I'm Always Chasing Rainbows

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" is a popular Vaudeville song. The music is credited to Harry Carroll, but the melody is adapted from Fantaisie-Impromptu by Frédéric Chopin. The lyrics were written by Joseph McCarthy, and the song was published in 1917. It was introduced in the Broadway show Oh, Look! which opened in March 1918. The song was sung in the show by the Dolly Sisters. Judy Garland sang it in the 1941 film Ziegfeld Girl. It was subsequently sung by Jack Oakie in the 1944 film The Merry Monahans and was again featured in the 1945 film The Dolly Sisters (1945), where it was sung by John Payne. It was also included for part of the run (and in the cast album) of the 1973 revival of Irene. More recently, it was included in Hazbin Hotel Pilot

Additionally, the pre-chorus would not have been included until later covers in the 1940s, where the song would gain its iconic libretti.

At the end of the rainbow there's happiness
And to find it how often I've tried
But my life is a race just a wild goose chase
And my dreams have all been denied
Why have I always been a failure?
What can the reason be?
I wonder if the world's to blame
I wonder if it could be me?

Chorus
I'm always chasing rainbows
Watching clouds drifting by
My schemes are just like all my dreams
Ending in the sky
Some fellows look and find the sunshine
I always look and find the rain
Some fellows make a winning some time
I never even make a gain, believe me
I'm always chasing rainbows
Waiting to find a little bluebird in vain

I've looked to the west as the sun goes down
And I've followed its glorious rays
But the faster I'd run I would miss the sun
My life's full of wasted days
I've always been a natural loser
Each thing I touch must fail
If good luck ever came to me it would never seem right at all

Chorus

The biggest hit version in 1918 was recorded by Charles W. Harrison on July 26, 1918, and released by Victor Records as catalog number 18496A, with the flip side “I Miss That Mississippi Miss That Misses Me”)

There were also very popular versions recorded by Harry Fox and by Prince's Orchestra (Columbia catalog number A-6064) in the same year.

Harry Fox's version was recorded April 16, 1918, and released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-2557, with the flip side “I Wonder What They're Doing Tonight”)

The Prince's Orchestra (referred to as Prince's Band on ) version was recorded July, 1918, and released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-6064, with the flip side “Oh, Frenchy”)

In 1963, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania R&B group The Tymes recorded a version as the B side to Isle of Love on the Csmeo-Parkway label. It did not chart but it was a favorite in a local Philadelphia area.