Various Artists - That's Entertainment (The Ultimate Soundtrack Anthology of MGM Musicals) (2021)

Turner Classics' ambitious if somewhat daunting six-CD box That's Entertainment: The Ultimate Anthology of M-G-M Musicals has it all over its predecessors -- including a more modestly proportioned compilation of MGM musical highlights released back in the late '80s -- in terms of scope, quality, and audio engineering. Indeed, at the time of its release in the mid-'90s, this was easily the most comprehensive overview of a movie studio's music output to be found on CD. Whether one is listening to Jimmy Durante clowning at the piano with Frank Sinatra (from It Happened in Brooklyn) or Lena Horne (backed by Benny Carter and his orchestra) singing "Honeysuckle Rose" from Thousands Cheer, the basses and percussion are deep and booming, the vocals are out in front, and the brasses and horns have the kind of bite that one often associates with high-fidelity recording, more than film soundtracks on home systems. In fairness, not every track here blossoms the same way -- "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" from the movie of the same name, featuring Gene Kelly and Sinatra, is little more than a cute novelty, high resolution or not, and some of the medleys -- especially "Singin' in the Rain" -- that are keyed to the actual That's Entertainment or That's Entertainment, Part 2 movie sequences, are easier to appreciate if you have seen the movies, and it's difficult to imagine anyone buying this set who has not seen both movies a lot more than once. June Allyson gets her moment in the sun ("Thou Swell") on disc one, as do Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart ("Easy to Love"), Clark Gable ("Puttin' on the Ritz"), and Jane Powell, but the best moments belong to the names you would expect, including Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.

Discs one and two take listeners through That's Entertainment's musical highlights, while discs three and four are devoted to That's Entertainment, Pt. 2. In every instance on the material from those movies, the tracks represent complete numbers, rather than the edited excerpts used in the two anthology movies -- and considering that most of the movies represented here predate the late '40s and, thus, never had soundtrack releases of their own, that only enhances the value of this set (one can "square" its value for serious musical buffs). The fifth disc is a direct reissue of the 1994-vintage That's Entertainment, Pt. 3 soundtrack CD. And disc six in this original version of the set ties up some loose ends from all three movies, filling in a few holes that might not have held up as well musically or technically on the earlier discs, but which are still worth hearing. The sound throughout is amazingly consistent given the 60 years covered by the original engineering in some of the material and the need to substitute sources on some of the tracks -- "Easy to Love," for example, is an alternate take found in the vaults. The value of discs one through four is identical, the first two each being filled with enough serious musical value to match the other, and the complete eight-plus-minute "Fascinating Rhythm" from Lady Be Good and "Wedding of the Painted Doll" from The Broadway Melody are among the pleasant surprises here.

One might also note that the sound elements for the new music recordings on That's Entertainment, Pt. 2 seem to be in better condition than those for the first That's Entertainment, despite there being just a few years between them -- in any case, the matching of the 1930s and early-'40s sound to the newer segments is what counts, and those work almost perfectly; it's only on a few moments, such as Judy Garland's entry on "For Me and My Gal" that you get some sense of the actual age of the recordings involved. Disc five was, of course, the only thing here ever originally planned for digital release, originating as it did in 1994 with That's Entertainment, Pt. 3, and it flows the most smoothly. And while no one is going to pretend that disc six, made up of afterthoughts and loose ends as well as material that just couldn't be sequenced with the rest of the set, is a match for what appears before, it does work on its own terms, and it's only in juxtaposition with the rest that it seems at all weak.

On a technical level, one must point out the inevitable weaknesses in a set like this. Most important, there is always going to be some compression on music of any kind recorded before the end of the 1940s, even if it is preserved perfectly, but the Turner Entertainment archivists and engineers have put together a remarkably satisfying body, several hundred artists and tracks strong, covering territory from the 1920s to the 1970s. Secondly, although the musical credentials involved with 99 percent of what's here are impeccable, this was, at root, an effort to make visually stimulating material, so there will be some element missing from the allure of much of what is here, in terms of what it was intended to do. But that doesn't mean that, divorced from the visuals, elements of the music can't blossom in their own right. The whole collection makes for quite a few days' -- even a week's -- worth of listening to be properly absorbed, and is annotated with a 96-page booklet that is as profusely illustrated as it is thoroughly informative. Indeed, when one compares this with the original LP soundtracks for That's Entertainment and That's Entertainment, Part 2, those collections don't even seem to come from the same planet as this set, which is one of the marvels of the box set boom of the mid-'90s; additionally, on an engineering level, this is one of the most ambitious multi-artist sets ever released.

