In 1963, Barbra Streisand (one of our 50 Fabulous Stars of the 1970s) joined Judy Garland on her show, The Judy Garland Show. The two graced TV screens with a stunning duet and it still holds up today. Streisand began her appearance on the show by saying how much she loves Garland. Garland jokingly replies that she “hates” Streisand. Once their chatter was finished, they sat down for a lovely duet together of the song “Happy Days Are Here Again.” The song is actually mash-up of Streisand’s “Happy Days” and Garland’s “Get Happy.”
The reason why this performance is still such a great one today is because of those two women. Individually, they have powerhouse vocals that complement one another. Together, it’s like magic. This mashup duet showcased the strengths of both singers.
Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand had a lot of love for one another
Fans have been commenting on the video, sharing their thoughts and opinions on the performance and the two singers’ bond with one another. One fan theorizes, “Sort of a passing of the torch moment. And I think you can sense that Judy knew it. And that is part of the drama, the subtext, and what makes it so moving. Barbra’s voice is youthful and in its prime–it’s perfection. And Judy’s is lower, perhaps weary, full of a kind of knowing and irony that is equally perfect. Strikes me as purposeful, more than people commenting realize. Babs is truly expressing the happiness of youth, bright days ahead, but Judy’s is a winking happiness, knowing the sad will follow because that’s life, as she has learned all too well, the ups and downs of it. This duet is a monument to great talent and genius singers.”
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Another says, “WOW! When I see this, I am extremely thankful for recordings. This is a treasure. These are two of the greatest singers of my lifetime. To have lived with both of these two as a musical influence is truly a blessing. Legends. Thank God Barbra is still alive. Judy should be.”