Yip Harburg: The Wizard Of Oz: Arr. (Israel ‘Iz’ Kamakawiwo’ole): Ukulele
As one of Hollywood’s most enduring films, and perhaps the greatest screen adaptation of a novel ever, the 1939 Wizard Of Oz brought the words and story to music, entrenching the songs in popular culture and ensuring their timelessness. With this Ukulele sheet music book, you can learn every song from the hit movie, as well as the bonus hit arrangement of Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
There were other film adaptations of L. Frank Baum’s book before and after it, but the 1939 version, starring Judy Garland, remains the one where visual imagination and unforgettable songs gave us a definitive version. What ‘Yip’ Harburg and Harold Arlen created was a film bursting with unforgettable musical sequences, putting their talented songwriting brains together to produce this most famous of musicals. Obviously, a song like Over The Rainbow needs no introduction, winning an Academy Award for resonating with our desire for something better, and becoming especially prescient given the world war about to erupt.
The rest of Harburg & Arlen’s songs for the film are just as evocative, instantly conjuring Dorothy’s legendary journey from Kansas to Oz and back. An absolute pleasure to perform, these songs belie their 75-year vintage and sound as fresh today as they did when audiences were first thrilled to hear them in the cinema, especially when given a fun new sound when played on a Ukulele. In this Wizard Of Oz sheet music song book, every song from the film is included, Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, We’re Off To See The Wizard, Follow The Yellow Brick Road, If I Only Had A Brain and If I Only Had A Heart, plus the special arrangement of Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
