Gay Purr-ee (soundtrack)
| Gay Purr-ee | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Soundtrack album by various artists | ||||
| Released | 1962 | |||
| Recorded | November 1961 | |||
| Studios | Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood, California | |||
| Length | 33:40 | |||
| Label | Warner | |||
| Producer | Henry G. Saperstein (executive producer) | |||
| Judy Garland chronology | ||||
| ||||
Gay Purr-ee is the soundtrack album to the 1962 animated film of the same name, featuring performances by Judy Garland alongside Robert Goulet, Red Buttons, Hermione Gingold and Paul Frees, with a score by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.
Released by Warner Bros. Records, the album was promoted through an extensive campaign tied to the film's release, including a large-scale commercial partnership with the Carnation Company, and was later reissued on CD in 2003 with additional demo recordings by its composers. The album received favorable reviews, being described as "attractive" and "melodic" by some outlets.
Background and release
The soundtrack of the 1962 animated film Gay Purr-ee features Judy Garland in her first role dubbing an animated character, along with Robert Goulet, Red Buttons, Hermione Gingold and Paul Frees, with a score by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.[1] The two composers penned Garland's now-famous "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz.[2] The songs were recorded in at Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood, California, November 1961.[3]
To promoted the album, Warner Bros. Records arranged a tie-in with the Carnation Company, as part of a campaign coordinated with Warner Bros. Pictures and UPA following the label's acquisition of the soundtrack rights, in which the album cover of Gay Purr-ee was reproduced on 15,000,000 Friskies Cat Food packages alongside advertising for both the LP and the film. The campaign also included a four-color Life magazine advertisement, a children's coupon contest for free cinema admission, the distribution of 5,000 albums to supermarket buyers, and coordinated in-store displays promoting both the record and the Friskies product line.[1]
On November 4, 2003, Rhino Handmade, a division of the Warner Music Group, released the soundtrack on CD.[4] This released was identical to the 1962 LP version but contained 5 additional demo tracks, performed by Harold Arlen and E. Y. "Yip" Harburg.
Single
"Paris Is a Lonely Town" was released as a single together with "Little Drops of Rain". Billboard described the first song as "a lovely side" from Judy Garland, noting its "moving Garland sound against sweeping ork backing".[5] Howard Thompson in the New York Times praised the song as a "knockout" and "one of Mr. Alen's great blues members written for the screen".[6] "Little Drops of Rain" was described by the Billboard as "a pretty tune", noting that it is given "a spinnable reading".[7]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| New Record Mirror |  [9] |
Cash Box described the album as featuring "a delightful new score", noting that Judy Garland is "in perfect voice" and predicting "rapid acceptance" for the release.[10] New Record Mirror wrote that "the score is most attractive".[9] Billboard described the album as "a sure-fire package", noting that the songs are "pretty and melodic" and recall the spirit of The Wizard of Oz.[11] Harold Patton of Calgary Herald praised the soundtrack as "a captivating score that is treated with great style",[12] and it was listed by Williamson Daily News as one of the mono LPs of the week.[13] High Fidelity considered the album "an almost unbearably embarrassing venture into what I can only describe, sourly, as 'whumsey'".[14]
In a retrospective review, AllMusic described the soundtrack as "one of [Judy Garland's] most beloved [works] by enthusiasts of all ages", praising its "memorable compositions", while noting that the expanded edition features "an absolutely stunning remaster".[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gay Purr-ee Overture" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Judy Garland & The Chorus | 3:56 |
| 2. | "Mewsette" | Harold Arlen | Robert Goulet | 1:04 |
| 3. | "Little Drops Of Rain" | Harold Arlen | Judy Garland | 3:26 |
| 4. | "The Money Cat" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Paul Frees and The Mellomen | 2:15 |
| 5. | "Portraits Of Mewsette" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Orchestra | 3:28 |
| 6. | "Take My Hand Paree" | Harold Arlen | Judy Garland | 2:55 |
| 7. | "Paris Is A Lonely Town" | Harold Arlen | Judy Garland | 4:12 |
| 8. | "Bubbles" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Robert Goulet, Red Buttons and The Mellowmen | 2:47 |
| 9. | "Roses Red, Violets Blue" | Harold Arlen | Judy Garland | 1:59 |
| 10. | "Little Drops Of Rain" | Harold Arlen | Robert Goulet | 1:27 |
| 11. | "Variation - Paris Is A Lonely Town" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Orchestra | 1:55 |
| 12. | "The Horse Won't Talk" | Harold Arlen | Paul Frees | 1:44 |
| 13. | "The Mewsette Finale" | E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen | Judy Garland, Robert Goulet and The Chorus | 2:32 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Roses Red, Violets Blue" (demo) | Harold Arlen, E. Y. "Yip" Harburg | Harold Arlen and E. Y. "Yip" Harburg | 1:43 |
| 15. | "The Money Cat" (demo) | Harold Arlen, E. Y. "Yip" Harburg | Harold Arlen and E. Y. "Yip" Harburg | 2:10 |
| 16. | "The Horse Won't Talk" (demo) | Harold Arlen | Harold Arlen | 3:46 |
| 17. | "Little Drops of Rain" (demo) | Harold Arlen | Harold Arlen | 2:39 |
| 18. | "Paris is a Lonely Town" (demo) | Harold Arlen | Harold Arlen | 2:46 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Gay Purr-ee LP.[15]
- Executive-Producer: Henry G. Saperstein
- Written by Dorothy & Chuck Jones
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by E. Y. Harburg
- Orchestrated and conducted by Mort Lindsey
- Directed by Abe Levitow from Warner Bros.
References
- 1 2 "Judy soundtrack gets tie-in with Frisky Cat Food folk". Billboard. Vol. 74, no. 36. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 8 September 1962. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Records ramblings" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XXIV, no. 9. 10 November 1962. p. 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 March 2026. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ Brogan, Scott. "Judy Garland Discography: Gay Purr-ee". The Judy Room. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ Ehrbar, Greg (October 24, 2017). "UPA's "Gay Purr-ee" on Records". Cartoon Research.
- ↑ "Reviews of new singles". Billboard. Vol. 74, no. 38. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 22 September 1962. p. 78. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ Frisch, Walter (2024). Harold Arlen and His Songs. Oxford University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-19-750327-0. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Singles reviews". Billboard. Vol. 74, no. 52. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 29 December 1962. p. 14. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- 1 2 Planer, Lindsay. "Gay Purr-Ee - Judy Garland | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- 1 2 Watson, Jimmy (26 January 1963). "Judy Garland: Gay Purr-ee" (PDF). New Record Mirror. No. 98. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ↑ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XXIV, no. 7. 27 October 1962. p. 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 74, no. 43. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 27 October 1962. p. 12. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ Patton, Harold (5 January 1963). "Record shelf". Calgary Herald: 7. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- ↑ Lafflr, William D. (24 December 1962). "Williamson Daily News". Williamson Daily News. 50 (302): 5. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- ↑ "Recordings in review" (PDF). High Fidelity. Vol. 13, no. 4. April 1963. p. 114. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- ↑ The Voice of Judy Garland in a UPA Production Gay Purr-ee (Media notes). Warner Bros. Records. 1962. B 1479.