking everyone – a comment “Alright Mort” and goes into ‘When You’re Smiling’ (great cheers from the audience) great emphases on ‘stout’ and ‘pout’ and ‘heaven sake keep a calm demeanor – when you’re right up here in the middle of a Wrestling Arena’.

We can tell Judy is feeling great and in a very happy mood. Some business with tangled mike wires, there often is!  “Now Next” she says firmly and goes into ‘Almost like Being in Love.’  ‘But this can’t be love’ (more applause)…she takes a big breath and finishes ‘FROM THE WAY THAT I FEEL WHEN THAT BELL STARTS TO PEEL, I COULD TELL I WAS FALLING, IT’S ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE.  ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE…’

A very sweet ‘Do it Again’ the crowd reacts, they obviously have listened to the Carnegie Hall LP  many times.

Judy talks about the early days of movies and how important music was, even before the talkies, and how all the great composers came out to Hollywood (wherever that is?)--Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. Said she was lucky enough to sing some of these songs in her movies. Then went into the melody starting with ‘You Made me Love you’ (great response from the crowd), ‘For Me and My Gal’ – “sing it with me” she says and they do, never heard an audience do so with such enthusiasm. ‘Clang, Clang, Clang…’ (they are out of their minds!).

Judy says, “Don’t know if any of you saw The Pirate?” (They did) chats with audience.  Judy thinks someone is the publicity agent for the Beatles!  And goes into ‘Love of my Life’

A trumpet wails (and the crowd knows from the first note that it is) ‘The Man that got away.’

Time for a chat, maybe Judy is talking about it being warm because she takes off her jacket and say, “Now We Can Go”  ‘I never will forget Jeannette McDonald’…..cheers…the song about my home town ‘San Francisco’  Then it is time for a break.

After Intermission Judy starts with ‘That’s Entertainment’ which she often did.  A stop half way and it sounded as if some water had been spelt,  “Somebody come up…”  fits of giggles…”Oh Boy I don’t know what the hell we were doing.  I think we should forget that….” But Mort starts again and she finishes ‘That’s Entertainment’ changing many of the words.  

Now it is old home week and a free for all.   “We can sing anything we want” Judy says.   People call out different songs but mostly ‘Swanee’ so Judy says “Let’s do it….they (orchestra) have to switch charts” “If I forget the words just throw things at me” she says as she goes into ‘Swanee’   How she loves ‘Swanee’ they cheer nearly all the way through the number. 

Crowd calls out “sing anything”….”I know that!” she retorts.  Tells them she got paid during the intermission and was happy and so the next song was ‘Make Someone Happy’ and then ‘Just in Time’ A discussion about the play ‘Oliver’ and she sing her song from ‘Oliver’ ‘As long as he needs me’  ‘By myself’ ‘Rockabye.’  More discussion about what she would sing, they or Judy decided to sing ‘Chicago’ and she ended with ‘Rainbow’

Judy had many joyous nights with her fans and this one must certainly be up there with the tops.  Thank you Sydney for loving her so well…