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The Freedom From Religion Foundation is delighted to announce the publication of lyricist Yip Harburg's Rhymes for the Irreverent (January 2006). Published in collaboration with the Yip Harburg Foundation, the new book, for the first time, offers a major selection of Yip's whimsical rhymes in one place. The 240-page hardback book contains material from Harburg's two volumes of light verse, the original Rhymes for the Irreverent (1965) and At This Point in Rhyme (1976). The new collection also includes some recently discovered unpublished poems. More ... The book may be purchased from FFRF shop |
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In a career spanning over fifty years, E. Y. "Yip" Harburg (1896-1981), lyricist and poet, wrote the words to over 600 songs, including all of the lyrics in the 1939 motion picture classic The Wizard of Oz, which featured the Oscar-winning "Over the Rainbow," which was voted Number One Song of the 20th Century in a 2001 poll conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America and Best Film Song of All Time by the American Film Institute in 2004. Yip also wrote the immortal standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" "April in Paris" and "It's Only a Paper Moon." |
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Known as "Broadway's social conscience," Yip's greatest stage musicals were Bloomer Girl (1944) and Finian's Rainbow (1947). During his prolific career as a lyricist, Yip worked with over fifty composers including Harold Arlen, Jay Gorney, Vernon Duke, Burton Lane, Jerome Kern, Jule Styne, Johnny Green, Dana Suesse, Earl Robinson, Sammy Fain, Arthur Schwartz and Philip Springer. Yip's lyrics have been sung by a galaxy of artists from Judy Garland to Bert Lahr to Lena Horne to Eva Cassidy. Following Yip's life, The Yip Harburg Foundation was created to promote educational opportunity, social and economic justice, world peace and Yip's artistic legacy. |
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| In recognition of Yip Harburg's contribution to American culture throughout his career as a lyricist and poet, on April 28, 2005 the US Postal Service issued a 37-cent Yip Harburg Commemorative Stamp. A launching ceremony was held on that day in New York City with Maureen McGovern, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson among the performers. Designed by Ethel Kessler, the stamp combines a photo of Yip taken in 1978 by portrait photographer Barbara Bordnick with design elements which include lyrics from the song "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz. | ||||
To license songs with lyrics by Yip Harburg, contact Monica Corton at Next Decade Entertainment:
65 W. 55th St. - Suite 4F, New York, NY 10019 - 212-583-1887 x 10 (212-813-9788 fax)
©2007 yipharburg.com --- The official web site of The Yip Harburg Foundation
