Wizard of Oz- Song Lyrics that were Cut or Revised

Wizard of Oz- Song Lyrics that were Cut or Revised (Including Carefully Researched Explanations)*

Most of us can sing the songs to "The Wizard of Oz" by heart. But few of us know that there were dozens of songs and verses that never made the final cut. Through intense research and extensive interviews with propboys, assistant lighting technicians, commissary dishwashers, munchkins, and the only actor who played a flying monkey that's still living, I have compiled the first real list of Unused songs. Here is what I've found...

First, the original draft of “Over the Rainbow” written before the story was even finished.
(Why not sing along!)

Somewhere down past the wheat field, way way back,
There’s some land that I heard of a miles past the railroad track
Somewhere down past the wheat field, skies are gray
And the people that trudge to work do it day by day
Someday I want to see this spot
Where troubles grow like mildew rot ...so true
And everything revolves around
The money that they all have found -destroying values
Somewhere down past the wheat field, way way back,
There’s a land that my curiosity wants a crack. (at)
If happy little bluejays fly…beyond the wheat field, why oh why can’t I?

(This version was considered too cynical. During the first take Dorothy sang it in such a painful, melancholy way that Toto howled uncontrollably through it causing chaos in the chicken coop. Scattered feathers on the ground and one inadvertently left protruding from Auntie Em’s ear in the final version were evidence of this. Later, when it was decided that she would not venture through a dirty steeltown, but a whimsical dreamland, and that the factory workers should be replaced by loveable munchkins and Dorothy would not end up a homeless mother, the song also was given a major rewrite.)

First version of “Come Out” sung by Glinda, (the good witch of the North) during the Munchkinland scene

Come out, come out, wherever you be
And see the young lady who fell from a tree
She fell from a tree
Amazing that be
and Kansas they say is the name of the tree
Kansas they say is the name of the tree.

(The songwriter, at a loss for any other word besides “tree”, attempted to sell the idea to the director by suggesting that Dorothy bounce off a tree to give the illusion that she fell from the tree. Although they did a few takes, it was causing too much bruising on Dorothy. And when she unintentionally landed on one munchkin causing his shoulder to fracture, the songwriter was sacked.)

A continuation of the Munchkinland Songs

(Glinda)
She brings you good news,
or haven't you heard,
when she fell out of Kansas a miracle occurred.

(Dorothy)
It really was no miracle what happened was just this
The wind began to whip
The house to flip
And suddenly my fingers couldn't hold their grip
The hair did rip
Off Toto in a strip
And out the bedroom window he sucked with a big zip.

(Munchkin)
And oh did Toto take a trip?

(Munchkins in unison)
The house began to flip
And Toto's hair did rip
The doggy hair went flying in the cyclone sucking zip
Then-he landed on the wick-ed witch and made- her break her hip.

(Although this entire scene went off without a hitch, it was nevertheless deleted as it failed to follow any of the story line.)

Only one stanza of “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” was pulled.

Ding Dong the witch is dead
House came down
She's flat as bread
Ding Dong the wicked witch is dead.

(Apparently a parent’s advocacy group that was monitoring the songs felt that children would have an aversion to bread after this line and petitioned the producers to cut it. Interestingly enough, this was the only qualm they had over any lyrics.)

Continuation of the Munchkinland songs

(Mayor )
As mayor of the munchkin city
In the county of the land of Oz
We welcome you most regally

(Councilman)
But we've got to verify it legally

(Mayor)
to see

(Councilman)
to see

(Mayor)
if she

(Councilman)
if she

(Mayor and Councilman trading off )
is totally, technically, vertically, atomically, synthetically, pathologically, neolithically, telepathically, anatomically, illustratively, architecturally, irreversibly, symbolically and deniably dead!

(This was a bit too wordy for the munchkins selected to read it and the puzzled looks on their faces as they stumbled through the list looked bad on camera.)

As coroner I must aver I thoroughly examined her and she's not only merely dead her lifeless feet curled 'round her head.

(Deemed a pointless image)

We represent, the lollipop guild..the lollipop guild, the lollipop guild and in the name of the lollipop guild, we'd like to offer you a Munchkin man. (several step forward)

(Dorothy’s look of apprehension and the fact that she would not be taking Munchkinmen with her on her journey prompted this rewrite.)

