100 years ago: “For Me and My Gal” charted for the first time

For Me and My Gal Van & Schenck

Writer(s): George Meyer (music), Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz (words) (see lyrics here) First Charted: May 26, 1917 Peak: 13 US, 112 GA, 112 SM (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 (sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

For Me and My Gal Judy Garland & Gene Kelly

First Charted: January 24, 1942 Peak: 3 US, 6 GA, 8 HP, 12 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 (sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards (Van & Schenck): Click on award for more details.

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Awards (Garland/Kelly): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: George W. Meyer was a composer born in Boston in 1884. He had hits spanning many years, including “”My Song of the Nile,” “Lonesome,” “My Mother’s Rosary” and the great novelty song “Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go with Friday on Saturday Night?” PS However, his biggest hit was probably “For Me and My Gal.” He wrote the music and came up with the title and then tapped Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz to write the lyrics. TY2 When Meyer died, his wife had the song title inscribed on his tombstone. RCG The song “was a forerunner of the jazz age.” RCG Its lyrics about “bells ringing and birds singing as two turtle doves go off to their wedding” RCG showed that in 1917, even as Americans were consumed by World War I, they still relished love songs. The popular vaudeville team of Van & Schenck recorded the song and took it #1. Others to sing it on vaudeville included Belle Baker, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker. 1917 saw three more chart version in addition to Van & Schenck’s – Prince’s Orchestra (#5), Henry Burr & Albert Campbell (#7), and Billy Murray (#9). PM The sheet music moved three million copies. The song “was still on pianos all over America” RCG In 1942 when Gene Kelly and Judy Garland sang the song in the movie of the same name. The movie celebrated vaudeville and other hits from the World War I era. Their recording was a #3 hit featuring Garland’s then-husband David Rose and His Orchestra. DJ Guy Lombardo also charted with a version of the song in 1943, reaching #17. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Gene Kelly DMDB encyclopedia entry for Van & Schenck DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 60. PS ParlorSongs.com Lessons in America’s Popular Music History RCG RimChiGuy.com The Old Songs (1900-1929) TY2 Don Tyler (2007). Hit Songs, 1900-1955. McFarland & Company, Inc.: Jefferson, North Carolina. Page 90. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Page 499. Related Links: First posted 5/26/2012; last updated 3/31/2023.

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50 years ago: Judy Garland recorded live at Carnegie Hall

First posted 3/18/2008; updated 10/2/2020.

Judy at Carnegie Hall Judy Garland

Recorded: April 23, 1961 Released: July 10, 1961 Charted: July 31, 1961 Peak: 113 US, 13 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 0.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: vocal jazz/traditional pop

Tracks, Disc 1: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks). Chart information is for the original studio recordings. Click for codes to singles charts. Overture: a) The Trolley Song b) Over the Rainbow c) The Man That Got Away [5:48] When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You) (Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin, Larry Shay) [3:29] Medley: [6:27] Almost Like Being in Love/ (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) This Can’t Be Love (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) Do It Again (George Gershwin, Buddy DeSylva) [6:16] You Go to My Head (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) [2:43] Alone Together (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) [5:38] Who Cares As Long As You Care for Me (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) [1:46] Puttin’ on the Ritz (Irving Berlin) [2:45] How Long Has This Been Going On? (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) [4:12] Just You, Just Me (Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages) [2:16] The Man That Got Away (Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin) [5:03] (8/21/54, 22 US, 18 UK) San Francisco (Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn, Bronislaw Kaper) [4:45] I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) [6:46] That’s Entertainment (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) [6:38] Tracks, Disc 2: Come Rain or Come Shine (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) [7:23] You’re Nearer (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) [2:33] A Foggy Day (George Gerswhin, Ira Gershwin) [3:04] If Love Were All (Noel COward) [2:53] Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart (James F. Hanley) [4:04] (7/17/43, 22 US) Stormy Weather (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) [6:11] Medley: [3:56] You Made Me Love You (Joseph McCarthy, James V. Monaco, Roger Edens)/ For Me and My Gal (George W. Meyers, Edgard Leslie, E. Ray Goetz) (1/24/42, 3 US)/ The Trolley Song (Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane) (11/18/44, 4 US) Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody (Sam M. Lewis, Jean Schwartz, Joe Young) [5:22] Over the Rainbow (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg) [5:47] (9/9/39, 5 US) Swanee (Irving Caesar, George Gershwin) [7:31] After You’ve Gone (Henry Creamer, Turner Layton) [4:20] Chicago (Fred Fisher) [5:15] Total Running Time: 122:51

Rating: 4.554 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings) Quotable: “One of pop music’s greatest live recordings” – Jason Verlinde, Amazon.com Awards:

About the Album: “The late ‘50s were tough on Judy Garland, but this live recording…would (rightfully) bring the legendary icon back into the spotlight.” AZ “With relentless verve, Garland takes on her entire musical catalogue with astonishing aplomb. There is little sign of the decades of self-abuse which had left her frail by the early ‘60s.” AMG The album won five Grammys, including Album of the Year, and was Garland’s bestselling record. The album confirmed “that, yes, on certain levels, she still had it. Her vocals are as strong as ever on these tunes, and Garland has fun with an audience obviously enraptured by her charms. She’s self-deprecating where necessary – on You Go to My Head she forgets the lyrics but keeps improvising. But mostly she just shines, especially on tunes she made famous, such as…Over the Rainbow. This is easily one of pop music’s greatest live recordings and a fine testament to Garland’s recorded legacy.” AZ Other than her own songs, she tackles a number of standards. In fact, eight songs from this album are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953. In addition to “Over the Rainbow” and For Me and My Gal, which she took to #3 in 1942, she covers three songs which Al Jolson took to #1 – You Made Me Love You (1913), Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody (1918), and Swanee (1920). She also covers songs which Marion Harris (After You’ve Gone, 1919), Cliff Edwards (I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, 1928), and Ethel Waters (Stormy Weather, 1933) took to #1. Notes: The “40th anniversary edition…is a completely fresh experience even for those intimately familiar with previous versions. By accessing tapes which have not been used on any other release…many sonic foibles which plagued the original have now been repaired. The overwhelming success of this album…makes it a prime candidate for a sonic overhaul. By reclaiming tapes that were once considered MIA, the sound is now notably more balanced. In addition, much of the fake applause has been thoughtfully removed, unveiling previously masked dramatic pacing and audience interplay between songs.” AMG “But the highlight of the entire package is the return of Alone Together from the actual Carnegie Hall performance. The song had been replaced by a studio version on the 1989 CD reissue due to missing master tapes. Since then, those tapes have been put back into commission and provide the jaw-dropping sound on this delightful set.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: Judy Garland’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Lindsay Planer AZ Amazon.com review by Jason Verlinde