The socialist lyricist who gave the Wizard of Oz its heart and soul

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Yip Harburg wrote the lyrics to Over the Rainbow and Brother, Can You Spare a Dime, yet his greatest contribution to cinema remains largely uncredited. As the final script editor for The Wizard of Oz, he unified eleven screenwriters to create a masterpiece, all while championing radical social equality.

Born Isidore Hochberg in 1896, Harburg was a lifelong advocate for labor unionism and gender equality. His path to songwriting was unconventional; after a business bankruptcy left him in significant debt following the 1929 crash, he turned to lyricism. His work often carried sharp political messages, reflecting his democratic socialist leanings and his belief that humor was an act of courage and dissent.

While Harburg is celebrated for iconic songs, his role in The Wizard of Oz extended far beyond lyrics. As the final script editor, he wove together the work of eleven different screenwriters, providing the film with the coherence and thematic unity that transformed it into a classic. Despite this, he officially received credit only for his lyrics, leaving his structural influence on the film’s narrative largely obscured.

Harburg’s outspoken nature eventually made him a target during the McCarthy era. Named in the Red Channels pamphlet, he was blacklisted from Hollywood, radio, and television for twelve years between 1950 and 1962. He refused to identify others as communists, maintaining his integrity despite the professional exile. Even when his work was dismissed by critics, such as the satirical musical Flahooley, he remained committed to using art as a vehicle for social critique.

His legacy persists through the enduring popularity of his work. In 2001, the Recording Industry Association of America ranked his rendition of Over the Rainbow as the top recording of the 20th century. Harburg passed away in 1981, leaving behind a body of work that challenged the status quo while defining the American songbook.

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