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when was over the rainbow written

“Over the Rainbow” was written in 1938 for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

Quick answer

  • The song was composed and written in 1938 for MGM’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
  • It was then published and released to the public in 1939, the same year the movie came out.

Who wrote it?

  • Music was composed by Harold Arlen, a prominent American songwriter.
  • Lyrics were written by E. Y. “Yip” Harburg, known for his poetic, socially conscious writing.

In the context of the film

  • The song was written specifically for Judy Garland’s character, Dorothy, to express her longing to escape drab Kansas “somewhere over the rainbow.”
  • Garland’s first recording for the film was done on the MGM soundstages on October 7, 1938.

Quick timeline

  1. 1938 – Arlen and Harburg write “Over the Rainbow” for The Wizard of Oz and Garland records it for the film.
  1. 1939 – The song is published and the movie is released; “Over the Rainbow” wins the Oscar for Best Original Song.

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