Patricia Stoltey

Author

Sometimes We Just Need a Rainbow

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My husband called me away from my computer this weekend–shouted really–to come outside.

Now, I’m no dummy. I usually holler back, “Why?” This time, however, I had a feeling what he wanted. It had just rained. The sun was out. It had to be rainbow. I hopped up and ran outside. Took one look and went inside for the camera.


So what does that have to do with writing? There’s a connection. I wanted some lovely quotes about rainbows to add to this blog, so I looked up the Broadway show, Finian’s Rainbow, and I consulted my trusty Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. And I found the most amazing thing (amazing because I didn’t already know it). The lyricist for Finian’s Rainbow, Edgar Yipsel Harburg, who wrote the song Look to the Rainbow for the play, also wrote the lyrics for Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. As a matter of fact, Harburg wrote most of the dialogue for Wizard, and wrote the all of Finian’s Rainbow as well.

Is that not the coolest piece of trivia you’ve ever heard? I’m so grateful this man liked rainbows. Harburg, who’s real name was Isidore Hochberg, was a socialist and eventually fell victim to the Hollywood blacklists of the fifties. He’s gone, of course, but his musical rainbows live on.

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Comments

  2. Beautiful photo, Pat. We saw it too, but didn’t get a really good picture of it. It was the brightest rainbow I’ve seen in years!

    Your picture made me think of one of my favorite songs. I posted a link to it on myspace. It’s Kenny Loggins’ “The Rainbow Connection.” It gives me chills whenever I hear that song. The lyrics are just beautiful–about believing in things that appear to be just illusions.

    Another favorite for me is Iz’s version of “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World.” Iz was a Hawaiian singer with the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. He sang this song using just a ukelele. If you’re interested, do a search on youtube for his version of this song. You won’t regret it.

    Thanks for the great post, Pat!

  5. Patricia: This is a lovely photo. I’m a shutterbug myself and am always inspired by nature. I recently watched “The Wizard of Oz” (for the millionth time) and was awed by Judy Garland’s song. No one could have known at the time that it would become the signature song of her career, reminding the whole world of that magical performance.
    Luana

  6. Hi Nancy. Finian’s Rainbow is one of my favorites. I love the song, “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” I used to play it over and over on the piano instead of practicing (which is why I don’t play the piano very well).

  7. Thanks Jane, Lost, Stephen, and Karen for stopping by. It’s hard to resist a good rainbow.

    Lost — nice to meet you. It’s true, so many things in our lives don’t mean the same today as they did when I was younger. With political correctness, euphemisms, and cultural change, it’s difficult to write/talk in plain language (at least the plain language I learned as a kid).

    Galen — I’ve heard that rumor about the end of the rainbow, but the end never seems to be where I’m at.

  9. Cool photo and very cool piece of trivia. Before I moved to New Mexico in 1994, I hadn’t seen a rainbow in years. Double rainbows are particularly awesome. We got one in the late afternoon on July 4, sitting on a friend’s patio.
    Karen

  12. That IS cool trivia. Made me start thinking of how rainbows appear in contemporary arts, and they don’t so much. Well, not as the pure symbols of hope they once were. I think because now they symbolize diversity.

    Socialism isn’t what it used to be, either.