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.
Wonderful World
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I 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
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
Everybody gonna save theirself
(?)
(?) help the other
(?)
It's gon- it's like kinda automatic, kinda
You don't need talk, and stuff, when, when happening
And you just gotta let 'em
And that stuff just waiting for when you ready, look what happen
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 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
What a wonderful world
The song "What A Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is a beautiful and uplifting tribute to the beauty of the world around us. In the first verse, he mentions the colors of nature, such as the trees of green and red roses, that bloom for everyone, and he marvels at the wonder of the world. He then goes on to describe the colors of the sky, the brightness of day, and the darkness of night, and again reflects on the beauty he sees. In the third verse, he talks about how the colors of the rainbow are not only in the sky but also on the faces of people passing by. He notices people shaking hands and greeting each other, and interprets this as an expression of love that doesn't need words.
The second part of the song has some variations in the lyrics, with a more spontaneous and improvised style. He talks about how everyone can save themselves and help each other, without the need for talking or planning. This natural process just happens, and he encourages us to let it happen. He then repeats the chorus, emphasizing once again how wonderful the world is.
Overall, the main message of the song seems to be that we should appreciate and celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, both in nature and in the people around us. It's a reminder to slow down and take notice of the simple things in life that we often take for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Trees of green and red roses too
I'm surrounded by nature's beauty with colorful flowers and trees everywhere I look
I watch them bloom for me and you
We get to witness the growth and blossoming of these flowers as a gift from nature
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I feel grateful for the beauty and serenity around me, and find myself appreciating the joy of simple things
Well, I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
The sky looks so beautiful and peaceful with its radiant blue and fluffy white clouds
And the brightness of day, I like the dark
I appreciate the contrast between bright, sunny days and dark, peaceful nights - both have their own kind of beauty
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I feel grateful for the beauty and serenity around me, and find myself appreciating the joy of simple things
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
I'm struck by the stunning and vibrant colors of the rainbow that appears in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
People are just as beautiful and diverse as nature, with a variety of skin tones and personalities
I see friends shaking hands, saying, "How do you do?"
I witness the simple act of greeting others, building human connection through friendly introductions
They're really saying, "I, I love you"
Through this greeting, people express their affection and care for one another
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow
I observe the stages of life as babies start out crying and develop into young children
They'll learn much more than we'll know
Young children have the capacity to learn and grow far beyond our knowledge and imagination
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I feel grateful for the beauty and serenity around me, and find myself appreciating the joy of simple things
Everybody gonna save theirself
(?)
(?) help the other
(?)
The world can be a challenging place, and we're often focused on saving ourselves. But we can also help others and find fulfillment in giving back.
It's gon- it's like kinda automatic, kinda
You don't need talk, and stuff, when, when happening
And you just gotta let 'em
And that stuff just waiting for when you ready, look what happen
When we let go and allow things to happen organically, things often fall into place and beautiful experiences can unfold without much effort
I love you
The ultimate expression of affection and care for oneself and others
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I feel grateful for the beauty and serenity around me, and find myself appreciating the joy of simple things
What a wonderful world
The world may have its challenges, but it's also full of beauty and wonder that we can appreciate and enjoy.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Tratore, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Thiele, George Douglas, George Weiss
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@edwardparker8
This was my son's favorite song. My son Jonathan died two years ago and we played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at his funeral. Everyone cried thinking of his life and What a Wonderful World his presents made for those that knew Jonathan David Parker.
@edwardparker8
What a Wonderful World was also played at my son's funeral.
I think of Jonathan and others every time a I see a rainbow.
@jessiew6904
DaKota Wetzel You're disgusting.
@sarahowen6984
+DaKota Wetzel
Reported.
@SoundDarkness13
Well now I'm curious as to what Dakota wetzel did
@fededice3169
Fuck, now i need to know what did he wrote
@joshizcrazy1981
Mahalo nui loa, Aloha 'oe "Izz" Ku'u momi makamae Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole.
I remember hearing Iz passed away in the hospital on the radio like it was yesterday, the state flags flew at half mass in Hawaii that day. People were setting doves loose, honking their horns, singing the state motto in the streets, the motto is Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono which means "the life of the land is perpetuated in holyness. I even joined in a few times that day to celebrate his life like he would have wanted even though I was sad. At night it was beautiful with all the boats with candles in them floating away in the channel towards the ocean, it was like 10,000+ people at his funeral and he was loved by many and made some amazing music in his short 38 years on this planet. I was as big as his leg but he was the friendliest person you have ever met and would always listen to you with his eyes, something many natives or Kahuna's can do. In 97" we lost a good brother Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole RIP my friend. His ashes were scattered into the great ocean on July 12th 1997 on Mukua Beach.
@MarieDGiard
Josh L
@edgaretchingham7268
Josh L thats really nice
@kiwaross1562
Josh L beautiful message bro