OVER THE RAINBOW

Music: Harold Arlen- Lyrics: Yip Harburg

Year: 1939

 

over the rainbow-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

Judy Garland performed ‘Over the Rainbow’ in the film The Wizard of Oz. The film was released on 15 August 1939 in Hollywood and two days later in New York. The song had an immediate great success: in less than one month, four versions of it hit the charts and one of them, Glenn Miller orchestra’s, with singer Ray Eberle, remained first place for seven weeks.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had chosen Jerome Kern for the movie’s score, but the compositor rejected the offer, as his doctor had prescribed absolute rest to recover from a recent heart attack. The production company had to resign too, with the second option for the film’s star and accepted Garland only after the denial of 20th Century Fox of lending Shirley Temple. After various changes in the script (in which more than a dozen writers intervened) and the cast, the film was finished in March 1939. The official director was Victor Fleming, but Mervyn LeRoy and King Vidor collaborated in the work. The film got six nominations for the Oscars and won the award for Best Original Score (thanks to Herbert Stothart) and for Best Song, ‘Over the Rainbow’.


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DAY OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE

WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Glenn Miller Orchestra

1939.07.12

1939.08.19

15

1

(seven weeks)

Ray Eberle (voc)

Bob Crosby Orchestra

1939.07.24

1939.09.16

8

2

(seven weeks)

Teddy Grace (voc)

Judy Garland

1939.07.28

1939.09.09

12

5

Judy Garland (voc), Victor Young Orchestra

Larry Clinton Orchestra

1939.12.08

1939.08.19

7

10

Bea Wain (voc)

The Demensions

1960.??.??

1960.07.04

15

16

Phil Del Giudice, Lenny Dell, Howard Margolin, Marisa Martelli (voc) 

Gary Tanner

1978.??.??

1978.05.27

5

69

Gary Tanner (voc, g)

 

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Boyd Raeburn Orchestra

1946.??.??

Boyd Raeburn (sax, dir), Frank Beach, Bob Fowler, Ray Linn, Dale Pierce (tp), Burt Johnson, Tommy Pederson, Ollie Wilson (tb), Lloyd Otto, Evan Vail (tpa), Bill Starkey (ci), Ethmer Roden (as, fl), Willie Schwartz (as, cl), Ralph Lea, Guy McReynolds (ts), Hy Mandel (bars), Loretta Thompson (arp), Hal Schaefer (p), Tony Rizzi (g), Harry Babasin (b), Max Albright (d)

Art Tatum

1948.12.31

Art Tatum (p)

Charlie Barnet Orchestra

1949.08.16

Charlie Barnet (ss, dir), Ray Wetzel, Rolf Erickson, John Howell, Doc Severinsen, Maynard Ferguson (tp), Dick Kenney, Harry Betts, Herbie Harper, Kenny Martlock (tb), Vinnie Dean, Ruben Leon (as), Dick Hafer, Kurt Bloom (ts), Manny Albam (bars), Claude Williamson (p), Ed Safranski (b),

Tiny Kahn (d)

Bud Powell Trio

1951.05.01

Bud Powell (p), Curly Russell (b), Max Roach (d)

Dave Brubeck Quartet

1952.10.22

Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Ron Crotty (b), Lloyd Davis (d)

Stan Kenton Orchestra

1953.01.28

Stan Kenton (p, dir), Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Conte Candoli, Don Dennis, Ruben McFall (tp), Bob Burgess, Frank Rosolino, Bill Russo, Keith Moon, George Roberts (tb), Vinnie Dean, Lee Konitz (as), Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca (ts), Bob Gioga (bars), Sal Salvador (g), Don Bagley (b),

Stan Levey (d)

Art Tatum

1953.12.28

Art Tatum (p)

James Moody Band

1954.04.12

James Moody (ts, as, dir), Dave Burns (tp), William Shepherd (tb), Pee Wee Moore (bars), Jimmy Boyd (p), John Latham (b), Joe Harris (d)

Erroll Garner

1955.03.14

Erroll Garner (p)

Stan Getz Quartet

1955.12.16

Stan Getz (ts), Bengt Hallberg (p), Gunnar Johnson (b), Anders Burman (d)

Pee Wee Russell Quintet

1958.02.19

Pee Wee Russell (cl), Nat Pierce (p), Steve Jordan (g), George Wettling (b), Walter Page (d)

Chet Baker Sextet

1962.01.05

Chet Baker (tp), Bobby Jaspar (ts, fl), Amadeo Tomasi (p), Rene Thomas (g), Benoit Quersin (b), Daniel Humair (d)

Ben Webster Quartet

1964.03.11

Ben Webster (ts), Hank Jones (p), Richard Davis (b), Osie Johnson (d)

Art Pepper Quartet

1977.07.28

Art Pepper (as, ts, cl), George Cables (p), George Mraz (b), Elvin Jones (d)

Mary Lou Williams

1978.07.16

Mary Lou Williams (p)

Stanley Jordan

1990.11.??

