RCA and their promoters have always drawn a veil of mystery around Los Indios Tabajaras, so it's tough to trace their early years accurately. Their literature claimed they discovered a guitar in the jungle near Ceara, Brazil, and, after making sure it wasn't going to explode like other firearms their tribesmen had found, began to examine it. Eventually, they both mastered the instrument and came to the attention of townspeople, one of whom took them to Rio de Janeiro to play.
Dressing up in ceremonial Indian costumes, the brothers perfected a nightclub act in which they sang and played Brazilian and Latin folk songs. They changed their names to Natalicio and Antenor Lima and began touring throughout South America. In 1943, RCA's Latin American arm signed them to a contract.
In the early 1950s, they took a break from touring and returned to study, each with a different teacher. Natalicio focused on melody and Antenor worked on harmony. They also added a substantial classical repertoire to their act, including guitar pieces by Bach, Falla, and Albeniz.
Another tour followed, this time to Europe as well, and they recorded several more albums for RCA in Mexico. One of their singles, "Maria Elena," released in 1958, became a steady seller, and by early 1962, its success caught the eye of RCA's U.S. division. They issued the tune, and this lovely, gentle melody quickly carved a solid niche in the U.S. pop charts. It ended up spending 14 weeks in the U.S. Top 10 and 17 weeks in the U.K. charts, and the subsequent album placed in the Top 10 album chart as well. Within a year, the brothers followed with another single, "Always in My Heart," but the novelty had worn off and it barely dented the Top 100.
Chet Atkins was particularly impressed by the brothers' guitar work, and he invited them to Nashville, where they recorded an instrumental album with Atkins and pianist Floyd Cramer, and--in one of the oddest releases of the countrypolitan era--one with singer Don Gibson ("Oh, Lonesome Me").
RCA--both the U.S. and Latin American divisions--continued to record them well into the 1980s, and the brother's mellow guitar style proved a big influence on a new generation of guitarists such as Rick Vito
Over The Rainbow
Los indios tabajaras Lyrics
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There's a land that I've 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.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds 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?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've 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,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds 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?
The lyrics to "Over the Rainbow" convey a sense of yearning for a better life, a life removed from the harsh realities of the present. The opening lines evoke a utopian ideal, a place that exists only in dreams and lullabies, somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. This idyllic place seems far removed from the singer's present reality, a place where skies are blue, and dreams really do come true.
However, the singer recognizes that this idealized world is not an immediate possibility, and thus the lyrics shift to a hopeful yearning for the future. The singer imagines a time when they can leave their troubles behind, when they can wake up to a world where the clouds are far behind them and troubles melt like lemon drops high above the chimney tops. This dream of transcendence is further emphasized by the reference to bluebirds flying beyond the rainbow.
The final lines of the song express a longing for a better, more joyful life. The singer wonders why they can't fly beyond the rainbow like the happy bluebirds, and the tone of the song becomes increasingly bittersweet as the melody fades out.
Overall, the lyrics to "Over the Rainbow" convey a sense of yearning for a better world, one that exists only in dreams and lullabies. The song, with its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, has become an anthem of hope and aspiration, comforting listeners for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There is a place in the world that's far away and high up
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
It's a place that the singer has only ever heard about in songs
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
In this magical place, the skies are always blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true.
Not only are the skies blue, but your dreams actually come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star
The singer has a belief that if you make a wish on a star, it will come true
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
If the wish comes true, you'll leave all your troubles behind and be in this magical place
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
In this place, all your worries will disappear and feel effortless like melting lemon drops
High above the chimney tops,
This magical place is located so high that you need to be above chimney tops to reached it
That's where you'll find me.
This is the place that the singer is describing, and he can be found there
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Blue birds fly around in the world above the rainbow
Birds fly over the rainbow
The rainbow is not a barrier to the birds as they can fly over it
Why then, oh why can't I?
The singer is questioning why he cannot also fly over the rainbow like the birds
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
The singer highlights that bluebirds can get past the rainbow and go to the magical place he yearn
Why, oh why can't I?
He is still left wondering why he can't get to this magical place like the happy little birds
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind