Somewhere over the rainbow - Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 6 January 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

HAPPEN WORLD SCREWED-UP, HOPE SEEM GONE. RAIN FALL-IN-DROPS LIKE TEARS alt.F-CL'plop++'. HEAVEN GATE-OPEN. HAVE MAGIC PATH'wavy lead to Heaven'. HAPPEN CLOUDS BLOCK SUNSHINE, STILL HAVE RAINBOW THERE. START WINDOW PANE, PATH'wavy lead to Heaven' PAST* SUN. LITTLE-BIT PAST* RAIN.

||: SOME PLACE PAST* RAINBOW. FAR-AWAY HIGH.
HAVE COUNTRY ME LEARN FROM MOTHER HER SLEEP SONG.
SOME PLACE PAST* RAINBOW. SKY DEEP BLUE.
EACH DREAM YOU"all" DARE GO-AHEAD DREAM, BECOME TRUE CAN.
FUTURE ME WISH TO STAR, HIT WAKE-UP CLOUD PASS-BENEATH-ME++.
TROUBLE MELT LIKE CANDY-DROP, PAST* HOUSE TOP. THAT PLACE YOU"all" FIND ME.
SOME PLACE PAST* RAINBOW, BLUE BIRD FLAP-WINGS-HEADING-UP.
BIRD FLAP-WINGS-HEADING-UP PAST* RAINBOW, WHY TELL-me WHY CAN'T ME? :||

IF HAPPY BLUE BIRD FLAP-WING PAST RAINBOW, WHY TELL-me WHY CAN'T ME?
FLAP-WINGS-HEADING-UP, FARTHER-WINGS-HEADING-UP TRAVEL-UP BECOME-TINY GONE.


Notes: SCREWED-UP - (2h)[5:], FOs away, DH PO down and held high on its side, ND PO up and held low on its side. Both hands reverse POs and placement.

FALL-IN-DROPS - (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, alt. flick out index fingers and ascend and descend slightly.

alt.F-CL'plop++' - (2h)[F], POs ><, FOs away, alt. ascend and descend slightly while mouthing 'plop'.

PATH'wavy lead to Heaven' - (2h)[B], POs ><, FOs away, move like a road that travels from the signer in a wavy path > Heaven.

RAINBOW - COLOR + NDH [B], PO up, FO away, DH [4] touches FT to NDH palm and sweeps a large arc.

THERE - Honorific index points to Heaven.

PANE - (2h)[1], draw outline of window, then cross to indicate the caulking that divides a window into quadrants.

PAST* - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs away, DH comes from "behind" NDH and rapidly passes it.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

FAR-AWAY - [1], twists while moving away with tongue shuttling from side to side. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Far.

DARE - FT of [F], FOs > NDS, strike chin.

GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.

CLOUDS - (2h)[5:], move similar to GROUP but with a wavy motion.

PASS-BENEATH-ME++ - (2h)[5:], POs ><, FOs away, are held close to one another and move down and > the nack of the signer as if passing beneath.

CANDY-DROP - [1], twists against cheek then flicks the index finger into the mouth like popping candy.

FLAP-WINGS-HEADING-UP - (2h)[B] cross at wrists and gently flap as the hands move diagonally upwards to heaveh

FARTHER-WINGS-HEADING-UP TRAVEL-UP BECOME-TINY - (This is signed during the long hold on "I" at the end of the song.) The previous sign glossed aboe moves only a little before it is replaced by (2h)[1] crossed at wrist, then [V:], PO down, then [G], PO > NDS, closing to a [bO^]. All of these signs should flow together and follow one diagonal line towards Heaven.

Lyrics:

When all the world is a hopeless jumble
and the raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane.
When all the clouds darken up the skyway,
there's a rainbow highway to be found,
leading from your window pane
to a place behind the sun,
just a step beyond the rain.

Chorus: Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to My thoughts on music and MIDI's. Scroll down to "Solo piano" and under that "Somewhere over the rainbow."

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