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January 1, 2011

A New Year's toast via the incomparbale Judy Garland

Some friends in Baltimore, where Robert and I have spent several New Year's Eves, mark the occasion by playing a recording of the song "Here's To Us" from the 1962 musical "Little Me." There's something about the melody and the slightly bittersweet words that just seems so right:

Here's to us ... Not for what might happen next year, for it might not be nearly as bright. But here's to us, for better or worse. And for thanks to a merciful star, skies of blue, and muddling through. And for me and for you as we are."

This morning I had the song still running through my head and I thought I'd see if I could find a way to share it with my faithful blog readers as a way of extending my best wishes for the New Year. Lo and behold, there appeared a version by the incomparable Judy Garland -- a clip from her brilliant, if ill-fated, CBS TV show. It's got champagne and all. So -- a little belatedly, I confess (I should have thought of this last night, but I was too busy figuring out what to wear) -- here's to you and here's to us:

Posted by Tim Smith at 9:03 AM | | Comments (1)
Categories: Clef Notes, Drama Queens
        

Comments

Thanks so much for posting this. I know the song, but had no idea that this performance existed. Wonderful. So wonderful.

Glad you liked it. I didn't know about it either. It's truly an amazing performance. Hard to believe the fools at CBS were pulling the rug out from Judy's series, practically while she was performing that number. TIM

Posted by: Stephen Brockelman | January 1, 2011 2:04 PM

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About Tim Smith
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., I couldn't help but develop a keen interest in politics, but music, theater and visual art also proved great attractions. Music became my main focus after high school. I thought about being a cocktail pianist, but I hated taking requests, so I studied music history instead, earning a B.A. in that field from Eisenhower College (Seneca Falls, N.Y.) and an M.A. from Occidental College (Los Angeles). I then landed in journalism. After freelancing for the Washington Post and others, I was classical music critic for the Sun-Sentinel in South Florida, where I also contributed to NPR. I've written for the New York Times, BBC Music Magazine and other publications, and I'm a longtime contributor to Opera News. My book, The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music (Perigee, 2002), can be found on the most discerning remainder racks.

I joined the Baltimore Sun as classical music critic in 2000 and, in 2009, also became theater critic, giving me the opportunity to annoy a whole new audience. In 2010, my original Clef Notes blog expanded to encompass a theatrical component -- how could I resist calling it Drama Queens? I hope you'll find both sides of this blog coin worth exploring and reacting to; your own comments are always welcome and valued (well, most of them, at least).

Think of this as your open-all-hours, cyber green room, where there's always a performer or performance to discuss, some news to digest, or maybe just a little good gossip to share.
Note: Tim Smith now writes about the fine arts at baltimoresun.com/artsmash. This blog will be kept in place as an archive for an indefinite period. Please visit the new location to get the latest Mid-Atlantic arts coverage.
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