Jennifer Hudson – Wizard of Oz Celebration, Central Park – VIDEO

Great performance from Jenny Kate again. A true Diva

count me in as being really old fashioned but I did NOT like this version. Give me Judy Garland anytime.

Well she did sing the Patti version but hey

Hudson does have one hell of a set of pipes, but I’m sorry, this song is not a “belter” song or r&b.

ITA Joyceanna…… like Kat McPhee’s version much better.

jinxx315, miss labelle owns this song ever since liza’s mommy fell off the planet. like for the past 35 years. so, yes. it has been part of the belter and r&b lexicon, songbook–whatever–for a long, long time. not everything is mary poppins and josh groban. i realize that not everyone likes black music, afro-american music, soul, r&b, gospel, etc. and no, that doesn’t mean they’re racists, lmao. so let’s not even go there. anyway, yes. miss j-hud is the bommmmb diggity. know this and respect.

Spencer…I too loved Kat mcPhee’s version and I play it a lot in the car but I was comparing Hudson’s rendition and not liking the power lungs for this song. I’ll still give the edge to Garland on this song

^^^^ NP ) I like Jen Hudson very much — just not the way she sang this song — just sayin

I’ll 2nd that !

And I’ll weigh in to say I’m more of a Jason Castro/Iz (Last name that can’t be spelled let alone pronounced) type of woman…or Judy Garland.

I’ve liked a lot of versions of this song, Jennifer’s here included (and Castro’s!). Very heartfelt on her part, to me. My favorite thing about Jennifer is that I usually do believe her when she sings and don’t feel as if she’s showing off but expressing herself even when she’s being kind of show-offy as in the last third of this.

The song itself is strong enough to take lots of interpretations obviously.

Echoing what Lucy she’s right that this song can be song in many different way. You can compare this to Judy’s version as it’s not the same and Jenny was obviously dhow Patti some love by singing her version. Everyone does their own and Jennifer rocked this one.

I like the way J-Hud sings anything so I’m biased. lol I honestly think she has one of the best voices of my generation.

I love her interpretation of Over the Rainbow. I love it when Patti LaBelle sings it too. It gives me chills!! This is the type of song that people can interpret in any way that they choose. I notice a lot of people are beginning to sing this song. Ashanti has a version on Itunes right now.

I’m happy for you JHud and imma let you finish, but Chaka Khan is the best diva of all time! OF ALL TIME!

I wish someone would come along and make me love their music like Chaka did

Amazing.

Its amazing to see how much better some of the Idols have gotten since their time on Idol. I know a lot of people talk about Jennifer getting booted off to early, which she did, but i don’t think it was a super-shocking elim because she’s heads’and’tails a much much better singer now than when she was. And shes got one of the best, most distinctive voices out their right now. Hard work does pay off. Im killin myself for not trying harder to go see her when she was on tour with robin thicke. I put Carrie right up there too with most improved.

Carolinacharms…nothing will ever beat the Judy Garland version, it is a classic. No matter how many black women sing it and try to make it r & b. Oh, and I do like r&b music, but Somewhere Over the Rainbow is NOT a r&b or gospel song. If you read my post I did say Hudson had a hell of a set of pipes, so not sure where the “I should respect” thing comes in. Actually, where does the charm come in? lol. Judy Garland did not fall of the planet, she actually had one hell of a career and a very sad troubled life. And it has nothing to do with Hudson being black. Not everything has to be marry poppins? Well not everything needs to be over the top and bombastic like we are in church.

Who says u can’t make a different version of the song I see no rule in music stating that. Becuase u don’t like this version jinx doesn’t mean it can’t be done that way. That’s the type of artist Jennifer is so she is gonna sing it her way.

For any of you yearning for a more subtle version, by a great great musician, here is pianist Keith Jarrett’s exquisite “Over the Rainbow”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq0EWNuR1H8

shes got soooouuuul lol…I also love the original version and prefer that over all the others but this was still a great rendition. She’s a great vocalist.

That was a nice, soulful version of that song. Jennifer has serious pipes.

I don’t think I’d ever buy a JHud album, but for some reason I like her whole aura. She seems like a wonderful person. Maybe it’s the actress part of her that appeals to me more than the singer. Beyond that, whoever is doing her styling deserves kudos. JHud is looking really good these days, recently on Divas and in this appearance. Especially after just having a baby! Love those gold dagger earrings and huge ring over the odd half-gloves. Very cool.

I LOVE her voice and the way she sings but I hated it here. But – they were celebrating the Wizard Of OZ not Jennifer Hudson’s terrific voice – it was a weird arrangement and just did not feel right to me. she is looking very good these days!

“”"And it has nothing to do with Hudson being black. Not everything has to be marry poppins? Well not everything needs to be over the top and bombastic like we are in church.”"”

This ^^^ this version did Jennifer justice, not the memory of that song and story

Jennifer is amazing though without the doubt and the version she did she did it great. If you prefer Judy’s version that’s fine too but the performance was amazing regardless so why nitpick at the fact that she did a version you may not like when instead just give congrats she did great.

The Wiz was also honored last night as well as she also sang Ease On Down The Road and When You Believe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3MJT5GzpaE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upvImPcUvtk

I think this was just beautiful

the hairs on the back of my neck are still standing tall!!

I love JHud and just about anything she sings including this song!

Wow, how do you even compare the fabulous Judy Garland and the equally fabulous J-Hud? They’re both incredible singers…and Judy could certainly be over the top when she chose. Does not make sense to diss either one. Their versions appeal to different people but that doesn’t mean one’s better than the other. There’s plenty of room in the universe for both, folks. And the producers of this event obviously wanted J-Hud’s big, beautiful pipes and knew she would belt it out of the park.

WOW! i had to register just to leave a comment in this post. amazing! chills!

I LOVED IT! Jennifer Hudson is a force of nature.

Sing it, gurrl.

Judy Garland is Judy Garland and Jennifer is Jennifer. There’s just not comparison between the two of them. I loved this Big, Belty, over the top version because I’m so used to hearing so many recreations of the Garland version this was a nice albeit loud change of pace. I did notice that Jennifer has improved on her performance lessons. I wonder if Fantasia is coaching her and Carrie behind the scenes