The soundtrack to a 1972 TV special Liza with a "Z" was by far her most popular album, reaching the Top 20 of the charts. Inevitably, much of the impact of a program by a performer such as
Liza Minnelli is lost in an audio-only document, and some fans might prefer the DVD of the special for that reason. As you'd expect, the musical selections for the program showcase her versatility, and include standards such as "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "My Mammy," as well as
Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and
Charles Aznavour's "You've Let Yourself Go." Perhaps to prove she was keeping up with at least some trends in contemporary music, there are also covers of "Son of a Preacher Man" and (even more of a stretch)
Joe Tex's "I Gotcha," though she's not going to make anyone forget
Dusty Springfield or
Aretha Franklin when it comes to this kind of material. Of course, she was far more at home with showtune fare and, as expected, it's the ten-minute "Cabaret Medley" that goes over best. [
Liza with a "Z" was re-released on CD in 2006.] ~ Richie Unterberger