Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song

lyricist A lyricist is a songwriter who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's incom ...

and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" is one of the best-known American songs of the Great Depression. Written by lyricist Yip Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, it was part of the 1932 musical revue '' Americana''; the melody is based on a Russian-Jew ...

" (with

Jay Gorney Jay Gorney (December 12, 1896– June 14, 1990) was an American theater and film song writer. Life and career Gorney was born Abraham Jacob Gornetzsky on December 12, 1896, in Białystok, Russia (now part of Poland), the son of Frieda (Perlst ...

), " April in Paris", and " It's Only a Paper Moon", as well as all of the songs for the film '' The Wizard of Oz'', including " Over the Rainbow". He was known for the social commentary of his lyrics, as well as his leftist leanings. He championed racial and gender equality and union politics. He also was an ardent critic of religion.

Early life and career

Harburg, the youngest of four surviving children (out of ten), was born Isidore Hochberg on the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Traditionally an im ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

on April 8, 1896.Yip Harburg: Biography from Answers.com
Retrieved January 2, 2010. His parents, Lewis Hochberg and Mary Ricing,E. Y. Harburg
Retrieved from

Notable Names Database The Notable Names Database (NNDB) is an online database of biographical details of over 40,000 people. Soylent Communications, a sole proprietorship that also hosted the now-defunct Rotten.com, describes NNDB as an "intelligence aggregator" of ...

on January 12, 2010. were

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

-speaking Orthodox

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...

sSongwriters Hall of Fame - E.Y. Harburg Biography
. Retrieved January 2, 2010. who had

emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

from

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

.Yip Harburg biography
. Retrieved January 2, 2010. He later adopted the name Edgar Harburg, and came to be best known as Edgar "Yip" Harburg. He attended Townsend Harris High School, where he and

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

, who bonded over a shared fondness for

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

, worked on the school paper and became lifelong friends. According to his son Ernie Harburg, Gilbert and Irish dramatist

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

taught his father, a "democratic socialist, ndsworn challenger of all tyranny against the people, that 'humor is an act of courage' and dissent". After World War I, Harburg returned to New York and graduated from City College (later part of the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the public university system of New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges and seven pro ...

), which Ira Gershwin had initially attended with him, in 1921."E. Y. Harburg"
, Songwriters Hall of Fame After Harburg married and had two children, he started writing light verse for local newspapers. He became a co-owner of Consolidated Electrical Appliance Company, but the company went bankrupt following the

crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...

, leaving Harburg "anywhere from $50,000 – $70,000 in debt," which he insisted on paying back over the course of the next few decades. At this point, Harburg and

agreed that Harburg should start writing song lyrics. Gershwin introduced Harburg to

, who collaborated with him on songs for an

Earl Carroll Earl Carroll (September 16, 1893 – June 17, 1948) was an American theatrical producer, director, writer, songwriter and composer. Early life Carroll was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1893. He lived as an infant in the Nunnery Hill ( Fine ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

review (''Earl Carroll's Sketchbook''): the show was successful and Harburg was engaged as lyricist for a series of successful

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

s, including ''Americana'' in 1932, for which he wrote the lyrics of "

" to the tune of a lullaby Gorney had learned as a child in Russia. This song swept the nation, becoming an anthem of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Harburg was a staunch critic of religion. He wrote a poem entitled "Atheist" that summarized his views on God.

Hollywood and Broadway

Harburg and Gorney were offered a contract with Paramount: in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

, Harburg worked with composers

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ' ...

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

Jule Styne Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also becam ...

, and

Burton Lane Burton Lane ( Levy; February 2, 1912 – January 5, 1997) was an American composer and lyricist primarily known for his theatre and film scores. His most popular and successful works include ''Finian's Rainbow'' in 1947 and '' On a Clear Day You ...

, and later wrote the lyrics for '' The Wizard of Oz,'' one of the earliest known "integrated musicals," for which he won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song for " Over the Rainbow." Of his work on '' The Wizard of Oz,'' his son (and biographer) Ernie Harburg has said: Working in Hollywood did not stop Harburg's career on Broadway. In the 1940s, he wrote a series of "book" musicals with social messages, including the successful ''

Bloomer Girl ''Bloomer Girl'' is a 1944 Broadway musical with music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and a book by Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy, based on an unpublished play by writer Daniel Lewis James and his wife Lilith.Suskin, 89 The plot concerns ...

'' (1944), set during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

, which was about

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture * Temperance (group), Canadian dan ...

and

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...

activist

Amelia Bloomer Amelia Jenks Bloomer (May 27, 1818 – December 30, 1894) was an American newspaper editor, women's rights and temperance advocate. Even though she did not create the women's clothing reform style known as bloomers, her name became associat ...

