His voice became famous outside Hawaii when his album Facing Future was released in 1993. His medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" was released on his albums Ka ʻAnoʻi and Facing Future. It was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and television commercials. Along with his ukulele playing and incorporating other genres, such as jazz and reggae, Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential in Hawaiian music.
Kamakawiwoʻole was born at Kuakini Medical Center in Honolulu to Henry "Hank" Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwoʻole, Jr. and Evangeline "Angie" Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole. The notable Hawaiian musician Moe Keale was his uncle and a major musical influence. He was raised in the community of Kaimuki, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy and cousin Allen Thornton at the age of 11, being exposed to Hawaiian entertainers' music, such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn, and Don Ho, who frequented the establishment where Kamakawiwoʻole's parents worked. Hawaiian musician Del Beazley spoke of the first time he heard Israel perform when playing for a graduation party. The whole room fell silent on hearing him sing. Israel continued his path as his brother Skippy entered the Army in 1971, and cousin Allen parted ways in 1976 for the mainland.
In his early teens, he studied at Upward Bound (UB) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and his family moved to Mākaha. There he met Louis Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko. Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau. A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, the band's blend of contemporary and traditional styles gained popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States, releasing fifteen successful albums. Kamakawiwoʻole aimed to make music that stayed true to the typical sound of traditional Hawaiian music. During that time period, the songs that many people associated with Hawaii, typically, were not traditional-sounding songs.
The Makaha Sons of Niʻihau recorded No Kristo in 1976 and released four more albums, including Kahea O Keale, Keala, Makaha Sons of Niʻihau, and Mahalo Ke Akua. In 1982, Kamakawiwoʻole's brother, Skippy, died at age 28 of a heart attack[5] related to obesity. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter named Ceslieanne "Wehi" (born in c. 1983).
The group became Hawaii's most popular contemporary, traditional group with breakout albums 1984's Puana Hou Me Ke Aloha and its follow-up, 1986's Hoʻola. Kamakawiwoʻole's last recorded album with the group was 1991's Hoʻoluana. It remains the group's top-selling CD.
In 1990, Kamakawiwoʻole released his first solo album Ka ʻAnoʻi, which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). Facing Future was released in 1993 by The Mountain Apple Company. It featured a version of his most popular song, the medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" (listed as "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World"), along with "Hawaiʻi 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiʻi," "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man," and "Kaulana Kawaihae." The decision to include a cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was a last-minute decision by his producer Jon de Mello and Kamakawiwoʻole. Facing Future debuted at #25 on Billboard magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, Facing Future became Hawaiʻi's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States, according to figures furnished by the Recording Industry Association of America. On July 21, 2006, BBC Radio 1 announced that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World (True Dreams)" would be released as a single in America.
In 1994, Kamakawiwoʻole was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).
E Ala E (1995) featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" and "Kaleohano," and N Dis Life (1996) featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again."
In 1997, Kamakawiwoʻole was again honored by HARA at the Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Favorite Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Island Contemporary Album of the Year. He watched the awards ceremony from a hospital room.
Alone in Iz World (2001) debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Chart and #135 on Billboard's Top 200, #13 on the Top Independent Albums Chart, and #15 on the Top Internet Album Sales charts.
On December 6, 2010, NPR named Kamakawiwoʻole as "The Voice of Hawaii" in its 50 great voices series.
On March 24, 2011, Kamakawiwoʻole was honored with the German national music award Echo. The music managers Wolfgang Boss and Jon de Mello accepted the trophy in his stead.
A 2014 Pixar short film, Lava, features two volcanoes as the main characters. Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and his style of music was James Ford Murphy's partial inspiration for the short film.
Kuhio Bay
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ka nani a'o Waiakea
'A'ohe lua e like ai
Me ka nani a me ka nani
A'o Kuhio Bay
Mahalo a'i au i ka nani a'o Hilo
Me ka ua a'e ho'opulu nei
'O ua 'aina 'e
Kaulana nei
Wai anuenue a he wai kaulana
Wai maka'ika'i a ka malihini
Wai kamaha'o i ka'u 'ike
E papahi e ho'ope nei
I ka nahele
The lyrics of "Kuhio Bay" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole describe the beauty of Waiakea and Kuhio Bay as seen through the eyes of the singer. The first verse expresses the singer's admiration for the natural beauty of Waiakea, a place with no comparison, continuing to highlight the unique beauty of Kuhio Bay. The second verse begins with the singer thanking Hilo for its beauty and for the rain that moistens it. The singer then says they want to swim in the sea near Mokuola, a place that is well known to them. The final line of the verse refers to the forest where the singer possibly intends to meditate or rejuvenate in.
