I knew it was a wonderful adaptation of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" . . . and I knew there was a ukelele playing . . . and I'd heard this upbeat song numerous times, but until I learned more about this song and its arranger, I never knew it was played by a native Hawaiian singer, beloved first in his own region and later throughout the world.
His name was Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, and he had a career as a musician in the Hawaiian Islands, dying at age 38 due to health problems, just before his music was about to become world famous.
His band, "The Makaha Sons of Ni'iahu," was very popular in Hawaii, and won many awards there. After recording 21 albums with his band, he began a solo career, recording albums by himself. "Facing Future," his 1993 album, became the best-selling Hawaiian album of all time. And one of the songs on this album was later to become a #1 hit on the World Digital Songs chart, as well as being a number one single in Germany, France and Switzerland.
It was "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World," sung simply and with ukelele accompaniment. This is a medley of two songs, and they differ in various ways from the well-known originals. There is something both joyful and soothing about the way "Iz" sang this medley. And it has the honor of being the longest lasting number one hit on any Billboard song chart, having spent 185 weeks at #1 on the World Digital Songs Chart.
The song was used in 7 different films, as well as being in TV shows and commercials.
Here it is, for your listening enjoyment, with a still picture of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole:
His name was Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, and he had a career as a musician in the Hawaiian Islands, dying at age 38 due to health problems, just before his music was about to become world famous.
His band, "The Makaha Sons of Ni'iahu," was very popular in Hawaii, and won many awards there. After recording 21 albums with his band, he began a solo career, recording albums by himself. "Facing Future," his 1993 album, became the best-selling Hawaiian album of all time. And one of the songs on this album was later to become a #1 hit on the World Digital Songs chart, as well as being a number one single in Germany, France and Switzerland.
It was "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World," sung simply and with ukelele accompaniment. This is a medley of two songs, and they differ in various ways from the well-known originals. There is something both joyful and soothing about the way "Iz" sang this medley. And it has the honor of being the longest lasting number one hit on any Billboard song chart, having spent 185 weeks at #1 on the World Digital Songs Chart.
The song was used in 7 different films, as well as being in TV shows and commercials.
Here it is, for your listening enjoyment, with a still picture of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole:
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