E.Y. Harburg

E.Y. Harburg, born Isidore Hochberg, was an influential American lyricist and librettist renowned for his witty, socially conscious lyrics. A key figure in the Great American Songbook, he is best remembered for writing the lyrics to "Over the Rainbow" for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. His career, spanning Broadway, Hollywood, and popular music, was marked by a commitment to progressive ideals, which later led to his blacklisting during the Red Scare.

Early life and education

He was born on the Lower East Side of New York City to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. Growing up in poverty, he attended Townsend Harris High School where he befriended future collaborator Ira Gershwin. He later graduated from City College of New York in 1918, alongside Gershwin and another future literary figure, Herman Wouk. Initially pursuing a career in business, he co-founded a successful electrical appliance company, but the firm's collapse following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 prompted him to turn full-time to his passion for writing lyrics.

Career and major works

Harburg began his professional songwriting career in the late 1920s, contributing to Broadway revues. His breakthrough came with the score for the 1932 political satire revue Americana, which featured the anthem "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", set to music by Jay Gorney. He moved to Hollywood in the mid-1930s, writing lyrics for numerous films at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and other studios. His most famous work, "Over the Rainbow" with composer Harold Arlen, originated in the classic MGM film The Wizard of Oz. He returned to Broadway to create several landmark musicals with Arlen, including Bloomer Girl and the groundbreaking integrated musical St. Louis Woman. His greatest stage success was the satirical fantasy Finian's Rainbow (1947), with music by Burton Lane, which tackled issues of racism and capitalism.

Political activism and blacklisting

A lifelong Democratic Socialist, Harburg infused his work with themes of social justice, anti-materialism, and racial equality. His lyrics for songs like "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and the book for Finian's Rainbow explicitly critiqued economic inequality and Jim Crow laws. These openly progressive views, along with his associations with left-wing causes, made him a target during the McCarthy era. In 1950, he was summoned before the House Un-American Activities Committee and subsequently blacklisted by the major Hollywood film studios. This ban severely curtailed his work in film for over a decade, though he continued to write for the stage and television.

Personal life and death

He married and had two children. Despite the pressures of blacklisting, he remained active and outspoken. In his later years, he continued to write, lecture on lyric writing, and advocate for political causes. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1981 while driving in Los Angeles. His papers are archived at the UCLA Library Special Collections.

Legacy and honors

Harburg is celebrated as one of America's greatest lyricists, a master of rhyme and sophisticated social commentary. "Over the Rainbow" was voted the 20th century's number one song by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. He was inducted posthumously into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. Musicals like Finian's Rainbow have seen major revivals on Broadway and at institutions like the New York City Center. His work continues to be performed and recorded by artists across genres, cementing his legacy as a poetic voice for humanism and social change in American musical theatre and film.

Category:American lyricists Category:American librettists Category:Academy Award-winning songwriters