"Over the Rainbow" is a ballad with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E. Y. "Yip" Harburg, written for the MGM film The Wizard of Oz (1939), in which Judy Garland sings it as Dorothy Gale about five minutes into the film. Arlen wanted a melody with a long, broad line, and the song was originally in A-flat major; he later wrote the contrasting bridge. The studio felt the slow ballad stalled the story, but the producer and director insisted it stay. Garland recorded the film version on 7 October 1938, and her commercial Decca recording of 28-29 July 1939 was the one issued on 78 rpm. MGM released the soundtrack in 1956. The song became Garland's signature song and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Later honours include induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1981 for the Decca record, a place in the National Recording Registry in 2017, the title of best movie song in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame Towering Song Award. Notable later versions include those by Eva Cassidy, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Harry Connick Jr.
