E.Y. Harburg

Biography

Edgar Yipsel "Yip" Harburg was a renowned American popular song lyricist and librettist, born Isidore Hochberg in 1896 on New York City's Lower East Side to Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish parents who emigrated from Russia. He adopted the name "Yip" and gained fame for crafting lyrics like "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and "Over the Rainbow," as well as writing songs for The Wizard of Oz. Harburg championed social justice causes, advocating for racial, sexual, and gender equality and labor unionism.