The initial Columbia Records soundtrack LP (now reissued in the original mono sound on a British CD from Prism Leisure) reached the fourth slot on "Billboard"'s popular albums chart. Subsequently, two "improved" versions of the soundtrack have been released by the Sony label: a 1988 CD in mostly true stereo; and a 2004 deluxe package containing a second, unused Garland rendition of "It's a New World"; the singing commercial on TV for Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo; the discarded chorus of "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" (Judy with Jack Baker) from the "Born in a Trunk" sequence; the full orchestral introduction to "Gotta Have Me Go with You" (Judy with Don McKabe and Jack Harmon); the complete orchestral introduction, not totally heard in the release print, to the Academy Award-nominated Garland trademark, "The Man That Got Away"; and musical director Ray Heindorf's Oscar-nominated background score, including portions not included in the finished picture.
The premiere of the film at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles was the event of the year with Judy Garland, James Mason, studio head Jack L. Warner, and Jack Carson (who MC'ed the premiere) and dozens of A-list stars attending.
The set for the musical number "Lose That Long Face" was created by taking New Orleans building facades left over from A Streetcar Named Desire and spray painting them white.
This was George Cukor's 37th film, his first musical, and his first full production in color.
WILHELM SCREAM: during the song "Somewhere There's a Someone".
WILHELM SCREAM: In the projection room while playing the western.