Somewhere over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole

[Goonch]

[hlthe2b]

1. He was phenomenal.... gone far too early...

[More_Cowbell]

2. I love his voice and the arrangement but...

Hate that his lyrics make no sense. I understand that this recording was done very quickly, but why not have the words in front of him? I always switch it if it comes on. I do realize that's just me being obsessive though.

[Goonch]

4. http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/i/israel_kamakawiwoole/somewhere_over_the_rainbow.html

Ooooo oooooo ohoohohoo
Ooooo ohooohoo oooohoo
Ooooo ohoohooo oohoooo
Oohooo oohoooho ooooho
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby ii ii iii o
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeh
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops that's where you'll find me oh
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I iiii

Well I see trees of green and
Red roses too,
I'll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark and I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, I... I love you
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,
They'll learn much more
Than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world (w)oohoorld

Someday I'll wish upon a star,
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me
Oh, Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I hiii?

Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo

[WhiteTara]

3. We used his version for

our website. We sold Rainbows and it was the perfect rendition of this song.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

5. I never kenw he was obese. Beauty is beyond how we appear. Did you know this?

I really love this modern rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow; but the original version, by Judy Garland, has an interesting history.

To obtain a female, with such a dynamic voice, producers of The Wizard of Oz hired an actress, who was too mature for the role. Judy Garland actually taped her breasts down, to play the part of Dorothy, who was a young girl. Anyway, here is the original version:

[WhiteTara]

6. Yes, I did know and I think he

died of his obesity. But what a wonderful voice.