# Never-heard intro to "Over The Rainbow" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542 "2010-12-27T19:33:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/1 "2010-12-27T19:33:02Z")
Sheet music for “Over The Rainbow” includes an introduction with lyrics, which is not sung by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” Why would the song be written specifically for the movie, but not performed as written? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/2 "2010-12-27T19:46:07Z")
Time constraints most likely. They almost cut the whole piece (“Why is she singing in a barnyard?”), like they did to the Jitterbug song and the Restoration number. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/3 "2010-12-27T20:08:07Z")
It’s in the conductor’s score as well, which probably just means it was cut from the film and the soundtrack recording. Sometimes a publishing company will insist on an intro being inserted into the sheet music version of a song - witness the odd intro to ‘On the Street Where You Live’ that doesn’t exist in the conductor’s score. (In the stage version, there is underscored dialogue with Mrs. Pierce. In the sheet music, there’s some nonsense about ‘Darling, there’s the tree you run to/every time it rains…’ I’ve only ever heard it at a day of auditions.) ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/4 "2010-12-27T20:57:41Z")
We saw a stage production this fall and Dorothy sang that “never before heard” intro to Over the Rainbow. The Jitterbug scene was in it, too. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/5 "2010-12-27T21:05:19Z")
Stage music written in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s (what we now call standards) usually had major divisions of Verse/Refrain, especially in the “ballads”. The verse sections are now rarely performed but it might surprise you how many of those had them. I’ll try to find some examples… they are quite interesting. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/6 "2010-12-27T21:37:41Z")
> [@VernWinterbottom](#): > > We saw a stage production this fall and Dorothy sang that “never before heard” intro to Over the Rainbow. The Jitterbug scene was in it, too. My chorus did a stage production many years ago. I don’t think we included the intro, but we did do the jitterbug number. It had been left out of the original, because they thought the jitterbug was a passing fad, and nobody in the future could relate to it. Most recordings I have of OtR do include the intro. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/7 "2010-12-27T22:33:59Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Stage music written in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s (what we now call standards) usually had major divisions of Verse/Refrain, especially in the “ballads”. The verse sections are now rarely performed but it might surprise you how many of those had them. I’ll try to find some examples… they are quite interesting. > [@](#): > > Nelly Kelly loved baseball games, > Knew the players, knew all their names, > You could see her there ev’ry day, > Shout “Hurray” when they’d play. > Her boy friend by the name of Joe > Said, “To Coney Isle, dear, let’s go,” > Then Nelly started to fret and pout, > And to him I heard her shout. Name that song! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/8 "2010-12-27T22:36:14Z")
Take me out to the ball game. Frank sang the whole lyric. Ella sang the whole lyric to Over the Rainbow. There are actually loads of songs like that, where some or most of the verses are omitted. Anyone actually know the intro to Night and Day? Not me. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/9 "2010-12-27T23:42:42Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Anyone actually know the intro to Night and Day? Not me. Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom When the jungle shadows fall, Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock As it stands against the wall, Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops When the summer shower is through, So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/10 "2010-12-28T00:00:38Z")
Love that song. Frank actually does sing the whole thing (in one recording; he has 2 or 3), and I think I also have ol’ Fred singing the whole thing. Incidentally, for the OP, the Harold Arlen Songbook/Ella is terrific, you wouldn’t just be buying it for this song. He’s one of my favorites. Probably third after Cole Porter and Gershwin for the era, and his songs with Yip are among the best. Besides Wizard of Oz they did “Paper Moon,” and “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” and many more. My wife says the Groucho version of the latter is her favorite musical performance in any movie. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/11 "2010-12-28T06:27:23Z")
I’ve actually sung the “never-heard intro” to Over the Rainbow, over 20 years ago in a high school girls’ choir. There was also a reprise, cut from the movie, when Dorothy is trapped in the witch’s chamber with the hourglass. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/12 "2010-12-28T07:15:25Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Name that song! _Take Me Out to the Ball Game_ Here is the original first verse (the one you posted is a revised version): > [@](#): > > Katie Casey was base ball mad, > Had the fever and had it bad, > Just to be with the home town crew, > Ev’ry sou, > Katie blew. > On a Saturday her young beau, > Asked Miss Katie if she would go, > To see a show, > But Miss Kate said, “No,” > “I’ll tell you what you can do.” (BTW, I spelled “base ball” as two words because that’s how they did it in 1908 when this song was written.) One reason they wrote verses was that sheet music sales were a big source of revenue for songwriters and music publishers. The music-buying public wanted and expected verses, so they got them, even in cases where the verse wasn’t used in the musical. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/13 "2010-12-28T14:44:25Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom > When the jungle shadows fall, > Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock > As it stands against the wall, > Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops > When the summer shower is through, > So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you. I’m familiar with this because of the recent film “De’Lovely”. That scene where Kevin Kline is directing John Barrowman on how to sing that intro is…well, it’s something. Subtle but HOT… ETA: Of course, it could just be me…Kevin Kline and John Barrowman, in the same scene? Gwuuuugh… _fans self frantically_ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/14 "2010-12-28T14:50:34Z")
One for the holidays, with a rarely heard intro and lyric: [Santa Claus is Coming to Town](http://www.acadiawreath.com/t-santa-claus-is-coming-to-town.aspx) I just came back from a lovely trip Along the Milky Way, I stopped off at the North Pole To spend a holiday; I called on dear old Santa Claus To see what I could see. He took me to his workshop And told his plans to me. \ Now, Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play. He’s got millions of stocking To fill on Christmas day; You’d better write your letter now, And mail it right away, Because, he’s getting ready His reideer and his sleigh ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/15 "2010-12-28T15:00:07Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > One for the holidays, with a rarely heard intro and lyric: [Santa Claus is Coming to Town](http://www.acadiawreath.com/t-santa-claus-is-coming-to-town.aspx) > > I just came back from a lovely trip Along the Milky Way, > I stopped off at the North Pole To spend a holiday; > I called on dear old Santa Claus To see what I could see. > He took me to his workshop And told his plans to me. > > \ > > Now, Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play. > He’s got millions of stocking To fill on Christmas day; > You’d better write your letter now, > And mail it right away, > Because, he’s getting ready His reideer and his sleigh The Burl Ives recording of this that was played by our local Christmas radio station this year has that intro. I find the song itself on this recording exceedingly and annoyingly folksy (You’d a-better watch out and you’d a-better not cry and you’d a-better not shout and I’m a-tellin’ you why…), but the intro is sweet and seems very old-fashioned. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/16 "2010-12-28T15:03:25Z")
I heard Big Al Carson’s version on [New Orleans Christmas](http://www.amazon.com/NEW-ORLEANS-CHRISTMAS-PUTUMAYO-PRESENTS/dp/B000I2IS72). It is fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-intro-to-over-the-rainbow/565542/17 "2010-12-28T23:55:23Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > One for the holidays, with a rarely heard intro and lyric: [Santa Claus is Coming to Town](http://www.acadiawreath.com/t-santa-claus-is-coming-to-town.aspx) > > I just came back from a lovely trip Along the Milky Way, > I stopped off at the North Pole To spend a holiday; > I called on dear old Santa Claus To see what I could see. > He took me to his workshop And told his plans to me. > > \ > > Now, Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play. > He’s got millions of stocking To fill on Christmas day; > You’d better write your letter now, > And mail it right away, > Because, he’s getting ready His reindeer and his sleigh This is recited on the Phil Spector “Christmas Gift For You” album … and the singer definitely says “his reindeer **s** and his sleigh”, a source of much hilarity in my family.