"Over the Rainbow" (often referred to as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow") is a classic pop song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and it became Judy Garland's signature song.
The song's plaintive melody and simple lyrics depict a pre-adolescent girl's desire to escape from the "hopeless jumble" of this world, from the sadness of raindrops to the bright new world "over the rainbow." It expresses the childlike faith that a door will magically open to a place where "troubles melt like lemon-drops".
The song is so popular that it tops the "Songs of the Century" list compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. It also topped the American Film Institute's "100 Years, 100 Songs" list.
Along with Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", the song was adopted by the American troops in Europe in World War II as a symbol of the United States, the faraway land that, after long years of war, seemed like a dream beyond the rainbow. Modern listeners may be unaware that the song had an introductory stanza, as this was not sung in the film by Garland. However, there is one known recorded instance of her singing the full song with the introductory verse, on The Louella Parsons Radio Show in December 1948.
The song has come to epitomize the gesture of the rising octave, which makes its opening so distinctive. Sight-singing instructors and other musicians use the song as an example and a reference point for hearing the interval. The music is heavily inspired by the 'Song to the Moon' from Dvorak's opera Rusalka.[citation needed]
The Wizard of Oz
A time-honored story tells that this classic song was cut from the film after a preview, because MGM head Louis B. Mayer thought the song "slowed down the picture" and that "our star sings it in a barnyard". Most of the music in the film is medium-to-high energy, in contrast to this gently paced melody. However, the frequent instrumental references to the song throughout the film, including its title sequences, meant that the deleting of the song was short lived. Harold Arlen, who was at the preview, and executive producer Arthur Freed lobbied to get the song reinstated in the film, which it was.
Part of the song was cut from the film. An additional verse was to play when Dorothy was locked in a room in the witch's castle, helplessly awaiting death as the witch's hourglass ran out. A rehearsal recording of the song survives and was included in the Deluxe CD set. In that rendition, Dorothy weeps her way through it, unable to finish, concluding with a tear-filled, "I'm frightened, Auntie Em; I'm frightened!"
That phrase was retained in the film, followed immediately by Auntie Em's appearance in the witch's crystal, and then replaced by the image of the witch, mocking and taunting Dorothy and then turning toward the camera and laughing hideously, directly at the audience.
Original Garland recordings
Garland first pre-recorded the song on the MGM soundstages on October 7, 1938. It was released as a single by Decca Records in September 1939. In March 1940, that same recording was included on a Decca "Cast Album" entitled "The Wizard of Oz". Although this is not the version of the song featured in the film, Decca would continue to re-release the "Cast Album" well into the 1970s. Garland always performed the song without altering it. She sang exactly as she did for the movie. She did this because she said that she was staying true to the character of Dorothy and the message of really being somewhere over the rainbow.[1]
It was not until 1956, when MGM released the first true soundtrack from the film that the film version of the song was available for sale to the public. The 1956 Soundtrack release was timed to coincide with the television premiere of the movie.[2] The Soundtrack version has also been re-released numerous times over the years, most notably in a "Deluxe Edition" from Rhino Records in 1995.[3]
Lyrics
The song is often referred to as "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," but the actual title is simply "Over The Rainbow." The introduction was not used in the movie, nor was there ever any intention of using it; but it is often used in theatrical productions of The Wizard of Oz. In addition, contemporary singers often use the introduction to lengthen the single for their album. Verse two was intended to be used when Dorothy was locked in the Witch’s castle. But that intent was never carried out: Dorothy simply resang the main verse. The only time verse two has been used in a recording was in the recording of The Wizard of Oz In Concert, where it was performed by singer/songwriter Jewel. The second verse is used occasionally in theatrical productions too, but it remains almost unknown.
"Over the Rainbow" is one of many popular songs whose lyrics use a "Bluebird of Happiness" as a symbol of cheer. ("If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why can't I?")
Covers
- Olivia Newton-John recorded a version for her 1989 album Warm and Tender.[4]
- Welsh singer Charlotte Church performed a version on the Paul O'Grady show.[citation needed]
- Django Reinhardt recorded an up-tempo instrumental version that can be found on his album Django In Rome 1949/1950.[5]
- The Demensions recorded the song in 1960 and, after radio exposure courtesy of DJ Cousin Brucie, the single release peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.[citation needed]
- Tommy Emmanuel covered this song, playing solo fingerstyle on an acoustic guitar, while using harmonics to simulate the sound of the rising octaves from the intro of the original. The song is featured on his Endless Road album.[citation needed]
- Sam Harris (singer), the winner of the premiere season of Star Search, performed the song on the show and also recorded it for his eponymous debut album on Motown Records in 1983.[citation needed]
- Shayne Ward covered the song during the final of The X Factor 2005, which he went on to win and he also sung it on his debut tour.[citation needed]
- Rufus Wainwright plays this song live on occasion, and a version appears on his album, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (2007).[6]
- The Brazilian singer Luiza Possi has recorded this song under the title "Além do Arco-Iris", which literally means "Over The Rainbow". It was released as single in 2004, to promote the soundtrack of the Brazilian soap opera "Chocolate com Pimenta" (Chocolate with Pepper), and became very popular, reaching #1 in Brazil.[citation needed]
- America's Got Talent contestant Julienne Irwin performed this song during a live broadcast of the show.[citation needed]
- Guitarist Buckethead recorded a version of this song on his 2001 solo album, Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse.
- Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's 1993 album Facing Future featured his medley of "Over the Rainbow" and What a Wonderful World, which was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and popular commercials.[7]
- Leona Lewis covered Eva Cassidy's version of the song during the semi-final of X Factor 3, which Simon Cowell said was the greatest version of the song he had ever heard.[citation needed]
- The Hawaiian Rainbow Singers recorded a version of the song, expanding on the concept of the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole ukulele version, which was used in the 2004 Comedy 50 First Dates.[citation needed]
- Aselin Debison recorded a version of this song similar to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World", which was released on her 2002 album, Sweet Is the Melody. Many think her version is actually a cover by Norah Jones, but Jones has never covered this song.[8] [9]
- The Blanks recorded a version of the song, based on the The Hawaiian Rainbow Singers version, which was used in the NBC comedy, Scrubs (TV Series) episode My Way Home.[citation needed]
- Mägo de Oz recorded it with their vocalist José Andrea. This cover is a special one for them because it is not heavy (as all their other songs), as long as it includes a flute, a Violin and Acoustic guitar).[citation needed]
- Me First and the Gimme Gimmes released an album in 1999 titled Are a Drag which featured a cover of the song as track one.[10] This is the rock version of the track which was used in the trailer for the 2003 Korean film Save the Green Planet!.
- Jennifer Pena a Latin singer recorded the song for the film Selena 1997 and also for Selena the Motion Picture Soundtrack although it is not featured on the album just heard over the closing credits.[citation needed]
- Kylie Minogue performed this song on her showgirl tour and was featured on her white diamond DVD.[citation needed]
- American Idol (season 5) runner up Katharine McPhee partially covered Eva Cassidy's version of the song in the Final 3 of the show's fifth season. It was praised by all three judges. The song was selected for her by judge Simon Cowell. He enjoyed the performance, as well as noted it to be one of the all-time greatest performances in Idol history.[11]
- American Idol participant Jason Castro who ended up taking fourth place in the seventh season of the show sang the version of the song popularized by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole while playing the ukelele.[citation needed]
- The company Wavegroup did a cover of the Katharine McPhee version of the song for the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.[citation needed]
- Glenn Miller recorded this song, it is found on his Centennial CD.[citation needed]
- The Swedish artist Freddie Wadling has recorded a version of the song.[citation needed]
- Heavy metal band Rainbow used to play parts of it live.[citation needed]
- Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs had a hit with their cover of the song. The song was also performed by Olivia Newton-John at Billy Thorpe's memorial service.[citation needed]
- Barbra Streisand sang Over the Rainbow as part of her One Voice concert in the mid 1980s, dedicated the song to the, "wonderful woman who first sang it- this woman who I had the privilege of working with and who touched me so deeply."[citation needed]
- Patti LaBelle has performed her gospel-inspired version of Over the Rainbow (complete with her throwing the microphone stand into the wings) at the end of each show for over forty years.[citation needed]
- Mariah Carey also did a snippet of LaBelle's version, in her honor, during the late 1990's.[12]
- Leroi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, would sometimes perform this song during "Lover Lay Down". It is said to be Leroi's favorite song.[citation needed]
- Filipino singer Kyla recorded two versions of this song for her sixth studio album Heartfelt.[citation needed]
- Vocalist Ella Fitzgerald recorded a swing version of this song, which can be found in the compilation, "The Very Best of the Songbooks",(2006).[citation needed]
- Vocalist Bea Wain recorded this song with Larry Clinton and his Orchestra in 1938 -- the first recording after Garland's.[citation needed]
- German then Hard Trance producers/DJs duo Cosmic Gate release their version of "Over The Rainbow" entitled "Somewhere Over The Rainbow in 2000.[citation needed]
- Beyonce also did her own rendition at the 2007 "Movies Rock" awards[13]
- Mai Kuraki included a version of the song on her album "One Life"
- Omar Naber from Slovenia. Winner of Battle of the Talents and Slovenia's representative int he 2005 Eurovision Song Contest recorded the song on his second studio album; Kareem.
- Ingrid Michaelson covered the song on her 2008 album, Be OK.[14]
- Les Paul has made his instrumental version of this song a staple in his recent performances.
References
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