From now on you'll be mystery,
You'll be mys..you'll be mys..you'll be mystery!
And we'll be baffled at your name
Nothing rings a bell
We can't tell
Who's that gal
In our Hall of Fame?

(No one knows why this was written and obviously it didn't work into the story. At this point so many new songwriters were being hired and fired that none were given time to read the script before writing.)

Follow the red brick road
Follow the red brick road
Follow follow follow follow follow the red brick road

(The writer of this song, just newly hired, unknowingly wrote of the “red brick” road which can also be seen on the ground at the beginning of the “yellow brick road” swirl. As Dorothy tried to follow it though, she found herself heading back to Town Square. The Munchkins seeing her return then began singing the entire scene over. The director and his crew of 75 were unable to stop them for 45 min and the writer not only ended up losing his pay, he actually owed the production company $4500 in lost cost time, of which between the years 1939 and 1945, just before his untimely death, he had only paid back $3245.23)

Meeting the Scarecrow

If you dared to look inside it,
Just like a can lid, pried it (acts as if he’s using a can opener on his head)
You'd see it’s like a drain.
I would settle for a little
hunk of "thunk stuff" in the middle
if I only had a brain.

(Ray Bolger himself felt this line made him look like an idiot and requested it cut.)

Meeting the Tinman

Though a man's an empty kettle
his insides made of metal
and wishing for a heart
You can’t blame him for oilin’
Up his rusted solid joi-'nts
Till he gets that missing part.

(This was deleted as both the Scarecrow and Dorothy appeared visibly confused after this verse.)

Horses, and Llamas, and Zebras… Oh My
Horses, and Llamas, and Zebras… Oh My

(This writer was said to have an unnatural fear of hoofed animals, not exactly what the director was looking for.)

Meeting the Cowardly Lion

I’m afraid there’s no denying
I’m supposed to be a lion
Who’s learned to walk on twos
And I can do the vocals
Just like Cagney to the locals
“Hey I’m not afraid of youse” (youse dirty rats)

(This made no sense to the plot)

Running toward Emerald City through the field of poppies.

You're out of your mind
You're out of your gourd
You’re out of your brain
Step out of that noodly cerebrum
Medul’ oblongata
Don’t matta’ no more
When that gray matter’s right out the door.
Let go of your sense, let go of your thoughts, let go of your head
March up to the void and bid it ..open

(This was the song to be sung just prior to Dorothy and the rest falling asleep in the poppies. The writer himself sat in the field of poppies while writing it and was later found mumbling gibberish to himself, which prompted the director to have him picked up by a few of the talking trees, and tossed off the set.)

In Emerald City

Ha ha ha, ho ho ho, and a couple of tra la la's
That's how we fake our laughs some days in the merry ol' land of Oz.

He, he he, snick, snick, snicker and a couple of brash “hee haws”
Helps us forget that Wizard head
In the merry ol’ land of Oz.

It’s a frightening thing to listen and to view
And without a body! You’d have nightmares, too. Jolly big dude.

Ha ha ha, ho ho ho and a couple of loud yehaws
That’s why we feign, it keeps us sane
In the merry ol’ land of Oz.

(It was felt that once this verse was sung the whole Wizard head image would be given away too early.)

The Cowardly Lion’s song

If I were king of the forest!
Not queen, not duke, not prince.
My regal robes of the forest
Would be satin, not cotton, not chintz.
My casual wear would be debonair
And my work attire, would set eyes afire
I’d have dozens of shoes
Loafers, heels, browns and blues
And my nightwear with sequins
Would glow just like beacons!!
And my socks would never cling
If I,
If I,
were king.

(Three more verses discussing such other garments as formal dinner attire, military uniforms, and swimwear, as well as ties, belts, and accessories were also deleted.)

Final Facts:

132 Song writers were eventually used to write the handful of songs. No song writer wrote more than one song. In fact, twelve writers alone wrote “Down past the Wheat Field” which was never used in the end. And one writer’s only contribution before being fired on the song was “mildew”. As he proceeded to write the word “stains” after it the director, glaring over his shoulder, dismissed him.

*Please note: Content of this story is fictional and meant only as a light-hearted look at what lyrics could have written had the entire project been left to my silly devices -Suz :)

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