His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions
around the world. Today, we take a journey through the life and work of Yip
Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wrote such hits as "Brother, Can You Spare a
Dime?" and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz. Born into poverty on the
Lower East Side of Manhattan, Harburg always included a strong social and
political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty. A lifelong
socialist, Harburg was blacklisted and hounded throughout much of his life. We
speak with Harburg’s son, Ernie Harburg, about the music and politics of his
father. Then we take an in-depth look at The Wizard of Oz, and hear a medley of
Harburg’s Broadway songs and the politics of the times in which they were
created.
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