, and which celebrated equality for women,

Abolitionism Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

, and the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

. Harburg's best known Broadway show, ''

Finian's Rainbow ''Finian's Rainbow'' is a musical with a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane, produced by Lee Sabinson. The original 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances, while a film version was r ...

'' (1947) was, in its original production, possibly the first Broadway musical with a racially integrated chorus line, and features his "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich." Its plot satirized American financial practices and criticized reactionist politicians, mistreatment of the working classes as well as racism and the

Jim Crow laws The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the S ...

. It was made into a film in 1968 starring

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

and

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

, directed by

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...

Blacklisting

Although never a member of the

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of '' The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel ...

(he was a member of the

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of ...

, and joked that "Yip" referred to the Young People's Socialist League, nicknamed the "Yipsels") he had been involved in radical groups, and he was blacklisted. Harburg was named in a pamphlet '' Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television''; his involvement with the Hollywood Democratic Committee, and his refusal to identify reputed communists, led to him being blocked from working in Hollywood films, television, and radio for twelve full years, from 1950 to 1962.Scott Jacob
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
''The Week Behind,'' September 23, 2009 "As the writer of the lyric of the song 'God's Country', I am outraged by the suggestion that somehow I am connected with, believe in, or am sympathetic with Communist or totalitarian philosophy", he wrote to the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, create ...

in 1950. He was unable to travel abroad during this period, as his passport had been revoked. With a score by

Sammy Fain Sammy Fain (born Samuel E. Feinberg; June 17, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American composer of popular music. In the 1920s and early 1930s, he contributed numerous songs that form part of The Great American Songbook, and to Broadway theatre ...

and Harburg's lyrics, the musical '' Flahooley'' (1951) satirized the country's anti-communist sentiment, but it closed after forty performances at the

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for the Shubert brothers. The Bro ...

on Broadway. The New York critics were dismissive of the show, although it had been a success during its earlier pre-Broadway run in Philadelphia.

Later career

In 1966, songwriter

Earl Robinson Earl Hawley Robinson (July 2, 1910 – July 20, 1991) was a composer, arranger and folk music singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Robinson is remembered for his music, including the cantata " Ballad for Americans" and songs such as " ...

sought Harburg's help for the song " Hurry Sundown"; the two collaborated on the song and are credited as co-writers. The song was intended for the film '' Hurry Sundown'', but was not used in the film. It was, however, recorded by

Peter, Paul and Mary Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio consisted of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group's reper ...

for their 1966 album '' The Peter, Paul and Mary Album''. The song was released as a single in 1967, and reached No. 37 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, ...

chart. It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording.

Death

Harburg died while driving on

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

, California, on March 5, 1981. While he was initially reported to have been killed in a traffic accident, it was later determined that he suffered a heart attack while stopped at a red light.

Awards and recognition

In 1940 Harburg won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

, shared with

, for Best Music, Original Song for ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). In addition, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song, along with Arlen, for '' Cabin in the Sky'', (1943) and Best Music, Original Song for '' Can't Help Singing'', shared with

in (1944). Harburg was inducted into the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...

in 1972. On March 7, 2001, the results of a poll conducted by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

and the

National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...

ranked Judy Garland's rendition of " Over the Rainbow" as the Number One recording of the 20th century. On June 22, 2004, the

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

broadcast '' AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Songs'', a TV special announcing the 100 greatest film songs. "Over the Rainbow" was Number One, and "

Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" is a song in the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz''. It is the centrepiece of several individual songs in an extended set-piece performed by the Munchkins, Glinda (Billie Burke) and Dorothy Gale. Highlighted by the Lol ...

" was Number 82. In April 2005, the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

issued a commemorative stamp recognizing Harburg's accomplishments. The stamp was drawn from a portrait taken by photographer Barbara Bordnick in 1978 along with a rainbow and lyric from "Over the Rainbow". The first day ceremony was held at the

92nd Street Y 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a cultural and community center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded in 1874 as the Young Men's Hebrew Association, the ...

in New York.

Songs

" with composer

(1932) *"Riddle Me This" with composer Lewis Gensler (from the revue, "Ballyhoo of 1932", 1932) *"How Do You Do It? with composer Lewis Gensler (as above, 1932) *" April in Paris" with

(1932) *" It's Only a Paper Moon" with Harold Arlen (1933) *"Then I'll Be Tired of You" with

Arthur Schwartz Arthur Schwartz (November 25, 1900 – September 3, 1984) was an American composer and film producer, widely noted for his songwriting collaborations with Howard Dietz. Biography Early life Schwartz was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on Nov ...

(1934) *"

Last Night When We Were Young "Last Night When We Were Young" is a 1935 popular song about nostalgia and young love composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg. Arlen regarded it as the favourite of the songs that he had written.Jablonski, Edward (1998). Harold Arlen: ...

