Over the rainbow . . .

A Happy Birthday salute to Edgar Yipsel Harburg (April 8, 1896 – March 4, 1981), lyricist and poet, otherwise known as E.Y. Harburg or Yip Harburg.

Yip Harburg was a popular song lyricist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards, Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, April in Paris, and It's Only a Paper Moon, as well as all of the songs in The Wizard of Oz, including Over the Rainbow.

"The magic in song only happens when the words give destination and meaning to the music, and the music gives meaning to the words . . . together as a song they go places you've never been before." - Yip Harburg

"Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought." - Yip Harburg

"Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true."

Over the Rainbow (The Wizard of Oz)

-Yip Harburg

"Look, look, look to the rainbow

Follow it over the hill and stream

Look, look, look to the rainbow

Follow the fellow who follows a dream."

Look to the Rainbow (Finian's Rainbow)

- Yip Harburg

Yip Harburg

USPS

Issue Date: April 2005

Format: pane of 20

Trivia bit: Yip Harburg was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.

Harburg image source (1)

Harburg stamp source (1)