Arlen and Harburg's Over the Rainbow

Over the Rainbow exploded into worldwide fame upon its performance by Judy Garland in the MGM film musical <em>The Wizard of Oz </em>(1939). Voted the greatest song of the twentieth century in a 2000 survey it is a masterful delicate balance of sophistication and child-like simplicity in which composer Harold Arlen and lyricist E. Y. Yip Harburg poignantly captured the hope and anxiety harbored by Dorothy's character. <p/>In <em>Arlen and Harburg's Over the Rainbow</em> author Walter Frisch traces the history of this song from its inception during the development of<em> The Wizard of Oz</em>'s screenplay to its various reinterpretations over the course of the twentieth century. Through analysis of the song's music and lyrics this<em></em> <em>Oxford Keynotes</em> volume provides a close reading of the piece while examining the evolution of its meaning as it traversed widely varying cultural contexts. From its adoption as a jazz standard by generations of pianists to its contribution to Judy Garland's role as a gay icon to its reemergence as a chart-topping recording by Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Over the Rainbow continues to engage audiences and performers alike in surprising ways. Featuring a companion website with audio and video supplements this book leaves no path unexplored as it succeeds in capturing the extent of this song's impact on the world.<br>