" with composer

(1935) *" Down with Love" with Harold Arlen (1937) *" Over the Rainbow" with Harold Arlen (1939) *"

We're Off to See the Wizard "We're Off to See the Wizard" is one of the classic and most memorable songs from the Academy Award-winning 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz''. Composer Harold Arlen described it, along with " The Merry Old Land of Oz" and " Ding-Dong! The Witch Is ...

" with Harold Arlen (1939) *" Lydia the Tattooed Lady" with Harold Arlen (1939) *"

Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe" is a song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Yip Harburg, it was written for the 1943 film musical '' Cabin in the Sky'', recorded by the MGM Studio Orchestra and sung by Ethel Waters. The song was no ...

" with Harold Arlen (1943) *"Salome" with Roger Edens (1943) (for the movie '' Du Barry Was a Lady'') *"The Eagle and Me" with Harold Arlen (1944) *"

How Are Things in Glocca Morra? "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" is a popular song about a fictional village in Ireland, with themes of nostalgia and homesickness. It was introduced by Ella Logan in the original 1947 Broadway production of ''Finian's Rainbow''. Production The ...

" with

(1946) *"

Old Devil Moon "Old Devil Moon" is a popular song composed by Burton Lane, with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the 1947 musical ''Finian's Rainbow''. It was introduced by Ella Logan and Donald Richards in the Broadway show. The song takes its title from a phrase in " ...

" with Burton Lane (1947) *"When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich" with Burton Lane (1947) *"Free and Equal Blues" performed by

Josh White Joshua Daniel White (February 11, 1914 – September 5, 1969) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names Pinewood Tom and Tippy Barton in the 1930s. White grew up in the Sout ...

*"And Russia Was Her Name" with Jerome Kern (1943)

Broadway revues

*''

's Sketchbook of 1929'' (1929) - co-composer and co-lyricist with

*'' Garrick Gaieties'' (1930) - contributing lyricist *''

Earl Carroll's Vanities ''The Earl Carroll Vanities'' was a Broadway revue that Earl Carroll presented in the 1920s and early 1930s. Carroll and his show were sometimes controversial. Distinguishing qualities In 1923, the ''Vanities'' joined the ranks of New York� ...

of 1930'' (1930) - contributing songwriter *''The Vanderbilt Revue'' (1930) - contributing lyricist *''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

of 1931'' (1931) - featured lyricist for "Mailu" *''Shoot the Works'' (1931) - contributing composer and lyricist *''Ballyhoo of 1932'' (1932) - lyricist *''

Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...

'' (1932) - lyricist. The Revue include "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" *''

Walk A Little Faster ''Walk a Little Faster'' is a musical revue with sketches by S. J. Perelman and Robert MacGunigle, music by Vernon Duke, and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg. Production The Broadway production opened on December 7, 1932 at the St. James Theatre and then ...

'' (1932) - lyricist *''

of 1934'' (1934) - primary lyricist (for about half of the numbers) *'' Life Begins at 8:40'' (1934) - co-lyricist with

*''

The Show is On ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1936) - featured lyricist *''Blue Holiday'' (1945) - all-Black cast - contributing composer and lyricist *''At Home With

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

'' (1953) - featured lyricist for "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" Post-retirement or posthumous credits: *''

A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine ''A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine'' is a musical comedy consisting of two essentially independent one-act plays, with a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Frank Lazarus. Additionally, songs by other composers are incorporat ...

'' (1980) - featured lyricist for " Over the Rainbow" *''

Goes to Hollywood'' (1986) - featured lyricist to music by

*'' Mostly Sondheim'' (2002) - featured lyricist

Broadway musicals

*''

Hooray for What! ''Hooray for What!'' is an anti-warConnema, Richar''Hooray for What!'' is a Hilarious Send-up of America Talkin' Broadway Regional News & reviews: San Francisco, undated but presumably November 2004 when 42nd Street Moon Productions performed the ...

'' (1937) - lyricist and originator *''

Hold On to Your Hats ''Hold On To Your Hats'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Guy Bolton, Matt Brooks, and Eddie Davis, with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and music by Burton Lane. The show was lavishly Mantle, Burns, Editor, "The Best Plays of 1940-1941", Dodd, Me ...

'' (1940) - lyricist *''

'' (1944) - lyricist, originator and director for musical numbers *''

'' (1947) - lyricist, originator and co-bookwriter **Revived in 1955, 1960, 2009 *'' Flahooley'' (1951) - lyricist, originator and co-bookwriter *''

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

'' (1957) - lyricist, originator and co-bookwriter - Tony Nomination for Best Musical *''

The Happiest Girl in the World ''The Happiest Girl in the World'' is a musical with a book by Fred Saidy and Henry Mayers, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and music taken from the works of Jacques Offenbach. Based on the comedy ''Lysistrata'' by Aristophanes and tales of Greek mythol ...

