Wicked Or Not Yip Harburg

Greetings to All,

Right now, the most popular movie is “Wicked” a new and updated version of “The Wizard of Oz”. It has been conceived in the latest and greatest technology ever – plus costume design and music. It has a second part now in theatres and again has been given great kudos.

BUT!!!! Did you know who was the lyrist for “The Wizard of Oz”???? A gentleman by the name of Isidor Hochberg (Yip Harburg) born into Yiddish speaking Orthodox Jews from Russia. His career began after his service time in World War I. He and Ira Gershwin attended college together after the war. This friendship became really solid after the crash of 1929.  From Gershwin, Yip collaborated songs with Jay Gorney for a successful Broadway show – The Earl Carroll Revue. This then led to a contract with Paramount in Hollywood. In Hollywood, he worked with such notables as Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Jerome Kern, Jule Styne and Burton Lane. So what is this leading to with regards to “Wicked”. Well, Yip wrote all the lyrics for “The Wizard of Oz” which includes the famous song by Judy Garland “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. The movie itself is known as an “integrated musical”. He was prolificate with his work and should be so noted.

I am going to list some of his most popular work which has been derived from Wikipedia:

Harburg wrote the lyrics for more than 500 songs.^[74] The following (all listed in^[75]) are some of the most notable for their popularity or social importance.

• “April in Paris“, with Vernon Duke (1932)^[76]
• “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?“, with Jay Gorney (1932)^[77]
• “It’s Only a Paper Moon“, with Harold Arlen (1933)^[78]
• “Last Night When We Were Young“, with Harold Arlen (1935)^[79]
• “I Love to Sing-a”, with Harold Arlen, for the film The Singing Kid (1936)^[80]
• “Down with Love“, with Harold Arlen, for the musical Hooray for What! (1937)^[81]
• “Over the Rainbow“,^[82] “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead“^[83] and others, with Harold Arlen, for the film The Wizard of Oz (1939)^[84]
• “Lydia the Tattooed Lady“, with Harold Arlen, for the film At the Circus (1939)^[85]
• “And Russia Was Her Name”, with Jerome Kern, for the film Song of Russia (1943)
• “Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe“, with Harold Arlen, for the film Cabin in the Sky (1943)^[86]
• “The Eagle and Me”,^[87] and “Right as the Rain”^[88] with Harold Arlen, for the musical Bloomer Girl (1944)
• “Free and Equal Blues”, with Earl Robinson, performed by Josh White (1944)^[89]
• “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?“,^[90] “Old Devil Moon“^[91] and others, with Burton Lane, for the musical Finian’s Rainbow (1946)

See also Songs with lyrics by Yip Harburg.

So I leave you with some Jewish Trivia and hope you will all enjoy “Wicked” and re-look at “The Wizard of Oz”, as well.

OK….more to come.

Enjoy the upcoming Holiday!!!!!

Patti