Am I the only one crying hearing him sing?

I was so lucky to meet this man and sit in on his class at UCLA. What a memory!

He wrote the most touching lyrics which as he says can give people comfort in times of trouble. To be able to express heartfelt emotion so beautifully is a great gift.

I thought I've heard great versions of this song, sang by multiple artist up till now. However, Yip Harburg, the originator of this song, sang this from the core of his being and sang it with so much emotions that it's impossible to replicate. The way he sang this is so genuine that unless you adapt this song to yourself there's no way this song can have the same impact.

this is my hero. Did you know... Yip Harburg was the child of Orthodox immigrants, grew up on the Lower East side, translating everything into Yiddish for his parents, and decided to give up songwriting and support his parents by becoming a salesman? And then the Depression hit, Yip lost his job, and began writing songs again.... \

As many times as I’ve heard this song today I only cried when I heard this version for some reason and it was an ugly cry idk why but this version touched me

Thank you Great-Grampa! And thank you Jesus for giving him such talent

Amazing and beautiful. The lyrics just flowed out of this man's heart with such meaning. What a poet! It really makes me realize just how well Judy Garland nailed the meaning of this song that she made her own. Harold Arlen, whose melody is equally as beautiful (true marriage of words and music) tends to deservedly get lots of credit for this song but Yip Harburg deserves equal credit and attention. Thanks for posting this!!!

Was brought here by Risk of Rain 2's effective composer, Chris Christoudolou. Man's always had a wonderful sense of where to pull the song names from, and I do agree that _Once in a Lullaby_ was an extremely good choice.

This man wrote a song that bas been played by all the ukulele players in the world.

Translated from the spirit in the sky to us, through Yips music...yip, persecuted for being too loving, kind, American...

Wow wow wow. There is just nothing better than a song-writer singing their own lyrics. I just love this and how he introduced the piece.

Thank you Yip and Harold...amazing song

Yip Harburg + Harold Arlen + Judy Garland + Rhema Marvanne = Heaven on Earth. Thanks for posting, I will remember all four performances when I go out sometimes in the darkest of nights to watch shooting stars whizzz by and firflies fly clip clip clip...

Instant tears...

Thank you for posting this. It is a celebration of individuality, difference and one's beliefs. This man went where few people ever darn to step. He spoke up and became a voice for the immigrant that struggled with race and class issues. ~nina

Oh god....I've got no words for how beautiful this is. Thank you, Yip Harburg.

Thank you so much for sharing this clip and the background story of Yip Harburg...so great to know...I just love the feeling tone in his older voice that comes though in his singing of his own words and heart....

Years later, we still wish for a land over the rainbow. It's just with how dreary the world seems these days, we only wish upon it once in a lullaby. Mr. Harburg would never have thought this song would be the inspiration for a song in a game about stacking adrenaline and Missiles while simultaneously not knowing what's going on half the time due to the sheer number of numbers in the screen.

this is amazing

just learned this tonight an extension of my family research royals from Russia and Germany very beautiful

Simple. Straightforward. Magic.

I am going to cry, in a second.

Great post, what a surprise to see and hear the lyricist himself! This is, i.m.h.o. one of the finest songs written in the 20th. century!

Thanks. I needed a good cry...I sing this one, and enjoyed observing his emotions and inflections---great to hear it from the composer!

Lovely!!

Wow! Thanks for posting this. It is indeed a treasure.

20032023tue:::2244:::Yip's interpretation is Priceless + Flawless + Perpetual ~->May you Rest in Peaceful Perpetual Light🕯️🎶🥰💙🧸🌺🎨🏠

I ab-so-lute-ly LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this bee-you-tee-full song... have been surprised how many times I have been with others while listening to Rainbow being sung, and they will hear the introduction (ie.:When all the world is a hopeless jumble etc.) and not recognize what's being performed until the words Somewhere over the rainbow...

beautiful, heartfelt music and visions, yip, you are with us always, in spirit and music, royal hartiganj

Thanks for sharing. Yip was a colleague of Bil Baird, and wrote lyrics for his puppet shows. I am sorry I never met him, he was brilliant.

He is excellent !

just great, hope he got there

Perfection

In what context does one usually hear the introduction to Over the Rainbow? I'm 57 years old and I never knew it existed until seeing this video. That said, I will say that there are indeed many songs of the 30's and 40's that had wonderful introductions, and something valuable really gets lost when a performer omits them. This (Rainbow) seems to be one example. Another favorite of mine is "God Bless America" -- really moving intro. But I digress. :-)

this man is amazing

This song is so sad. I love how it makes me teary eyed, its so strange. I know how corny it is, and I know the slander that comes with it, but everytime I listen to it, even the different version it still touches me. Its the Notes, its the order or notes. Its got to be.

Very moving!

Thanks for sharing!!!

The way he nearly cried at the end. So cute. One of the best songs ever written by him. Yes, I am 15.

Magic!

Fabulous, thank you!

This is great!

This clip is pure magic! Yip was a real treasure! I am doing a 4 hour tribute to Yip on my radio show this Saturday. This is going to be my opener.

Love this! Apparently I never really grasped the real personal meaning of the song before.

@widerman Bil and Cora baird! i never saw their shows but heard about them...both long gone now.

Master!!!!

CHILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS!!

Wow!

Unbelievable!!! What a genius!!! Yip Harburg!!! I love him!!! And I’m surprised!!! He sings so perfectly in tune!!! It figures … he’d have to be a great singer to be able to write lyrics like that!!! “Over the Rainbow” music written by Harold Arlen with lyrics written by Yip Harburg en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Rainbow “Composer Harold Arlen and lyricist Yip Harburg often worked in tandem, Harburg generally suggesting an idea or title for Arlen to set to music, before Harburg contributed the lyrics.” Ella Fitzgerald - “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” with introductory verse ("When all the world is a hopeless jumble…”) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nslipbelnJq1qac.html

My favorite youtube.

thanks

When was this taped? Btw I love Yip! He seems like a really sweet guy!!! He wrote songs that told people that there is always a silver lining in a grey cloud, no matter how dark and gloomey things in life are!!!! RIP Yip!

Thanks Chris Christodoulou, thanks Hopoo Games, thanks Risk of Rain 2

YOU NEED a beautiful heart to write such words. this man would not be welcome in the puppets world or the world of his racist admirers

My favorite of his was "Lydia, The tattooed Lady".

Shame the clip didn't show the pianist. Was it Harold Arlen? Do you have any clips of Arlen?

Would it be wrong to say that this is probably softcore Radiohead? I mean it sounds like a giving up song... I hope it’s not but it does sound like it. Want to live above the rainbow? Be an angel! On earth!

it's a shame that the singers are touted over the true genius of the lyricist

Females in the crowd: 😥

I cant understand today despite laws rules me and my children are not that bird over the rainbow

To me its a sin if a song has a verse and its omitted by the singer and most singers do leave out the verse , 'Rainbow' is a good example of this.

so sad all my Russian German English royalty murdered told get on with it im not having it! 25million missing

Socialism-where peace and prosperity always are over the rainbow.

Fella can sure write a great song, but he sure can’t sing one!