Remembering Harold Arlen (aka Hyman Arluck)

"He wasn't as well known as some of us, but he was a better songwriter than most of us and he will be missed by all of us." — Irving Berlin, remembering Harold Arlen

HAROLD ARLEN

(Born Hyman Arluck)
February 15, 1905 - April 23, 1986 

You have probably heard, and maybe even hummed, a Harold Arlen song today and didn't even know it! Though he is most noted for composing the songs for the film "The Wizard of Oz," particularly Over the Rainbow, which was recently named the Number One Song of the Century, he has written over 400 songs including favorites like: It's Only A Paper Moon, Stormy Weather, I've Got the World on A String, That Old Black Magic, and Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive.  

Though it was nominated for several Academy Awards, The Wizard of Oz won only two: for Best Original Music Score and for Best Song, "Over the Rainbow." The song, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, was almost cut from the film because MGM executive Louis B. Mayer thought it slowed the movie down.

The song has been recorded by an incredible number of artists spanning a very wide range of styles. 

One of my personal favorites is by the Hawaiian singer Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole.

 Celtic Woman: Méav, Chloë, Órlagh, and Hayley sing "Over the Rainbow" at the Slane Castle, Ireland



 An instrumental version by Queen

In 2004, the American Film Institute ranked "Over the Rainbow" the greatest movie song of all time on its list, "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs." Three years earlier, the Recording Industry Association of America named the song No. 1 of its "Songs of the Century." 

Read more here: Harold Arlen