Interview with E. Y. Harburg, 1971-08

Item data

Title

Interview with E. Y. Harburg, 1971-08

Collection

Interviews for the book "They're playing our song"

Names

Harburg, E. Y. (Edgar Yipsel), 1896-1981 (Interviewee)
Wilk, Max (Interviewer)

Date / Origin

Date Created: 1971-08

Library Location

Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound
Shelf locator: *LDC 53162
Shelf locator: *LT-10 2171-2172

Subjects

Harburg, E. Y. (Edgar Yipsel), 1896-1981
Lyricists -- United States

Genres

Interviews

Notes

Source Note: Title supplied by cataloger from information on the original container.
Content: Original interview conducted by unidentified woman for Max Wilk for his book "They're playing our song" published in 1973.
Venue: Recorded in Martha's Vineyard 1971 August.
Additional Physical Form: Also available on CD (4 audio discs : digital, mono ; 4 3/4 in.) copied from archival originals in *LDC 53162.

Physical Description

Extent: 2 audiotape reels (approximately 217 min.) : analog, 7 1/2 ips., 1/2 track mono ; 10 in.

Abstract

Edgar Yipsel "Yip" Harburg who worked with many well-known composers (Harold Arlen, Jay Gorney, Vernon Duke, Burton Lane) speaks about his childhood in the "slums" on the Lower East Side of New York City; excellent teachers who had compassion for impoverished children; good public schools; education that included extra studies in clubs (drama, history, composition, sports etc.); his interest in writing lyrics; his business venture (electric company) that was prompted by his work of lighting lamps on the streets of NY; his good friend Ira Gershwin with whom he wrote for a local paper and who introduced him to Jay Gorney after Harburg's business blew up during the Depression thus helping Harburg to start a new and very successful career as a lyricist; George Gershwin, Cole Porter and the composers he collaborated with; and shares his thoughts and ideas about the state of the arts (songs and musicals in particular) in the 70s in comparison to the past. He expresses harsh criticism of contemporary music blaming its "deterioration" on the influence of money, corrupt politics, media which is very profit-oriented, and condemns "the age of abundance versus the age of scarcity" as the culprit of such degradation. The interview ends with Harburg's strict instructions addressed to Max Wilk not to use in print any recorded material without first giving an unedited version to him (Harburg) for editing. He reminds Wilk that much of what he said is off the record.

Languages

English

Identifiers

RLIN/OCLC: 879646175
NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b20202483
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 34f8d990-b3f8-0133-601a-3c07547a230f

Rights

The copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.

Type Of Resource

Sound Recording

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