Judy Garland
ListenOver the Rainbow · 1939 recordings · album c. 1939–1940
Judy Garland with Victor Young and His Orchestra — “Over the Rainbow,” the Decca recording.
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1939 recordings · album c. 1939–1940 · Decca
The Wizard of Oz
Judy Garland was sixteen when filming began on The Wizard of Oz. “Over the Rainbow” became her defining song, but the performance on this Decca album was made separately from the movie, with Victor Young’s orchestra. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0130 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Judy Garland, Victor Young and His Orchestra, and the Ken Darby Singers |
| Release | 1939 recordings · album c. 1939–1940 · United States |
| Label | Decca · Album 74 · discs 2672–2675 |
| Format | Four 10-inch shellac discs · 78 rpm |
| Issue | US four-disc album |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | VG to VG+ · VG; album box present, insert missing sleeve |
Release history and significance
Harold Arlen struggled to find the melody for Dorothy’s ballad. In Walter Rimler’s account for the Library of Congress, it arrived during a drive with his wife: he asked her to stop so he could write it down. E. Y. Harburg then shaped the lyric around a child’s longing to escape. [1]
Garland recorded “Over the Rainbow” and “The Jitterbug” for Decca on 28 July 1939. The other album sides followed the next day, with Victor Young’s orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers. Garland sings on the first disc; the remaining three expand the musical journey through Oz with different performers from the film cast. [2]
Decca’s set gathered eight sides into a record album that listeners could turn through at home. “Over the Rainbow” had already appeared as a single in September 1939. The album followed around 1939–1940, giving the songs a life beyond the cinema. [2] [3]
Market context
Discogs reports sales for the four-disc Decca Album 74 entry from US$5.00 to US$290.70, with a median of US$24.16, as consulted on 14 September 2026. [4]
Physical Description
Four ten-inch shellac discs, numbered Decca 2672 through 2675, housed in a cardboard album. The eight sides include “Over the Rainbow,” “The Jitterbug,” the two-part “Munchkinland,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” “If I Only Had a Heart,” “The Merry Old Land of Oz” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” The original insert is absent. [4]
Condition
The four discs range from Very Good to Very Good Plus. The cardboard album is in Very Good condition; the set is complete in discs but lacks its original insert.
Provenance
This set was assembled from two sources. Discs one through three and the cardboard album were acquired at the Rotary Auction and Rummage Sale on 11 July 2026. The fourth disc was acquired from eBay seller scarlettboxer79 on 13 July 2026.
Sources
- Walter Rimler, Over the Rainbow, Library of Congress National Recording Registry essay. Songwriting history and the distinction between Garland’s film and Decca recordings.
- The Judy Room, The Wizard of Oz — Decca album discography. Session dates, performers, original insert images and album issue history.
- Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale. Exhibition catalogue’s Decca album cover, dated 1939.
- Discogs, Victor Young and His Orchestra — The Wizard of Oz, release 4170164. Four-disc edition reference and sales figures consulted 14 September 2026.
Catalogue text reviewed 14 September 2026.