The man behind the rainbow: Harold Arlen’s quiet dominance of the American songbook
In short: Born Hyman Arluck, this son of a cantor became the architect of the Great American Songbook. While he remains less of a household name than his peers, his melodies for Hollywood and Broadway defined the sound of a generation, including the most famous song of the twentieth century.
Born in Buffalo in 1905, Arlen showed early musical promise, forming his own band by age 15. He eventually moved to New York City, where he transitioned from a performer and arranger to a prolific composer. His breakthrough came in 1929 with the song Get Happy, marking the start of a fruitful collaboration with lyricist Ted Koehler. Together, they crafted hits for Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club, including Stormy Weather and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
Arlen’s career reached its zenith in Hollywood, where he became a master of the movie musical. His most enduring contribution, Over the Rainbow, written with E.Y. Harburg for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, earned him an Academy Award. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, he maintained a relentless creative pace, partnering with luminaries like Johnny Mercer to produce classics such as Blues in the Night, That Old Black Magic, and Come Rain or Come Shine. His versatility allowed him to work across diverse mediums, from Broadway scores like Bloomer Girl and House of Flowers to film collaborations with Ira Gershwin.
Despite his immense output, Arlen often operated in the background, a reality reflected in the words of Irving Berlin, who noted that while Arlen was not as famous as his contemporaries, he was a superior songwriter. Arlen’s personal life was marked by significant challenges, including the long-term institutionalization of his wife, Anya Taranda, and his own battle with cancer. He passed away in 1986 at age 81. Today, his legacy persists not just through his individual hits, but through the foundational role he played in shaping the American musical landscape.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Harold Arlen | Jazz, Blues & Broadway | Britannica
- Also: Harold Arlen
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