 | |
| Music by | Harold Arlen |
| Lyrics by | E.Y. (Yip) Harburg |
| Date | 1939 |
| Source | The Wizard of Oz (MGM film) |
| Publisher | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., EMI Feist Catalog, Inc. |
"Over the Rainbow" is one of the most famous "songs about rainbows" and was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg for the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz. The song was performed by Judy Garland as Dorothy during the film's first desaturated section.
The song was performed by Robin the Frog as he sat beside a pond in episode 307 of The Muppet Show while a rainbow appeared overhead. The episode, which guest starred shock-metal musician Alice Cooper, was otherwise filled with spooky acts, both on stage and off. Fozzie Bear referred to Robin's simple, unadorned performance as the "one thing nice on this show tonight."
The song was later performed by Miss Piggy as Dorothy, with Foo-Foo as Toto, at the beginning of the Wizard of Oz medley in The Muppets Go to the Movies.
References[]
- Episode 0847 of Sesame Street features an appearance by the Wicked Witch of the West from the 1939 film. Upon arriving on the street, the witch believes she is somewhere over the rainbow.
- In Episode 2148 of Sesame Street, Mr. Snuffleupagus bounces up very high by way of trampoline. When Big Bird wonders where he went, the Count suggests he's somewhere over the rainbow.
- While reading "The Wizard of Blaahs" in Sesame Street Episode 2254, Oscar the Grouch briefly sings, "Somewhere, under the sewer..."
- Piggy quotes the song in one of her first segments of Miss Piggy's Hollywood: "This is Hollywood, where the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."
- Part of the tune scores a scene in "Elmo's World: Sky" where Elmo sits on a rainbow.
- The song was spoofed in the Sesame Street outreach video Food for Thought as "Somehow You'll Make a Rainbow."
- In a 2023 video for British GQ, Kermit the Frog's gopher companion jokes that his favorite song is "Somewhere Gopher the Rainbow."
Releases[]
- Video
- Children's Songs and Stories (1985) - episode 307 version