The 1995 edition of the set pleased the audience it was aimed toward, as far as it went, and might even have won over a few converts; the songwriting is so prodigious that's it's difficult not to appreciate individual tracks, one after the other, even if one doesn't happen to be a fan of the musical format. The only caveat is that the relentlessly upbeat exuberance of the performances and performers may be off-putting to some modern fans, and others may find that the depth and seriousness of the effort here runs counter to the light-as-air sensibilities of some of the actual music and movies represented. In 2006, Rhino issued an updated edition of this set, housed in a new package design, in which disc six was completely altered -- in place of the loose ends that comprised the last disc in the original, the last disc in the new set was comprised of outtakes from the MGM vaults, making that set even more alluring, at least for the hardcore collector and enthusiast.

Tracklist:
01. MGM Studio Orchestra - Overture (from "That's Entertainment!") (2006 Remaster) (03:14)
02. Cliff Edwards - Singin' in the Rain ("That's Entertainment" Medley) (2006 Remaster) (02:16)
03. MGM Studio Orchestra - Main Title (from "That's Entertainment!") (2006 Remaster) (02:19)
04. Charles King - Broadway Melody (from "The Broadway Melody") (2006 Remaster) (02:30)
05. Jeanette Macdonald - Indian Love Call (from "Rose Marie") (2006 Remaster) (02:10)
06. Allan Jones - A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody (from "The Great Ziegfeld") (2006 Remaster) (02:10)
07. The Music Maids - Begin the Beguine (from "Broadway Melody of 1940") (2006 Remaster) (03:40)
08. Lena Horne - Honeysuckle Rose (from "Thousands Cheer") (2006 Remaster) (02:50)
09. June Allyson - Thou Swell (from "Words and Music") (2006 Remaster) (03:55)
10. June Allyson - The Varsity Drag (from "Good News") (2006 Remaster) (04:53)
11. Debbie Reynolds - Aba Daba Honeymoon (from "Two Weeks with Love") (2006 Remaster) (03:14)
12. Jane Powell - It's a Most Unusual Day (from "A Date with Judy") (2006 Remaster) (01:18)
13. Judy Garland - On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe (from "The Harvey Girls") (2006 Remaster) (08:39)
14. Joan Crawford - Gotta Feelin' For You (from "Hollywood Revue of 1929") (2006 Remaster) (02:40)
15. James Stewart - Easy to Love (from "Born to Dance") (2006 Remaster) (02:51)
16. Clark Gable - Puttin' on the Ritz (from "Idiot's Delight") (2006 Remaster) (00:56)
17. Judy Garland - Dear Mr. Gable / You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It) [from "Broadway Melody of 1938"] (2006 Remaster) (03:58)
18. Douglas MacPhail - Babes in Arms (from "Babes in Arms") (2006 Remaster) (04:33)
19. Fred Astaire - They Can't Take That Away from Me (from "The Barkleys of Broadway") (2006 Remaster) (04:33)
20. Fred Astaire - I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan (from "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (01:51)
21. MGM Studio Orchestra - Dancing in the Dark (from "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (03:27)
22. Helen Kane - I Wanna Be Loved by You (from "Three Little Words") (2006 Remaster) (01:36)
23. Mario Lanza - Be My Love (from "The Toast of New Orleans") (2006 Remaster) (02:57)
24. Ann Miller - I've Gotta Hear That Beat (from "Small Town Girl") (2006 Remaster) (03:54)
25. Donald O'Connor - Make 'Em Laugh (from "Singin' in the Rain") (2006 Remaster) (03:19)
26. William Warfield - Ol' Man River (from "Show Boat") (2006 Remaster) (03:42)
27. Fred Astaire - Be Myself (from "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (01:30)
28. Gene Kelly - The Worry Song (from "Anchors Aweigh") (2006 Remaster) (02:58)
29. Gene Kelly - Singin' in the Rain (from "Singin' in the Rain") (2006 Remaster) (04:54)
30. Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow (from "The Wizard Of Oz") (2006 Remaster) (02:46)
31. Judy Garland - But Not for Me (from "Girl Crazy") (2006 Remaster) (02:31)
32. Judy Garland - The Trolley Song (from "Meet Me in St. Louis") (2006 Remaster) (04:04)
33. Judy Garland - The Boy Next Door (from "Meet Me in St. Louis") (2006 Remaster) (03:29)
34. Judy Garland - Under the Bamboo Tree (from "Meet Me in St. Louis") (2006 Remaster) (01:38)
35. Judy Garland - Get Happy (from "Summer Stock") (2006 Remaster) (02:48)
36. Bing Crosby - Going Hollywood (from "Going Hollywood") (2006 Remaster) (00:40)
37. Bing Crosby And Grace Kelly - True Love (from "High Society") (2006 Remaster) (03:06)
38. Tony Martin - Hallelujah! (from "Hit the Deck") (2006 Remaster) (03:47)
