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Saturday, September 7, 2013

The local connection to the "The Wizard of Oz"?




 This intersection sits at the entrance of, Cosby, MO.  This may seem like a trifling coincidence until you consider that E.Y. Harburg, the writer of the song, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, had a great aunt who lived in Cosby during his childhood.  He visited her every summer, and had many adventures in the fields surrounding his aunt’s farmhouse.  Still, you might not be blamed for thinking that it is just happenstance that Cosby sits at the intersection of OZ.  However, in the original version of the song, E.Y. Harburg mentions the town by name several times.  Producers in Hollywood and later historians were often baffled by the original lyrics, but once it is pointed out where the changes to the song were made, keen listeners can easily detect where the author mentioned his beloved home away from home.
 The original section of verse read, “If ever, oh ever, a wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one, be Cosby Cosby Cosby Cosby ‘cause... because of the wonderful things he does.”
 And now you know the truth.

 It is also worth mentioning that, L. Frank Baum wrote, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, in much the same way that Lewis Carroll wrote, “Alice in Wonderland”.  It was a verbal tale told to children.  Originally, the wizard was, the Lizard of Oz.  When children inevitably pointed out that the Lizard’s tricks weren’t real magic at all, Baum would say, “Of course not.  He’s not magic.  He’s a lizard.  Lizard’s can’t cast magic.”  He only succumbed to pressure later on when he was trying to get his book published.  For the rest of his life he didn’t understand the changes he had to make.  The witches were magical, but the Wizard was not.  That’s because originally he was a lizard.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Typo-Magazine/152474034771130?ref=hl

From Facebook today, Typo Magazine  and my younger brother, Thad  , with thanks:

 
This intersection sits at the entrance of, Cosby, MO. This may seem like a trifling coincidence until you consider that E.Y. Harburg, the writer of the song, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, had a great aunt who lived in Cosby during his childhood. He visited her every summer, and had many adventures in the fields surrounding his aunt’s farmhouse. Still, you might not be blamed for thinking that it is just happenstance that Cosby sits at the intersection of OZ. However, in the original version of the song, E.Y. Harburg mentions the town by name several times. Producers in Hollywood and later historians were often baffled by the original lyrics, but once it is pointed out where the changes to the song were made, keen listeners can easily detect where the author mentioned his beloved home away from home.

  The original section of verse read, “If ever, oh ever, a wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one, be Cosby Cosby Cosby Cosby ‘cause... because of the wonderful things he does.”

And now you know the truth.

Links:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Typo-Magazine/152474034771130?ref=hl

Typo Magazine

 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Might want to check your facts again. Frank L. Baum who wrote the book the Wizard of Oz picked the name out of thin air from a file cabinet marked O-Z.

Love, your friendly library lady :)

Anonymous said...

Might want to check your facts again. Frank L. Baum who wrote the books picked Oz out of thin air from a file cabinet marked O-Z.


Love, your friendly neighborhood library lady. :)

Mo Rage said...

That's why I titled this with a question mark.

It's their claim, not mine.