Original Soundtrack - Meet Me in St. Louis [Rhino] (CD)

All Music Guide

As one of the premiere MGM musicals of all time, it is amazing that a definitive Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) had never been available prior to this 1995 single CD. Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin's complete score is included as are the oft overlooked orchestrations from Conrad Salinger. Even as the role seems to have been written specifically for Judy Garland (Esther Smith), the actress purportedly fought the studio as she had grown weary of portraying children on screen. As fate would have it, her performance not only stole the show, but became among Garland's most critically and commercially successful. The plot deals with the Smith family during the winter of 1903 as they eagerly await the opening of the World's Fair in their hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. However, when the father is offered a substantial job in the Big Apple, their hopes of attending the event are dashed. Simply put, Garland who plays the second oldest female of five siblings ...is splendid from tip to tail. Especially notable are her solos on the yearning “The Boy Next Door", the seasonal standard “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", the careerdefining “Trolly Song", and on this edition, an outtake titled “Boys And Girls Like You And Me". She is joined by Lucille Bremer (Rose Smith) on the familiar reprise of the theme “Meet Me In St. Louis" and as the highenergy square dance routine “Skip To My Lou". Tom Drake (John Truett) the object of Garland's affections in the film pairs up for the poignant waltz ballad “Over The Banister". Although it tends to get somewhat eclipsed by the other luminous entries, the vaudevillian “Under the Bamboo Tree" is a great production number with a very young Margaret O'Brien (Tootie Smith) accompanying Garland. The liner notes booklet is extensive, housing plenty of eye candy, as well as a detailed essay by George Feltenstein. - Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide Read more Less