Library of Congress acquires only known lyrics sketch of ‘Over the Rainbow’

The Library of Congress has acquired rare artifacts related to the beloved 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

The treasures include 35 musical manuscripts from composer Harold Arlen and lyricist E. Y. “Yip” Harburg’s creative output, including the first handwritten drafts of music and lyrics from some of the most well-known The Wizard of Oz songs, draft song lists and correspondence from the director of the film, Mervyn LeRoy.

Among the artifacts is the only lyric sketch for “Over the Rainbow” known to exist. 

Scrawled in pencil on a scrap of yellow legal paper by Harburg are the words: “Some day I’ll wish upon a star + wake + find the darkness far behind me.” The line eventually became “Someday I’ll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.”

Donated by Arlen’s sister-in-law, Rita Arlen, that scrap joins dozens of other items in the library’s collection, such as Arlen’s Academy Award statue for “Over the Rainbow,” which won Best Original Song in 1939. It was famously sung by Judy Garland in the movie.

“Over the Rainbow” is considered to be one of the greatest songs of all time. It topped the “Songs of the Century” lists of the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts, and was named the “greatest movie song of all time” by the American Film Institute. It has been covered by artists countless times including pop star Ariana Grande and Hawaiian ukulele artist Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.

Nicholas Brown-Cáceres, the acting chief of the Library’s Music Division, told NPR “Over the Rainbow” nearly got left on the cutting room floor during the movie production process.

“The creators had to advocate for it to get placed back in multiple times,” he said.

The Wizard of Oz was inducted in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1989. “For a long time this has been an important work for us to try to preserve,” said Brown-Cáceres. “For the music division’s collections to now have the opportunity to hold some of the documentation relating to the creation of the soundtrack is wonderful. We’re excited that it will now be available as part of our nation’s heritage for hundreds of years to come.”

Brown-Cáceres said anyone over 16 can acquire a library card and view items related to The Wizard of Oz and other Library of Congress Music Division collections in the Performing Arts Reading Room. Some of the newly acquired items, including the Academy Award statue and “Over the Rainbow” lyrics sketch, will be on view at the Library from Oct. 23 through Jan. 7, along with artifacts from the famed Oz spinoff, Wicked.