39. MGM Studio Orchestra - Barn Dance (Bless Yore Beautiful Hide) [from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"] (2006 Remaster) (05:52)
40. Louis Jordan - Gigi (from "Gigi") (2006 Remaster) (03:04)
41. MGM Studio Orchestra - An American in Paris Ballet (from "An American in Paris") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (16:38)
42. MGM Studio Orchestra - Overture (from "That's Entertainment, Pt. 2") (2006 Remaster) (02:53)
43. Fred Astaire - Main Title/ That's Entertainment ("The Band Wagon" / "That's Entertainment, Pt. 2") (2006 Remaster) (06:33)
44. Judy Garland - For Me and My Gal (from "For Me and My Gal") (2006 Remaster) (04:21)
45. Connie Russell - Fascinating Rhythm (from "Lady Be Good") (2006 Remaster) (08:58)
46. June Knight - I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin' (from "Broadway Melody of 1936") (2006 Remaster) (06:33)
47. Fred Astaire - I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man (from "The Belle of New York") (2006 Remaster) (04:09)
48. Leslie Caron - Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo (from "Lili") (2006 Remaster) (01:56)
49. Judy Garland - Be a Clown (from "The Pirate") (2006 Remaster) (02:51)
50. Ann Miller - From This Moment On (from "Kiss Me Kate") (2006 Remaster) (03:49)
51. Fred Astaire - All of You (from "Silk Stockings") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (06:07)
52. Lena Horne - The Lady Is a Tramp (from "Words and Music") (2006 Remaster) (02:58)
53. Kathryn Grayson - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (from "Lovely to Look At") (2006 Remaster) (03:18)
54. Judy Garland - Easter Parade (from "Easter Parade") (2006 Remaster) (02:42)
55. Bing Crosby - Temptation (from "Going Hollywood") (2006 Remaster) (01:48)
56. Judy Garland - Zing! Went the Strings Of My Heart (from "Listen, Darling") (2006 Remaster) (03:13)
57. Ethel Waters - Taking a Chance on Love (from "Cabin in the Sky") (2006 Remaster) (03:24)
58. Francis Langford - Swingin' the Jinx Away (from "Born to Dance") (2006 Remaster) (04:04)
59. Jeanette Macdonald - Lover Come Back to Me (from "New Moon") (2006 Remaster) (03:39)
60. James Burroughs - Wedding of the Painted Doll (from "The Broadway Melody") (2006 Remaster) (03:26)
61. Jimmy Durante - Inka Dinka Doo (from "Two Girls and a Sailor") (2006 Remaster) (02:52)
62. Judy Garland - I Got Rhythm (from "Girl Crazy") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (08:06)
63. Mickey Rooney - Manhattan (from "Words and Music") (2006 Remaster) (02:36)
64. Gene Kelly - Good Morning (from "Singin' in the Rain") (2006 Remaster) (04:14)
65. Fred Astaire - Triplets (from "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (02:14)
66. Judy Garland - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (from "Meet Me in St. Louis") (2006 Remaster) (02:39)
67. Fred Astaire - Steppin' Out with My Baby (from "Easter Parade") (2006 Remaster) (06:22)
68. Gene Kelly - I Got Rhythm (from "An American in Paris") (2006 Remaster) (03:44)
69. Maurice Chevalier - Girls, Girls, Girls! (from "The Merry Widow") (2006 Remaster) (01:16)
70. Dinah Shore - The Last Time I Saw Paris (from "Till the Clouds Roll By") (2006 Remaster) (01:14)
71. Gene Kelly - Love Is Here to Stay (from "An American in Paris") (2006 Remaster) (03:58)
72. Georges Guétary - (I'll Build A) Stairway to Paradise (from "An American in Paris") (2006 Remaster) (02:44)
73. Judy Garland - A Couple of Swells (from "Easter Parade") (2006 Remaster) (04:26)
74. Bing Crosby - Now You Has Jazz (from "High Society") (2006 Remaster) (04:14)
75. Betty Hutton - There's No Business Like Show Business (from "Annie Get Your Gun") (2006 Remaster) (02:31)
76. Gene Kelly - I Like Myself (from "It's Always Fair Weather") (2006 Remaster) (04:07)
77. Hermione Gingold - I Remember It Well (from "Gigi") (2006 Remaster) (02:23)
78. Fred Astaire - Bouncin' the Blues (from "The Barkleys of Broadway") (2006 Remaster) (02:11)
79. Fred Astaire - That's Entertainment Finale (from "That's Entertainment, Pt. 2" / "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (02:46)
80. MGM Studio Orchestra - End Credits (from "That's Entertainment, Pt. 2") (2006 Remaster) (01:42)
81. Hollywood Bowl Orchestra - Overture (from "That's Entertainment! III") (2006 Remaster) (05:01)
82. Judy Garland - Good Morning (from "Babes in Arms") (2006 Remaster) (01:56)
83. June Allyson - The Three B's (from "Best Foot Forward") (2006 Remaster) (05:34)
84. Lena Horne - Just One of Those Things (from "Panama Hattie") (2006 Remaster) (01:26)
