Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow (Harburg, Lane)

Subject: Look to the Rainbow
From: Allan C.
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:17 AM

The song is from the musical, "Finian's Rainbow". I was just now watching Petula Clark and Fred Astair in the movie version and heard the song. I liked what I heard and wondered if anyone had the lyrics at hand.

Thanks,

Allan (hopingthatIdon'thavetogotoRainbowValley,Pennsyltuckytofindthem)

Subject: Lyr Add: LOOK TO THE RAINBOW
From: MMario
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:31 AM

I always liked this too.

On the day that I was born
said my father said he
I've an elegant legacy waiting for yee
tis a rhyme for you lips
and a song for your heart
to sing it whenever the world falls apart
look, look , look to the rainbow
follow it over the hill and stream
look look look to the rainbow
follow the fellow who follows the dream
twas a sumptuos gift to bequeath to a child
the lure of that song kept her feet running wild
for you never grow old and you never stand still
with whimper we're singing beyond the next hill
Look look look to the rainbow....
so I pondered my heart
and I roamed the world free
to the east with the lark
to the west with the sea
and I searched all the earth
and I scandeled the sky
till i found it at last in my own true love's eyes
look, look, look to the rainbow
follow it over the hills and stream
look, look, look to the rainbow
follow the fellow who follows the dream

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: MMario
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:32 AM

midi file and lyrics blickie at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/lookrainbow.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: LOOK TO THE RAINBOW
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:38 AM

Allan, is this it?

LOOK TO THE RAINBOW

Artist: sung by Lisa Rinna (also by Barry Manilow)
Album: Barry Manilow's Showstoppers

On the day that I was born
said my father said he>br? I've an elegant legacy waiting for yee
tis a rhyme for you lips
and a song for your heart

to sing it whenever the world falls apart

look, look , look to the rainbow
follow it over the hill and stream
look look look to the rainbow
follow the fellow who follows the dream

twas a sumptuos gift to bequeath to a child
the lure of that song kept her feet running wile
for you never grow old and you never stand still
with whimper we're singing beyond the next hill

Look look look to the rainbow....
so I pondered my heart
and I roamed the world free
to the east with the lark
to the west with the sea
and I searched all the earth
and I scandeled the sky
till i found it at last in my own true love's eyes

look look look to the rainbow
follow it over the hills and stream
look look look to the rainbow
follow the fellow who follows the dream

FROM:http://www.bethsdayspage.com/days/lyrics/looktotherainbow.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:39 AM

Mario, we have to stop meeting like this........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: MMario
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:45 AM

Sorcha - why stop now?

Allan - that midi has the seperate lines for the different parts - by charactor and then the chorus by voice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: Allan C.
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:56 AM

Too cool, folks! Thanks to you both.

Subject: Lyr Add: LOOK TO THE RAINBOW (Harburg, Lane)
From: Genie
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 10:57 PM

beachcomber asked for the lyrics to this song, so I'm refreshing this thread and making a couple of LYRIC CORRECTIONS.*   I will post the chords soon.  Gotta get out the guitar to reconstruct them.

Genie

LOOK TO THE RAINBOW
From "Finian's Rainbow"
Lyrics: E. Y. Harburg:  Music: Burton Lane

On the day I was born, said me father, said he,
"I've an elegant legacy waiting for ye.
'tis a rhyme for your lips
And a song for your heart
To sing it whenever the world falls apart.

Chorus:
Look, look , look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill and stream.
Look, look , look to the rainbow.
Follow a fellow who follows a dream.
Follow a fellow, follow a fellow,
Follow a fellow who follows a dream.

'Twas a sumptuos gift to bequeath to a child,
And the lure of that song kept me feet running wild,
For you'll never grow old and you'll never stand still,
With the whip-poor-will's song just beyond the next hill.

 Chorus

So I bundled my heart and I roamed the world free,
To the east with the lark, to the west with the sea,
And I searched all the hills and I scanned all the skies
Till I found it at last in my own true love's eyes.
 
Chorus
 

* The lyrics that have been posted so far, including the ones linked to, are replete with (sometimes humorous) mondegreens.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: LOOK TO THE RAINBOW (Harburg, Lane
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 11:09 AM

Here are the chords I use.  You can get by with just G, C, D7, and Em (using C instead of Am7) if you insist that "less is more."  You can, I'm sure, add some fancier chords, too, if you're into jazz.

Genie

 Look To The Rainbow
 From "Finian's Rainbow" ca. 1947
 Lyrics: E. Y. Harburg:  Music: Burton Lane

              G            Em                 G            Em
 On the day I was born, said me father, said he,
               G        (G7)    C            (D7)
"I've an elegant legacy waiting for ye.
            D                 D7
'tis a rhyme for your lips
             Am7*            D7
 And a song for your heart
       Am7           D7                C            G
 To sing it whenever the world falls apart.

 Chorus:
 G       Em     D     D7       G
Look, look , look to the rainbow.
 Em          G           C   (Am7)   D7 
 Follow it over the hill and the stream.
 G       Em     D     D7       G
 Look, look , look to the rainbow.
 C            G              D7           G
 Follow a fellow who follows a dream.
 C             G        D    D7  G
 Follow a fellow, follow a fellow,
  C           G              D7         G
Follow a fellow who follows a dream.

              G            Em            G              Em
 'Twas a sumptuos gift to bequeath to a child,
                G             (G7)                C              (D7)
 And the lure of that song kept me feet running wild,
                D               D7                Am7*          D7
 For you'll never grow old and you'll never stand still,
              Am7                  D7              C                  G
 With the whip-poor-will's song just beyond the next hill.

  Chorus

        G                Em             G                       Em
 So I bundled my heart and I roamed the world free,
            G                (G7)            C                 (D7)
To the east with the lark, to the west with the sea,
            D                    D7           Am7*              D7
 And I searched all the hills and I scanned all the skies
        Am7        D7            C                      G
Till I found it at last in my own true love's eyes.
 
 Chorus

*This Am7 is 002010, not 002213.  I'm not positive the one I use is called Am7.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: GUEST,Sarcastikus
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 12:49 PM

This was also covered by Astrud Gilberto and is available on a number of CDs. She sings an abbreviated version, leaving out the second verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 05:12 PM

I have to say I thought Petula Clark did a pretty good job in the movie, although I'm sure some will disagree with me. Did she have previous acting experience, or did she get the job just based on her experience as a pop singer? Isn't she the one who played in "To Sir With Love"?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 06:20 PM

So many great recordings of this favorite of mine.
Ella Logan, who sang it on Broadway, Petula Clark, Rosemary Clooney, Aretha Franklin, Astrud Gilberto, Lena Horne, Patti LaBelle, Samuel Ramey, Sarah Vaughan, Fran Warren, Dinah Washington- .

And thanks again to Genie for posting the lyrics and chords (five years ago).

Petula Clark was one of those people with multiple talents, but I think Judy Geeson was the star in "To Sir,..." and Lulu sang the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look to the Rainbow (Harburg, Lane)
From: leeneia
Date: 14 Sep 20 - 07:02 PM

I like to sing this lovely song sometimes as I'm housecleaning. But I changed this line:

    Follow the fellow who follows a dream

to this:

    Follow the rainbow and follow your dream.

A girl can have her own dream. If she shares it with her lover, all the better, but she doesn't have to.
===========================
For a bird which is not common, the whippoorwill sure makes its way into a lot of songs. I looked up its range, and it only occurs in eastern North America and in South America (for winter, I think.)

I'm grateful for whoever got rid of the references to whimpering. That had me puzzled.