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News, Special Events

Paper Moon: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg

November 12, 2015 ypadmin

On Nov. 27, 2015 Amici Arts will present “Paper Moon: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg” at Theater O-Tonart in Berlin, Germany as part of its American Songbook Series.

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Quote of the Month

1.26headshot

What went down in history
And practic’ly changed its course?
Was it Lady Astor?
Nay! Nay!
It was Lady Astor’s horse!

What won the Battle of Lexington
For America’s barefoot force?
Was it Paul Revere?
Nay! Nay!
It was Paul Revere’s horse!

Lady Godiva’s torso
Was something to adore so,
But could she get to second base?
Not without a horse-o!

The world is full of a number of mammals.
Some are in subways
And some are on camels;
We’ve met a lot of Rumanians,
Lithuanians, Albanians,
Loads of Pennsylvanians
Who live on the Bronx express.

We’ve met a lot of Hungarians,
Bavarians, Bulgarians,
And hundred percent pure Aryans
And brother we must confess
That the more we see of people
The better we like horses;
The better we like horses.

Lyric excerpt: “The More We See of People, the Better We Like Horses” (1936, unpublished)
Lyric by Yip Harburg. Music by Harold Arlen

May is Kentucky Derby month but there is no Derby in 2020 due to COVID-19, so we quote from this song about horses written while Yip and Harold were under contract to Warner Bros. To our knowledge (and disbelief) it has never been recorded or even performed in public. Some of the words and phrases prefigure Yip’s later lyrics including “Lydia, the Tattooed Lady,” “The Begat,” “You Too Can Be a Puppet” and “Monkey in the Mango.”

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yipharburg.com
  • Home
  • Yip Harburg LYRICS Foundation
    • Mission Statement
    • Funded Projects
    • Apply to YHLF
    • Back
  • EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE & YIP
    • Acting Songs Workshop Spring 2017
    • Myths in Musical Theatre
    • AMERICAN JAZZ WORKSHOP
    • BEYOND WORDS: THE ART OF NON-VERBAL PERFORMANCE – SPRING 2019
    • Back
  • Who is Yip
    • Biography
    • Composers & Collaborators
    • Performers
    • Back
  • Yip’s Work
    • Stage Musicals & Motion Pictures
    • Yip’s Song Lyrics
    • Back
  • YIP News
  • Contact
  • Connect
  • LICENSING