'' (1961) - originator and lyricist to music by

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ' ...

and originator of the story, based on ''

Lysistrata ''Lysistrata'' ( or ; Attic Greek: , ''Lysistrátē'', "Army Disbander") is an ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes, originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC. It is a comic account of a woman's extraordinary mission to end the Peloponne ...

'' by

Aristophanes Aristophanes (; grc, Ἀριστοφάνης, ; c. 446 – c. 386 BC), son of Philippus, of the deme Kydathenaion ( la, Cydathenaeum), was a comic playwright or comedy-writer of ancient Athens and a poet of Old Attic Comedy. Eleven of his ...

*''

Darling of the Day ''Darling of the Day'' is a musical with a book by Nunnally Johnson, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg, and music by Jule Styne. It is based on Arnold Bennett's novel ''Buried Alive'' and his play '' The Great Adventure''. The show closed after only 31 per ...

'' (1968) - lyricist

Films

*''

Moonlight and Pretzels ''Moonlight and Pretzels'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code musical film, directed by Karl Freund, about a man who puts on a Broadway show. The film was released by Universal Studios and featured Mary Brian and William Frawley, now best-known as "Fre ...

'' (1933) *''

The Singing Kid ''The Singing Kid'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by William Keighley and written by Warren Duff and Pat C. Flick. Starring Al Jolson, Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot and Allen Jenkins, it was released ...

'' (1936) *''

Gold Diggers of 1937 ''Gold Diggers of 1937'' is a Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. The film stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, with Glenda Farrell and Vic ...

'' (1936) *'' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939) *'' At the Circus'' (1939) *''

Babes on Broadway ''Babes on Broadway'' is a 1941 American musical film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and directed by Busby Berkeley, with Vincente Minnelli directing Garland's big solo numbers. The film, which features Fay Bainter and Virginia Weidler, ...

'' (1941) *''

Ship Ahoy ''Ship Ahoy'' is a 1942 American musical- comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. It was produced by MGM. Background ''Ship Ahoy'' was the first of two films in which Powell and Skelton co-starred. It ...

'' (1942) *'' Cabin in the Sky'' (1943) (Harburg's song "Aint It The Truth", expressing religious skepticism, was removed)April 29, 2006 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow . . . Rhymes for the Irreverent

Freedom From Religion Foundation The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an American nonprofit organization, which advocates for atheists, agnostics, and nontheists. Formed in 1976, FFRF promotes the separation of church and state, and challenges the legitimacy of many ...

Podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosin ...

22:10 *'' Can't Help Singing'' (1944) *'' Gay Purr-ee'' (1962) *''

'' (1968)

Books

*''Rhymes for the Irreverent'' (1965) *''At This Point in Rhyme'' (1976)

References

External links

* * *
The Yip Harburg Foundation website"A Tribute to Yip Harburg: The Man Who Put the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz"
a ''

Democracy Now! ''Democracy Now!'' is an hour-long American TV, radio, and Internet news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman (who also acts as the show's executive producer), Juan González, and Nermeen Shaikh. The show, which airs live each weekday at ...

'' special, including audio/video clips of Yip Harburg, and an extended interview with his son and biographer, Ernie Harburg (video, audio, and print transcript) *
E. Y. Harburg papers (first installment)
an
E. Y. Harburg papers (second installment)
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Metro ...

E. Y. Harburg scores
(his personal collection), held in th
Music Division
of the

*
Celebrated Lyricist Yip Harburg's ''Rhymes For The Irreverent'' Released
February 2, 2006, article on The

's website
April 29, 2006 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow . . . Rhymes for the Irreverent

Over The Rainbow With Yip Harburg
(BBC Radio 4 programme)
The Man Who Put the Rainbow in ''The Wizard of Oz''
by

Amy Goodman Amy Goodman (born April 13, 1957) is an American broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter, and author. Her investigative journalism career includes coverage of the East Timor independence movement, Morocco's occupation ...

1920 passport photo of Yip Harburg
courtesy of the puzzlemaster, flickr.com)
Yip Harburg - Over The RainbowYip Harburg - Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

E. Y. Harburg recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Harburg, Yip 1896 births 1981 deaths American musical theatre lyricists Broadway composers and lyricists Jewish American songwriters Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters 20th-century American musicians Jewish American writers Hollywood blacklist American socialists Jewish socialists Jewish American atheists City College of New York alumni Townsend Harris High School alumni People from the Lower East Side American people of Russian-Jewish descent Accidental deaths in California Road incident deaths in California Burials at sea