Perfection

I want to call your attention to what I consider to be the best delivery of a song anywhere anytime by any singer in the history of the world. Judy Garland sings Ol' Man River and her performance is flawless.

Try to take your eyes off her as she invests each phrase with a million shades of meaning and feeling. The power of this rendition is amplified by the fact that the song sums up her entire life.

Of particular interest to me is the fact that the arrangement and orchestration, typical of those days, does not enhance or support her, but acts as an enemy that she must do battle with throughout the piece. In the end, she wins.

Perfection.