‘Tis Herself

Now, the affection that gay men have for Judy Garland is terribly cliché, but there is no denying how powerful this clip is if you know the story. President Kennedy often called Garland (an ardent supporter of his 1960 run for the presidency) when he was troubled. She would sing any song he requested — her knowledge of songs was encyclopedic. When he was killed, on November 22, 1963, her show was on hiatus. Her first live show on December 13 was, for her, a chance to pay tribute to a man she admired and loved. The poobahs at CBS decided that her tribute would or could be seen as an endorsement of specifically Democratic policies. As the Civil Rights Act was among them, they put the kibosh on her explicit dedication of songs to the slain president, for fear of losing viewers in the South. She wangled a tribute anyway, and her audience rewarded her with a standing ovation. Garland, no stranger to fans’ devotion, thought of this as one of the proudest moments of her life on stage.

Gerry & The Pacemakers Sing!

“Ferry Cross the Mersey.” Oh Christ, this song

Sho ‘Nuff

Here Tammy Wynette sleepwalks through the torchily unforgettable “Stand By Your Man.”

I Want Those Boots!

And I aims to get ’em. 

Well, The Color Is Nice

This had to have been during that brief period when older stars attempted to stay with it by singing folk songs, while still relying on over-the-top choreography, expert makeup departments, and big clothing budgets. In this bizarre scene, Debbie Reynolds hops from platform to platform while dippy background singers attempt to convey capital-M Meaning to the song. Oy vey!