Stanley Jordan (g)

Steve Grossman Quartet

1991.09.13

Steve Grossman (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Avery Sharpe (b), Art Taylor (d)

Keith Jarrett

1995.02.13

Keith Jarrett (p)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Bob Crosby Orchestra

1939.07.24

Bob Crosby (dir), Billy Butterfield, Zeke Zarchy, Shorty Sherock (tp), Warren Smith, Ray Conniff (tb), Irving Fazola (cl), Joe Kearns, Bill Stegmeyer (as), Eddie Miller (cl, ts), Gil Rodin (ts), Joe Sullivan (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Bob Haggart (b), Ray Bauduc (d), Teddy Grace (voc)

Frank Sinatra

1945.05.01

Frank Sinatra (voc), Charles Griffard, Leonard Mach, Horace Nelson (tp), Carl Loeffler, Jimmy Skiles, Paul Weigand (tb), James Stagliano (tpa), Heine Beau, Manny Gershman, Leonard Hartman, Herbert Haymer, William Smith (sax), Mark McIntyre (p), Dave Barbour (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Ray Hagan (d), string section, Axel Stordahl (dir)

Aretha Franklin

1960.08.01

Aretha Franklin (voc), Tyree Glenn (tb,) Ray Bryant (p) Skeeter Best, Chauncey Westbrook (g), Bill Lee (b), Osie Johnson (d)

Ella Fitzgerald

1961.01.15

Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Billy May Orchestra

Eva Cassidy

1992.??.??

Eva Cassidy (voc, g), other unidentifed musicians

Jane Monheit

2004.05.10

Jane Monheit (voc), unidentified orchestra, Ed Shearmur (dir)

On cinemas

 The song 'Over the Rainbow' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

The Wizard of Oz

El mago de Oz

1939

Judy Garland

The Philadelphia Story

Historias de Filadelfia

1940

James Stewart (a capella)

I Wake Up Screaming

¿Quién mató a Vicky?

1941

Instrumental

The Glenn Miller Story

Música y lágrimas

1953

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Interrupted Melody

Melodía interrumpida

1955

Eleanor Parker (dubbed by Eileen Farrell)

Ten North Frederick

10, calle Frederick

1958

Background music

Sweet Bird of Youth

Dulce pájaro de juventud

1962

Background music

In the Cool of the Day

Amor prohibido

1963

Judy Garland

A Patch of Blue

Un retazo de azul

1965

 

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

El abominable Dr. Phibes

1971

Instrumental

Dr. Phibes Rises Again

El retorno del Doctor Phibes

1972

Vincent Price

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

La Pantera Rosa ataca de nuevo

1976

Herbert Lom

International Velvet

Doble triunfo

1978

 

Made in America

Made in America

1993

 

Sleepless in Seattle

Algo para recordar

1993

Ray Charles

My Life

Mi vida

1993

 

Corrina, Corrina

Corina, Corina

1994

Jevetta Steele

That's Entertainment! III

That's Entertainment! III

1994

Judy Garland

Stonewall

Stonewall

1995

Judy Garland

My Fellow Americans

Mis queridos compatriotas

1996

Instrumental

One Fine Day

Un día inolvidable

1996

 

Contact

Contact

1997

 

Face / Off

Cara a cara

1997

Olivia Newton-John

Selena

Selena

1997

Jennifer Peña

Meet Joe Black

¿Conoces a Joe Black?

1998

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

You’ve Got Mail

Tienes un e-mail

1998

Harry Nilsson

Little Voice

Little Voice

1998

Jane Horrocks

Finding Forrester

Descubriendo a Forrester

2000

Bill Frisell- Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Little Nicky

Little Nicky

2000

Judy Garland

The Majestic

The Majestic

2001

Chet Baker

Unconditional Love

Amor sin condiciones

2002

Jonathan Pryce

The Big Bounce

Golpe en Hawai

2002

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Sky Captain y el mundo de mañana

2004

Jane Monheit

50 First Dates

50 primeras citas

2004

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School

Un toque de seducción

2005

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Alpha Dog

Alpha Dog

2006

Eva Cassidy

Fred Claus

Fred Claus

2007

 

Australia

Australia

2008

Judy Garland

Milk

Mi nombre es Harvey Milk

2008

Judy Garland

9

Número 9

2009

Judy Garland

Into the White

Perdidos en la nieve

2012

Rupert Grint

Sykt lykkelig

Siempre feliz

2010

 

Blemded

Juntos y revueltos

2014

Drew Barrymore

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