We're Off to See the Wizard

We're Off to See the Wizard

"We're Off to See the Wizard" is one of the classic and most memorable songs from the Academy Award-winning film "The Wizard of Oz". Composer Harold Arlen described it, along with The Merry Old Land of Oz and "Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead", as one of the "lemon drop" songs of the film.

The melody's first appearance begins with the Munchkins reciting and Judy Garland echoing "Follow the Yellow Brick Road!", which turns into a group vocal by the Munchkins (while Garland skips and dances along the road) and then segues into "You're" Off to See the Wizard".

The song occurs as a vocal three more times in the film soundtrack, along with several short instrumental references in the underscore:
# As a duet, sung by Judy Garland and Ray Bolger
# As a trio, sung by Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, and Buddy Ebsen
# As a quartet, sung by Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Buddy Ebsen, and Bert Lahr

Although Jack Haley replaced Ebsen on-screen and in the Tin Man's solo recording of "If I Only Had A Heart", it was deemed unnecessary for the group vocal to be re-recorded, so the voice in the film as released remains Ebsen's. His voice can be detected by listening for the male voice enunciating the "R" in words like "Wizard", as Ebsen's regional accent emphasized the "R" much more strongly than Haley's did.

In "The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs", Shorty Rogers re-worked the song as (in the words of "Talkin' Broadway") "a high-energy, wild Latin dance extravaganza".

References

* cite web|accessmonthday=July 20 |accessyear=2005
url=http://www.haroldarlen.com/bio-6.html
title=Biography of Harold Arlen
author=
work=

* cite web|accessmonthday=July 20 |accessyear=2005
url=http://www.talkinbroadway.com/sound/mar1505.html
title=Harold Arlen: Composer's Centennial features his perennials
author=
work=Talkin' Broadway: Sound Advice

External links

* [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/images/vc56.jpgSheet music cover for "We're Off To See The Wizard"] at the U.S. Library of Congress
* [http://www.lyricsdownload.com/wizard-of-oz-we-re-off-to-see-the-wizard-lyrics.html Lyrics]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Off to See the Wizard — Off The See The Wizard was a part animated but mostly live action television anthology series produced by MGM Television and telecast on ABC TV between 1967 and 1968. Contents 1 History 1.1 Featured Films 2 Cast 3 …   Wikipedia

  • The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) — The Wizard of Oz Theatrical release poster Directed by Victor Fleming Uncredited: Norman Taurog Richard Thorpe …   Wikipedia

  • The Wizard of Oz (1982 film) — The Wizard of Oz オズの魔法使い (Oz no Mahōtsukai) Genre Adventure, Fantasy …   Wikipedia

  • The Wizard of Oz (TV series) — The Wizard of Oz is an animated television series produced in 1990 to capitalize on the 50th anniversary of the 1939 classic film. It ran on ABC from 1990 1991, and was subsequently repeated on the Disney Channel and HBO in the 1990s, and on Toon …   Wikipedia

  • (the) Wizard of Oz — The Wizard of Oz [The Wizard of Oz] a very popular US film (1939) based on the children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by Frank Baum (1856–1919). In the film a little girl called Dorothy, played by Judy Garland, is blown by a strong… …   Useful english dictionary

  • The Wizard of Oz — Le Magicien d Oz (film, 1939) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Le Magicien d Oz. Le Magicien d Oz Titre original …   Wikipédia en Français

  • The Wizard of Oz (film, 1939) — Le Magicien d Oz (film, 1939) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Le Magicien d Oz. Le Magicien d Oz Titre original …   Wikipédia en Français

  • The Wizard of Oz — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel: Der Zauberer von Oz auch: Das zauberhafte Land Originaltitel: The Wizard of Oz Produktionsland: USA Erscheinungsjahr: 1939 Länge: 98 Minuten Originalsprache …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • The Wizard of Oz (1939) — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel: Der Zauberer von Oz auch: Das zauberhafte Land Originaltitel: The Wizard of Oz Produktionsland: USA Erscheinungsjahr: 1939 Länge: 98 Minuten Originalsprache …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Musical selections in The Wizard of Oz — Publicity still showing music for The Wizard of Oz being recorded ironically, for a deleted scene, the Triumphant Return . The songs from the 1939 musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz have taken their place among the most famous and instantly… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”