85. Frances Williams - Hollywood Party (from "Hollywood Party") (2006 Remaster) (02:18)
86. Ann Miller - Shakin' the Blues Away (from "Easter Parade") (2006 Remaster) (03:20)
87. Joan McCracken - Pass That Peace Pipe (from "Good News") (2006 Remaster) (04:33)
88. Gene Kelly - The Heather on The Hill (from "Brigadoon") (2006 Remaster) (05:55)
89. Judy Garland - I Wish I Were in Love Again (from "Words and Music") (2006 Remaster) (02:26)
90. Debbie Reynolds - You Are My Lucky Star (from "Singin' in the Rain") (2006 Remaster) (03:41)
91. Judy Garland - Swing, Mr. Mendelssohn (from "Everybody Sing") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (04:22)
92. Debbie Reynolds - A Lady Loves (from "I Love Melvin") (2006 Remaster) (05:03)
93. Carol Richards - Baby, You Knock Me Out (from "It's Always Fair Weather") (2006 Remaster) (02:39)
94. DOLORES GRAY - Thanks a Lot But No Thanks (from "It's Always Fair Weather") (2006 Remaster) (03:39)
95. Judy Garland - Who? (from "Till The Clouds Roll By") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (05:50)
96. Tony Martin - You Stepped out of a Dream (from "Ziegfeld Girl") (2006 Remaster) (03:21)
97. Judy Garland - March of the Doagies (from "The Harvey Girls") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:50)
98. Fred Astaire - Stereophonic Sound (from "Silk Stockings") (2006 Remaster) (03:55)
99. Fred Astaire - That's Entertainment (from "The Band Wagon") (2006 Remaster) (01:14)
100. MGM Studio Chorus - Swing Trot (from "The Barkleys of Broadway") [Extended Version] (2006 Remaster) (03:01)
101. The Dodge Twins - The Lock Step (from "The March of Time") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:28)
102. Bing Crosby - Poor Little G-String (from "The March of Time") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:38)
103. Jimmy Durante - Fly Away to I-Oway (from "Hollywood Party") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (01:11)
104. Judy Garland - Buds Won't Bud (from "Andy Hardy Meets Debutante") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:20)
105. June Knight - Let's Pretend It's True (from "Vacation from Love") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (04:10)
106. George Chakiris - It's Fun to Be in Love (from "Meet Me in Las Vegas") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (05:05)
107. Kay Thompson - Weekend at the Waldorf (from "Weekend at the Waldorf") [Alternate Version] (2006 Remaster) (02:25)
108. Joan Crawford - Follow Me (from "Torch Song") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:37)
109. Lena Horne - You Won't Forget Me (from "Duchess of Idaho") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:05)
110. Tony Martin - Too Beautiful to Last (from "Ziegfeld Girl") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:41)
111. Joann Greer - I Have A Dream (from "Jupiter's Darling") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (05:07)
112. Howard Keel - And There You Are (from "I Love Melvin") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:55)
113. Allan Jones - A Message from the Man in the Moon (from "A Day at the Races") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (01:34)
114. Gene Kelly - Baby Doll (from "Take Me out to the Ballgame") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:38)
115. Sophie Tucker - Some of These Days (from "Broadway Melody of 1938") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (03:27)
116. Ethel Waters - A Woman Without a Man (from "Cairo") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (04:16)
117. Ann Sothern - Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please (from "Panama Hattie") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:54)
118. Yvonne DeCarlo - You Belong to My Heart (from "Sombrero") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (02:27)
119. Joan Crawford - Something's Gotta Happen Soon (from "Ice Follies of 1939") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (01:35)
120. Jane Powell - Deep in My Heart, Dear (from "The Student Prince") [Alternate Version] (2006 Remaster) (03:40)
121. Lee Wiley - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (from "Show Boat") [Alternate Version] (2006 Remaster) (02:00)
122. Fanny Brice - My Man (from "The Great Ziegfeld") (2006 Remaster) (03:45)
123. Kathryn Grayson - I've Told Ev'ry Little Star/ The Song Is You (from "Till the Clouds Roll By") [Outtake] (2006 Remaster) (04:42)
124. Hollywood Bowl Orchestra - End Credits (from "That's Entertainment! III") (2006 Remaster) (02:44)