Over The Rainbow | Chords + Lyrics (capo 1)
Intro
| Gadd9 | Gadd9/D I Am11 | 6/4 D9sus4/A |
Chorus 1
| Gsus2 /F# | Em /D | Bm7b13 | G7 Amadd4 /B |
Somewhere over the rainbow,
| Cadd9 | Cm6 | Gmaj9 | G9 Amadd4 G/B |
way up high,
| C | Cm7 | Gadd9 G/F# | Em |
there’s a land that I’ve heard of once,
| Am13 | D7sus4 D/F# | Gadd9 | A7omit3 D/F# |
once in a lullaby.
Chorus 2
| Gadd9 /F# | Em | Bm7b13 | G7 Amadd4 /B |
Somewhere over the rainbow,
| C /A | Cm6 | Gmaj9 | G7sus2 Amadd4 G/B |
skies are blue.
| Cadd9 | Cm7 | Gadd9 G/F# | Em |
When the dreams that you dare to dream,
| Am13 | D7sus4 D/F# | Gadd9 | Am7 D/F# |
really do come true.
Verse 1
| Gadd9 | Gadd9 | Am11 | D/F# |
Someday I’ll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far
| Gmaj9 /F# | Emadd9 | Am7 | D6 D9sus4 |
behind me.
| Gadd9 | Gadd9 | F#7 | F#7 |
Where troubles melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops,
| Bm | Bm/Bb | Am7 | 7/4 D7/F# |
that’s where you’ll find me.
Solo
| 4/4 G Dadd4 | Cmaj13 | Bm | G9 |
| Cmaj7#11 | Cm13 | G | G7 |
| Cmaj7#11 | Cm13 | G D6add9/F# | Em9 |
| Am13 | 3/4 D7sus4 | 2/4 D6 | 4/4 Gadd9 | Am7 D/F# |
Verse 2
| Gadd9 | Gadd9 | Am11 | D/F# |
Someday I’ll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far
| Gmaj9 /F# | Emadd9 | Am7 | D6 D9sus4 |
behind me.
| Gadd9 | Gadd9 | F#7 | F#7 |
Where troubles melt like lemon drops, way above the chimney tops,
| Bm | Bm/Bb | Am7 | D7/F# | D7/F# |
that’s where you’ll find me.
Chorus 3
| G /F# | Em7 | Bm7 | G7 Am7add4 G/B |
Somewhere over the rainbow,
| Cadd9 | Cm6 | Gmaj9 | G9 Amadd4 G/B |
skies are blue.
| C | Cm7 | G G/F# | Em7 |
And the dreams that you dared to dream,
| Am13 | D7sus4 D/F# | Gadd9 | Gadd9/D |
they really do come true.
Outro
| Gadd9 | Gadd9/D | Am11 | D7sus4 |
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why,
| D7/F# | D7/F# | Cadd9 | Cadd9 | Ab | Ab | G |
oh why can’t I?
Over The Rainbow’s chords and progressions
To understand how Eva Cassidy came to put together this incredible arrangement, in the course, we first look at the basic structure of the actual song.
You’ll find a preview of the first guitar lesson from the course in the video at the top of this page, just after the tune is finished at 5:54.
In the lesson, we look at a kids’ version, using the simplest possible chords. There’s also the traditional jazz version, closer to the original Judy Garland performance, although with fewer chords.
Finally, we look at how Eva Cassidy doubles the number of bars and changes the melody drastically.
After this introduction to the song, we start working on how Eva plays it, note-for-note.
Only by learning her arrangement note for note can we fully appreciate this masterpiece. Every step is practiced slowly, fast, and at a free tempo with full TAB and practice loops.
It will take you six guitar lessons to achieve this. In the final two lessons, we will practice Lydian in all shapes as this relates to the melody of Over The Rainbow.
Here’s a link to the complete lesson series (members only): Over The Rainbow 8 step-by-step guitar lessons with TAB.
Become a member today and get unlimited access to all step-by-step guitar courses, TAB for the songbook, the Self-Eliminating Practice Routine, and the eBook Spytunes Method.
Over The Rainbow is the best song in the world!
Written by Harold Arlen and lyricist Yip Harburg for the movie Wizard Of Oz (1939). Sung by Judy Garland it, and the movie, of course, were an international hit.
In 2001, Over the Rainbow was voted the ‘Greatest Song of the 20th Century’ by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America.
Since all the best songs were written last century this must mean Over The Rainbow is the best song in the world.
Two big covers have been released, the first by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole in 1993 using just a Ukulele. Famously he phoned the studio in the middle of the night, recorded it in one take, and left.
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version has sold over 5 million copies.
The second big version was also done in one take. Captured live at the Jazz club Blues Alley. Shown on Top Of The Pops in 2001, this version became so big it launched Eva Cassidy to the world, unfortunately, she had by now passed away.
There is a studio version of Over The Rainbow by Eva available as well, it is nowhere near as good as the live Blues Alley version.
As a jazz standard, Over The Rainbow has been recorded by Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Doris Day. Every other jazz singer you can think of has most likely also sung it live.
To me, Eva Cassidy did it the best on her own on that one night in the Blues Alley.
Over The Rainbow chords | Related pages
Advanced Acoustic
The advanced acoustic tunes use big chord extensions and sometimes, unique and complex chords that incorporate open strings.
Study these in-depth and you will gain a complete understanding of the guitar fretboard, including how to build any scale, arpeggio, or chord.
Five similar tunes with chords and lyrics
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen wrote over four hundred songs. His 1938 song Over The Rainbow was voted the twentieth century’s #1 song by the RIAA.
Nobody has had more songs represented in the Great American Songbook than Harold Arlen.
Harold Arlen on the web
Eva Cassidy
Eva Cassidy was an American guitar player and vocalist who didn’t reach fame until after she passed away on November 2nd ’96.
Four years later, an amateur recording of Eva playing Over The Rainbow in her local pub was played on Top of the Pops 2, a TV show in the U.K.
Eva Cassidy on the web
Ballads
The perfect first dance or an emotional piece for your next audition, this collection of ballads is great for working on your expression.
Learn tunes from Burt Bacharach, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Eva Cassidy, Ben Harper, Etta James, Chet Baker, Elvis, Norah Jones, and many more.
