Who wrote the lyrics for the song 'Over the Rainbow'?

E.Y. Harburg wrote the lyrics for the song “Over the Rainbow.”

The music was composed by Harold Arlen, while Harburg—whose full name was Edgar Yipsel Harburg—wrote the lyrics for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Judy Garland performed the song as Dorothy Gale, singing about a place beyond the troubles of Kansas and expressing the hope that dreams might come true.

The song was written specifically for the film. Harburg said the idea grew from Dorothy’s desire to escape the dry, colorless world of Kansas and imagine somewhere filled with beauty. Arlen created the melody, reportedly developing its central idea while being driven near Schwab’s Drug Store in Hollywood.

A frequent mistake is crediting Harold Arlen with the entire song. Arlen was the composer, not the lyricist. “Over the Rainbow” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became Judy Garland’s signature recording.