It’s often considered the greatest movie song of all time, but it almost didn’t make it into the final cut. When The Wizard of Oz was in previews, MGM thought the opening Kansas sequence was too long and that the song slowed the film down. Later, after making it into the film, “Over the Rainbow” won an Academy Award for Best Song. The tune itself is pop perfection. At just over two minutes, its lilting, free-floating melody and uplifting orchestral backing perfectly evoke Dorothy’s hopes of leaving the only home she’s known. The song has been covered countless times, and for years, the original movie version wasn’t even the most popular one. But eventually Garland’s delicate, hopeful vocal performance became the version capable of making even grown men tear up.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXJ2Q0F8H80]