



ABOUT THE DISC & RECORDINGS:

This is the premiere CD release of the complete soundtrack to The Pirate. My only issue with this "complete" soundtrack is that they leave out a few alternate takes of the original versions of "Voodoo" and "Mack The Black" while adding Roger Edens rehearsal recordings. I think they could have included it all.



The very first "complete" CD edition came in 1990 from Sony Special Products part of their reissues of the old M-G-M Records albums on CD using selections taken directly from the film soundtrack.



Rhino previously released the remastered and restored outtake versions of "Mack The Black", "Voodoo" and "Love Of My Life" on their 1996 two disc compilation "Judy Garland Collector's Gems from the MGM Films". "Be A Clown" appeared on several compilation albums, and the stereo version of the final version of "Mack The Black" had it's debut on "Judy Garland In Hollywood: Her Greatest Movie Hits".



CLICK HERE to read the notes from the Rhino Handmade website.



All images on this page from the collection of the author.

















TRACK LISTING



Judy Garland tracks is blue .



Title Performed wby... Date Recorded Time Main Title (Mack The Black) MGM Studio Orchestra & Chorus 12-28-1946 &

09-08-1947 2:56 Nina* Gene Kelly 03-19-1947 &

03-28-1947 6:34 Mack The Black* Judy Garland & The MGM Studio Chorus 12-15-1947 3:45 Love Of My Life (Outtake)* Judy Garland 12-27-1946 4:40 Pirate Ballet * The MGM Studio Orchestra 08-07-1947 5:34 You Can Do No Wrong* Judy Garland 02-06-1947 2:19 Be A Clown* Gene Kelly & The Nicholas Brothers 07-07-1947 3:16 Love Of My Life (Reprise) Judy Garland 05-13-1947 2:11 Be A Clown (Finale)* Judy Garland & Gene Kelly 07-17-1947 3:50 Mack The Black (Unused Version)* Judy Garland 12-28-1946 6:01 Papayas/Seraphin's March

(Partial Demo) Lillian Breemont with Roger Edens & Lennie Hayton, piano 03-18-1947 1:04 Voodoo (Outtake)* Judy Garland 04-10-1947 6:09 Manuela (Demo) Rehearsal Recording Performed by Roger Edens, vocal & piano Autumn 1946 1:39 Voodoo (Demo) Rehearsal Recording Performed by Roger Edens, vocal & piano Autumn 1946 3:42 Nina (Demo) Rehearsal Recording Performed by Roger Edens, vocal & piano Autumn 1946 2:29 You Can Do No Wrong (Demo) Rehearsal Recording Performed by Roger Edens, vocal & piano Autumn 1946 2:51 Be A Clown (Demo) Rehearsal Recording Performed by Roger Edens, vocal & piano Autumn 1946 1:26 Judy Garland Interview With Dick Simmons Judy Garland & Dick Simmons Winter 1949 4:34 Gene Kelly Interview With Dick Simmons Gene Kelly & Dick Simmons Winter 1949 4:16

From the RHINO HANDMADE web site:



Premiered by M-G-M in 1948, The Pirate is a stunning cinematic achievement featuring two of Hollywood's all-time greatest talents: Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Beginning as the German play Der Seerauber, the property was presented as a musical to producer Arthur Freed, who in turn took it to Garland and director Vincent Minnelli. Soon the legendary Cole Porter was hired to write the songs.



While production was often characterized by creative self-indulgence on the filmmakers' part and emotional turmoil on Garland's, the principal actors nonetheless turned in career-defining performances. Soldiering through acute personal difficulties, Garland largely left her troubles in the trailer, bringing enthusiasm and professionalism to the set. Meanwhile, Gene Kelly was hard at work with choreographer Robert Alton, imbuing his dance numbers with a newfound athleticism.



The Pirate opened to mixed reviews. In the liner notes to this release, Arthur Freed explains it as, "The public didn't want to see Judy as a sophisticate." Gene Kelly agreed, adding that, "Judy was superb [and] what Minnelli did with color and design in that film is as fine as anything that has ever been done."



One thing that is agreed upon is that The Pirate is an example of M-G-M film music at its finest (arranger Lennie Hayton was Oscar-nominated for Scoring Of A Musical Picture). This Turner/Rhino release is the first to contain all the songs and dance music as recorded for (or performed in) the released film, reinstating the first rendition of "Love Of My Life" to its appropriate position in the score. In addition, the material is supplemented by the original, deleted versions of "Mack The Black" and "Voodoo."



Also included are five demonstration records of the Cole Porter songs performed by Roger Edens, including an abandoned "Manuela," "Voodoo" with an unused verse, and "You Can Do No Wrong" with an alternate lyric phrase. There are also two Eden compositions and two pre-recorded M-G-M promotional interviews, one featuring Garland, and one featuring Kelly. New liner notes to this release were written by John Fricke, author of the best-selling book "Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer" and the Grammy-nominated album notes to the Capitol release "Judy Garland: 25th Anniversary Retrospective".



The Pirate is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies. CREDITS Produced by: George Feltenstein Project Supervisor: Patrick Milligan Engineered & Mastered by: Doug Schwartz, Muholland Music Art Direction & Design by: Greg Allen @gapd with Bryan Lasley Liner Notes by: John Fricke Artwork Courtesy of: Turner Entertainment, Co., George Feltenstein & John Fricke Special Thanks to: Bruce Baggot, Rebecca Bodmer, Nick Corsello, Michael Feinstein, Sherry Legare, Roger Mayer, Scott Roberts, Chuck Shultz & Steve Woolard