Merry Old Land of Oz Lyrics – Wizard Of Oz, The

Song Overview

Review and Highlights

Quick summary

1. Studio cut from The Wizard of Oz (2011 London Palladium Recording), track 13 on the cast album.
2. Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg; this 2011 staging keeps the classic Emerald City makeover number intact while surrounding it with new material elsewhere.
3. Leads: David Ganly (Lion), Paul Keating (Scarecrow), Edward Baker-Duly (Tin Man), Danielle Hope (Dorothy); produced by Nigel Wright and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
4. Brisk two-and-a-quarter minutes of chorus-forward swing; the arrangement favors bright reeds and tight rhythm section.
5. Placed mid-Act II journey to Oz’s power center - a palate-cleanser between peril and petition.

Creation History

The number originates in the 1939 film and was ported into the 2011 London Palladium production alongside new songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The London cast album, released on Polydor under license from The Really Useful Group, captures a concise, radio-neat take. CastAlbums and streaming listings clock this track around 2:23, and the official playlist versions tag it to the 2011 recording credit line. According to Playbill coverage of the album’s rollout, the recording served as a companion piece to the production’s high-profile West End run.

Highlights

It’s a bustle-and-banter charmer: patter vowels clipped tight, backbeat smiling. The Emerald City chorus functions like a musical pit stop - spa day by way of swing band. The joke lines land because the groove never drags, and the orchestration leaves headroom for the quartet’s character colors. Little grace notes - clipped “clip-clip” consonants, brushed snare on the “ha ha ha” stacks - keep the whole thing fizzy.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Plot

Dorothy and company arrive in Emerald City and get scrubbed, fluffed, and prepped before seeing the Wizard. The townspeople sing of carefree routines and mock-leisure work hours while actively buffing the travelers into hero shape. The scene ends with Dorothy’s bright “Next stop, the Wizard!” - momentum restored.

Song Meaning

On the surface, it’s civic hospitality set to swing; underneath, it’s a satire of showy ease. The Emerald City flaunts polish and process - the land of instant facelifts. The quartet’s makeover doubles as a rite of passage: a public affirming of worth before petitioning authority. Mood-wise, the track is buoyant, a comic exhale after the forest trials.

Annotations

“We get up at twelve and start to work at one”

Classic wink at idleness. In staging, the line nearly always plays against a flurry of activity - a joke about image management.

“Clip-clip here, clip-clip there”

Onomatopoeia as rhythm section. Those percussive consonants drive the groove and underpin the town’s assembly-line cheer.

“That certain air of savoir-faire”

A luxe rhyme for a democratic promise: anyone can be made presentable. Oz as brand lab - shiny, if a little hollow.

Style and instrumentation

Show-tune swing with crisp chorus writing. Reeds chatter on top, rhythm section skips along, and the ensemble vocals sit forward in the mix. The emotional arc: relief - pamper - rally.

Context

The 2011 Palladium production largely honors the film’s placement for this number while leveraging contemporary sound design. Reviews at the time praised the production’s spectacle, which frames Emerald City as Oz’s showroom - all sheen, no scuffs.

Key Facts

• Artist: David Ganly, Paul Keating, Edward Baker-Duly, Danielle Hope, Nigel Wright, Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Featured: Emerald City ensemble with principal quartet
• Composer: Harold Arlen
• Lyricist: E. Y. Harburg
• Producers: Nigel Wright; Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Release Date: 2011 (cast album release cycle in spring-summer)
• Genre: Musical theatre, Pop-influenced swing
• Instruments: Orchestra with reeds, brass, rhythm section, strings
• Label: Polydor - under license from The Really Useful Group
• Mood: Effervescent, satirical, brisk
• Length: ~2:23
• Track #: 13 on the London Palladium cast album
• Language: English
• Album: The Wizard of Oz (2011 London Palladium Recording)
• Music style: Up-tempo show chorus with patter
• Poetic meter: Mixed - patter couplets and refrain-driven quatrains

Canonical Entities & Relations

Questions and Answers

Where does this song appear in the 2011 staging?

It lands in Emerald City as the quartet freshen up before their audience with the Wizard - a momentum builder before the big ask.

Who leads the number on the album?

The Emerald City ensemble with featured lines from Danielle Hope, plus character color from David Ganly, Paul Keating, and Edward Baker-Duly.

How does the London recording’s feel compare to the 1939 film?

Similar bounce, tighter studio balance - reeds and rhythm section slightly more forward while keeping the chorus crisp.

How long is the track?

Roughly two minutes and twenty-three seconds on the cast album listings.

What tempo and key should singers expect?

Many references list a tempo around 113–116 BPM; film sources favor Eb major, while some modern databases tag the 2011 recording around F minor - keys vary by production.

What makes the lyric effective on stage?

Onomatopoeic patter (“clip-clip,” “pat-pat”) that doubles as rhythm, plus a civic chorus that feels like a musical car wash.

Any notable cultural echoes?

Plenty - the “we work one hour” gag became a shorthand for Emerald City’s performative ease; critics often cite it when discussing Oz’s glossy surfaces.

Did the 2011 production bring awards attention?

Yes - the production received an Olivier nomination for Best Musical Revival in 2012.

Is there an official streaming version?

Yes - the track appears on the official 2011 cast album across major platforms, often credited under Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production umbrella.

Awards and Chart Positions

Production milestone: The 2011 London Palladium staging received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Musical Revival in 2012. No specific single-chart placements are documented for this track; it circulates as part of the full cast album release.

How to Sing In the Merry Old Land of Oz

Vocal range (typical chorus soprano/alto lines): roughly Ab3 to Eb5, with ensemble parts adjustable by production. Tempo: commonly around 113–116 BPM in bright 4/4. Key: varies by edition - film references often in Eb major; some modern listings tag the 2011 cast track in F minor. Feel: percussive patter over buoyant swing.

1. Tempo first: Rehearse at ~114 BPM. Keep eighths lightly swung, not heavy.
2. Diction: Treat “clip-clip” and “pat-pat” as drum hits. Consonants short, vowels matched.
3. Breath planning: Quick nose-mouth snatches before list runs (“ha ha ha, ho ho ho...”). Avoid telegraphing pickups.
4. Flow & rhythm: Sit right on the beat; chorus precision sells the joke.
5. Accents: Lean into rhyme payoffs (“savoir-faire”) without punching volume.
6. Ensemble blend: Agree on “ah” vs “aw” vowels in “ha/ho” stacks. Unify cutoffs on “Oz.”
7. Mic craft: For group vocals, keep consistent distance; step back on laughter stacks to prevent splash.
8. Common pitfalls: Rushing the laughter riff, smearing consonants, and losing pitch on repeated refrains.
9. Practice materials: Use a metronome around 114 BPM, a piano reduction, and a lyrics-only sheet to drill patter before full ensemble runs.

Additional Info

Arlen and Harburg’s Emerald City satire has always doubled as a shine-and-buff montage. The 2011 London treatment keeps that DNA and tightens it for contemporary pacing. As stated in Variety’s coverage of the production era, the show’s design firepower and spectacle framed Oz as a showroom, which suits this track’s polish-first personality. According to the production’s public listings, the cast features Danielle Hope, Paul Keating, Edward Baker-Duly, and David Ganly in the roles highlighted here - a lineup that gives the chorus its crisp, characterful edge.

Sources: Wikipedia, CastAlbums.org, Spotify, Discogs, Playbill, SongBPM, Tunebat, Singing Carrots, Variety.