| Girl Crazy | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Judy Garland |
| Cover: | Girl Crazy (1944 album) cover.jpg |
| Released: | 1944 |
| Label: | Decca |
| Prev Title: | Judy Garland Second Souvenir Album |
| Prev Year: | 1943 |
| Next Title: | Meet Me in St. Louis |
| Next Year: | 1944 |
Girl Crazy is the debut studio album by Judy Garland featuring Mickey Rooney, released in 1944 by Decca Records. The album features songs presented in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer eponymous motion picture. and based on the 1930 stage musical of the same name by George Gershwin.[1] Garland's recording sessions for the album took place during November 1943.[2]
The album features Garland on vocals for most of the tracks, including "Embraceable You", "But Not for Me", "Bidin' My Time", and "I Got Rhythm". Rooney also contributes vocals to two tracks, "Could You Use Me?" and "Treat Me Rough". The album's orchestral accompaniment was conducted by Georgie Stoll, with additional harmonica accompaniment by Leo Diamond's Harmonica Quintet on "Bidin' My Time".
In his review for Billboard magazine, Maurie Orodenker noted that the album lacked the warmth and cohesion of the stage version, with songs selected randomly.[3] He obeserved that while Garland performed most of the tracks, the album didn’t capture her live energy.[3] Orodenker also remarked that Rooney's singing was merely tolerable, affirming that his contribution to the album’s appeal stemmed more from his popularity and public recognition than from his vocal abilities.[3]
In 1995, Rhino Records released a 4-CD box set entitled Mickey & Judy which includes songs from Girl Crazy and others songs that Garland and Rooney recorded for their Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) films.[4] [5]