Radio host Bill Rudman’s 2014 interview with Ernie Harburg, “Oz Turns 75,” retitled “Oz Turns 85,” is being rebroadcast on PRX as of July 15, 2024. Bill Rudman’s Footlight Parade: Sounds of the American Musical is a weekly radio program showcasing the best of Broadway and Hollywood – songs from the turn … Continue Reading ››
Category Archives: Web Content
EARL ROBINSON SINGING “FREE AND EQUAL BLUES” IN 1980’S
On July 6, 2024 The Daily Kos featured an article about the Yip Harburg-Earl Robinson civil rights-themed song, “Free and Equal Blues,” written during World War Two as a protest against the racial segregation of blood supplies by the United States Armed Forces. The song is heard via a YouTube link as performed by Robinson in … Continue Reading ››
BETTE MIDLER’S “IF I ONLY HAD A HEART” PARODY
On July 2, 2024 singer and actress Bette Midler posted a parody of the lyric of the Yip Harburg-Harold Arlen classic "If I Only Had a Heart" from The Wizard of Oz to express her opinion of various Supreme Court judges.
“In Times Like These”
The World War Two-era Yip Harburg-Sammy Fain song “In Times Like These” from the MGM feature film Meet the People (1944) is highlighted on the June 7, 2024 edition of Will Friedwald’s “Slouching Towards Birdland” blog, available on Substack to subscribers.
“Black Music Sunday” Celebrates “Finian’s Rainbow”
Denise Oliver Velez's article “Black Music Sunday: A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration of ‘Finian’s Rainbow’” (March 17, 2024) can be found at the Daily Kos web site.
BEABADOOBEE SINGS “PAPER MOON”
Beabadoobee’s outstanding and original performance of the Yip Harburg-Harold Arlen classic “It’s Only a Paper Moon” is featured on the Jack Antonoff-produced soundtrack of the Apple TV series The New Look which debuted Feb. 14, 2024.
PODCAST ABOUT “FINIAN’S RAINBOW”
On a January 2024 episode of the Broadway Podcast Network, Jeffrey Scott Parsons talks about Finian’s Rainbow with Broadway performer Joe Aaron Reid, a cast member of the 2009 Broadway revival of the show.
HELLO YELLOW BRICK ROAD
On July 19, 2023 the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will present Hello Yellow Brick Road, combining highlights from Elton John’s 1973 album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, along with favorites from The Wizard of Oz (including, of course “Over the Rainbow” by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen), The Wiz, and Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked.
MELISSA ERRICO SINGS “LAST NIGHT WHEN WE WERE YOUNG”
Melissa Errico sang the Yip Harburg-Harold Arlen classic “Last Night When We Were Young” in her concert “A Noir Romance” (Feb. 10-14, 2023) at Birdland Jazz Club Theater in New York City.
GROUCHO AND CAVETT (and Yip)
Yip Harburg is featured in Groucho and Cavett, a 2022 installment of the PBS series American Masters. The episode recounts the years-long friendship between talk show host Dick Cavett and comedian Groucho Marx. One of Groucho’s favorite songs was “Lydia, the Tattooed Lady,” written by Yip with … Continue Reading ››