The chorus of the song mentions three significant waters: Wai anuenue (rainbow water), a famous stream in Waiakea with rainbow trout; wai maka'ika'i (beautiful water), which the visitors love to go see and swim in; and wai kamaha'o (amazing water), that the singer has come to know through their personal experience. The singer then invites everyone to explore the forest, which possibly contains medicinal herbs and a kind of spiritual insight or healing.
The song is a tribute to the natural beauty of Hawaii and the importance of preserving it. It encourages the listener to appreciate the simple and natural things in life and to explore the richness of the environment. Overall the song is a beautiful ode to Hawaii, imbued with the themes of gratitude, natural beauty, and spiritual connectivity.
Line by Line Meaning
Akahi ho'i a 'ike ku'u maka
As soon as I opened my eyes and saw the beauty of Waiakea, I was struck by its uniqueness and incomparable splendor.
I ka nani a'o Waiakea
I am captivated by the breathtaking beauty of Waiakea.
'A'ohe lua e like ai
There is no other place that compares to this place, in all its simple magnificence.
Me ka nani a me ka nani
With its tranquil beauty and unmatched serenity, it is like nothing else in the world.
A'o Kuhio Bay
This is Kuhio Bay, a place of renown and respect, treasured by all who visit.
Mahalo a'i au i ka nani a'o Hilo
I give thanks for the beauty of Hilo, a place of enchantment and wonder, where tranquility embraces every visitor.
Me ka ua a'e ho'opulu nei
With the soft, gentle rain that envelopes the area, bringing nourishment and sustenance to all living things.
'Oni ana Mokuola au i ke kai
I am drawn to the sea, where the waves endlessly ebb and flow, dancing to the rhythm of the tides.
'O ua 'aina 'e
This is a land of dreams and legend, honored by all who have ever had the privilege of experiencing it.
Kaulana nei
It is renowned throughout the world as a place of natural beauty and wonder, cherished by all who have ever had the opportunity to set foot on its soil.
Wai anuenue a he wai kaulana
Here, the water is a prism of colors, ever-changing and awe-inspiring.
Wai maka'ika'i a ka malihini
The water is attractive to the newcomer, who is mesmerized by its many hues and shades.
Wai kamaha'o i ka'u 'ike
I am amazed by the mystical and magical qualities of the water, fascinated by its allure and power.
E papahi e ho'ope nei
It captivates the senses, conjuring up images of a world filled with beauty and grace, and taking the breath away.
I ka nahele
This is a mystical and wondrous land of legend, a land of unmatched beauty and tranquility, that is best experienced through immersion in its natural world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHNNY NOBLE, KALIANA BISHAW, KELIANA BISHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kapalibilyeu9407
ʻAkahi hoʻi a ʻike kuʻu maka
I ka nani aʻo Waiakea
ʻAʻohe lua e like ai
Me ka nani a me ka nani
Aʻo Kūhiō Bay
Mahalo aʻe au i ka nani aʻo Hilo
Me ka ua aʻe hoʻopulu nei
ʻOni ana Mokuola au i ke kai
ʻOua ʻāina e
Kaulana nei
Wai ānuenue a he wai kaulana
Wai makaʻikaʻi a ka malihini
Wai kamahaʻo i kaʻu ʻike
E papahi e hoʻope nei
I ka nahele
@dotmurphy7279
I'm so glad we have these recordings of Iz's work. He lives in our hearts through these recordings.
@juanpatricioarancibiaponce8628
IZ es un canto a la vida,un canto a la esperanza, un canto al amor. Cada día canta mejor, siempre estará con nosotros y con Dios.
@lilifleurs9856
Belle voix 💖💖💖
@petev23
RIP Brotha IZ
@carlo264
R.i.p love your music
@ironlionzion2265
This song was composed by my granny Keliana Kekula bishaw ❤
@jeannepertile2027
Thanks!
@schoolfightrodriguez9651
Cool
@hemingway8989
Reminds me of my childhood here on kauai.
@kapalibilyeu9407
ʻAkahi hoʻi a ʻike kuʻu maka
I ka nani aʻo Waiakea
ʻAʻohe lua e like ai
Me ka nani a me ka nani
Aʻo Kūhiō Bay
Mahalo aʻe au i ka nani aʻo Hilo
Me ka ua aʻe hoʻopulu nei
ʻOni ana Mokuola au i ke kai
ʻOua ʻāina e
Kaulana nei
Wai ānuenue a he wai kaulana
Wai makaʻikaʻi a ka malihini
Wai kamahaʻo i kaʻu ʻike
E papahi e hoʻope nei
I ka nahele