The Dave Brubeck Quartet was an American modern jazz group formed in San Fr… Read Full Bio ↴The Dave Brubeck Quartet was an American modern jazz group formed in San Francisco in 1951 by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck (1920-2012). In what became known as the band's classic line-up, the band featured Joe Morello (1928–2011) on drums, Eugene Wright (1923-2020) on bass, and Paul Desmond (1924-1977) on saxophone. The band remains best-known for their use of odd time signatures, and were a premier group in the cool jazz movement. They produced several standards, including Take Five and Blue Rondo à la Turk.

Throughout the years, and changing line-ups, the group maintained a strong fan-base among jazz fans of all ages.

Over the Rainbow
The Dave Brubeck Quartet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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?

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?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Dave Brubeck Quartet's song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" evoke feelings of hope, dreams, and aspirations. The song is about a mythical place that is somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, and is a land that the singer has heard about in a lullaby. The singer describes this place as a land where the skies are always blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. The song essentially captures the idea of reaching for something that seems unattainable and the longing to find a place where everything is perfect.

The second stanza of the song talks about how the singer will someday wish upon a star and wake up in this mystical land beyond the rainbow. In this new place, troubles will melt like lemon drops, and everything will be better. The singer imagines being high above the chimney tops, where happiness and contentment can be found. The last stanza talks about how bluebirds fly over the rainbow, and the singer wonders why he can't as well. The song ultimately speaks to the human desire to escape from reality and find a place where everything is perfect.

Line by Line Meaning

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a place beyond our reach, up in the sky

There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
I've been taught about a place that only exists in a soothing song

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
Up there, the sky is a beautiful shade of blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true.
If you dare to dream, your wishes may actually become a reality

Someday I'll wish upon a star
One day, I’ll gaze upon a star and make a wish for something better

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
The clouds that trouble me will be miles away when I open my eyes

Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
Things that worry me will fall away like droplets of melted lemon

High above the chimney tops,
Far above the rooftops of my present life

That's where you'll find me.
That’s where I would like to be most of all.

Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Above the rainbow, blue birds soar

Birds fly over the rainbow
The birds fly across the rainbow