Over the Rainbow

From Muppet Wiki

Written by
Music by	Harold Arlen
Lyrics by	E.Y. (Yip) Harburg
Date	1939
Source	The Wizard of Oz (MGM film)
Publisher

"Over the Rainbow" is one of the most famous "songs about rainbows" and was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg for the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz, in which it was performed by Judy Garland as Dorothy during the film's first black-and-white section.

The song was performed by Robin the Frog as he sat beside a pond in episode 307 of The Muppet Show while a rainbow variously appeared overhead. In an episode otherwise filled with spooky acts, both on stage and off, Robin's simple, unadorned performance of the song was what Fozzie Bear prophetically called the "one thing nice on this show tonight."

The song was later performed by Miss Piggy as Dorothy, holding Foo-Foo as Toto, at the beginning of the Wizard of Oz medley in The Muppets Go To The Movies. Partway through her performance, she was interrupted by Rowlf the Dog, who was concerned that the picture was in black and white. When he was assured by Piggy that it was supposed to be that way, Rowlf promptly advised viewers at home not to adjust their television sets. At the end of the song, Rowlf cued the color, and the medley continued with "If I Only Had a Brain" and "We're Off to See the Wizard."

Video releases

• Children's Songs and Stories (1985) - episode 307 version