BEAUTIFUL FIRST LISTEN! Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole

[@imrehundertwasser7094]

The story is that he recorded this in a Honolulu studio one night in 1988 at 3:00 a.m., in one take, after convincing the studio owner that he could come in and record. It was released on his 1993 album, but the song wasn't noticed that much until 1999, two years after his death. Since then it was very successful, charting around the world. The video has over one billion views, and in 2021 the recording was added to National Recording Registry for preservation in the Library of Congress.

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

So sad that it only took off after his death. This man was bigger than life and always smiling. A man that I aspire to be. Best I can play is the stereo, but, such a simple melody for such a moving song in cinema history is so incredible. Such a welcoming, soft voice from such a huge man: literally and figuratively in all the best ways...the funeral was such a spectacle of true love and respect. He was a true jewel of a person. Only a truly beautiful human being could ever come close to such a beautiful man.

[@loicrose9916]

The last part of this video is the video of his funeral, when they released his ashes into the sea. in Hawaii it's traditionnaly a celebration, with flower and everything

[@slashvanrhoads2187]

I had this song on repeat for like a week when I first heard it.

[@ShawkaReacts]

Love it ❤️

[@vincentvancraig]

U look to be about my age, & this was all over american tv in commercials in the late 90's/early 2000's, & back then, pre-internet, u couldnt just google who an artist featured in commercials & stuff were...then, later, from what i understand the song was featured in a few movies, & it got this little cult follwing. But, i think the production was to sparse to be on commercial radio, so i never knew who this was for a long, long time...but, yeah, that intro "oooohh, oooh, oooh", its just haunting, & i loved it 25 years ago, before i knew who or what it was (in the tv ads i never knew it was the wizard of oz song)....anyway, now, a billion views later & IZ is a legend....anyway, great reaction, man...liked & subbed:)

[@vincentvancraig]

Too** sparse...i meant

[@josephrichardson6818]

he also does a significant cameo in Shallow Hall

[@herindoors3552]

Beautiful, played at my sons funeral, he loved this. That was the singers funeral at the end of the video.

[@peggyuser-oq6xz7fg9o]

Beautiful, and a beautiful start to my morning! Thank you!

[@BelleDede01]

Apparently, Israel was the inspiration for the Polynesian Maui in the movie Moana.

[@susanrichards4844]

This was at his funeral. He was in his early 30’s.

[@petecogan1]

That boy is big enough to go bear huntin with a stick! Beautiful voice

[@karehelene]

If you ever saw Fifty First Dates, this song was played at the end.

[@hanasenkyrova6020]

Tohle je klasika ❤️ nádherný text,melodie,přednes…takhle už to nikdo jiný nezazpíval.Škoda ho je

[@hanasenkyrova6020]

Původně byla napsána pro film Čaroděj ze země Oz vydaný v roce 1939

[@tomherd34]

Listen to his song White Sandy Beaches. Great song

[@cynthias7299]

Did your research on ukuleles turn up Tiny Tim?

[@ShawkaReacts]

Not yet...but I'm going to look into him now!

[@sheraven1]

Somewhere over the Rainbow is originally from “The Wizard of Oz”