Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (translation: "The Fearless Eyed Man") (May … Read Full Bio ↴Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (translation: "The Fearless Eyed Man") (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called Bruddah Iz or IZ, was a Native Hawaiian singer-songwriter, musician, and Hawaiian sovereignty activist.

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.

Living in a Sovereign Land
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a celebration on the palace grounds
People need To know, what's going down
There's a proclamation from the powers that lead
Our island nation has got to be free
Living in a sovereign land
Living in a sovereign land

Island people come together as one

For future generations under the sun
Singing songs of freedom
Singing songs of love
Living in a sovereign land
Living in a sovereign land

Our children deserve To know
What went down a hundred years ago
You can pay the man, you can take the land
But you can't take the truth away
E ola, living in a sovereign land
E ola, living in a sovereign land

E ola, living in a sovereign land
E ola, living in a sovereign land

Bruddas an titas, brown, yellow and white
Time to do what you know is right
What's been taken must be returned
Give our children what they deserve
E ola, living In a sovereign land
E ola, living In a sovereign land

Our children deserve To know
What went down a hundred years ago
You can pay the man, you can take the land
But you can't take the truth away
E ola, living In a sovereign land
E ola, living In a sovereign land

E ola, living In a sovereign land
E ola, living In a sovereign land

E ola, living In a sovereign land
E ola, living In a sovereign land

Overall Meaning

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's song "Living in a Sovereign Land" speaks of the need for the Island nation of Hawaii to be free and that the people have to come together as one to achieve it. The song starts with a celebration on the palace grounds, where people need to know what's going down, referring to the proclamation from the powers that lead stating that the island nation has got to be free. The people must come together, as stated in the lyrics, "Island people come together as one, For future generations under the sun," singing songs of freedom, singing songs of love, living in a sovereign land.

The third verse emphasizes that the children deserve to know what went down a hundred years ago, referring to the annexation of Hawaii by the United States, which places an underlying theme of the rights of Indigenous people of Hawaii. The lyrics suggest that the only way to regain that freedom is through a unified effort to reverse what is taken away. The song emphasizes that, although one may pay for land or be taken away, the truth cannot be taken away as easily. The song ends with the call to action, and the people must come together to do what's right, time to give back what was taken away.

In summary, the song emphasizes the need for the Hawaiian people to be free and to come together as one to achieve that goal, as even in the face of adversity or land being taken away, the truth remains with the people. The song speaks of the need to inform the next generation of Hawaiian children about their history and strive for what was taken away, making their land sovereign.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a celebration on the palace grounds
A joyful occasion is happening at the palace grounds.

People need To know, what's going down
It's important for everyone to be informed about what's happening.

There's a proclamation from the powers that lead
The leaders have made a public statement.

Our island nation has got to be free
Our nation needs to achieve independence.

Living in a sovereign land
Living in a country that is free from outside control.

Island people come together as one
All the people of the island unite.

For future generations under the sun
For the benefit of future generations.

Singing songs of freedom
Expressing through music our desire for independence.

Singing songs of love
Expressing our love for our country through music.

Our children deserve To know
It is the right of our children to be informed.

What went down a hundred years ago
To know what happened in the past.