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.
IN THIS LIFE
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was an emptiness in me
I was imprisoned by the power of gold
With one kind touch you sent me free
let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Let them tell me love is not worth goin' through
I will no deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
for every mountain I have climbed
Every raging river crossed
You were the treasure that I longed to find
Without your love I would be lost
let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Let them tell me love is not worth goin' through
If it falls apart
I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
I know that I will live forever
But forever ill be loving you
let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Tell me loves not going through
If it all falls apart I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
The song "In This Life" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is a beautiful love song with heartfelt lyrics. In the first verse, the singer reflects on all the blessings that he has received in his life but still felt an emptiness inside. He felt imprisoned by the power of gold and materialistic things until someone came into his life and freed him with just one kind touch.
The chorus of the song is about the strength of the love that he has found. He is willing to let the world stop turning and the sun stop burning, and still believe that love is worth going through. Even if everything falls apart and crumbles around him, the only dream that mattered has come true, which is that he was loved by his partner.
In the second verse, the singer compares his life to climbing mountains and crossing raging rivers. But all of these struggles would have been meaningless without the love of his partner. He declares that he would be lost without their support and love.
The final chorus of the song is a declaration of eternal love. The singer knows that he will live forever, but he will forever be loving his partner. The lyrics are simple yet powerful and convey the depth of love that the singer feels towards his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
For all I've been blessed with in my life
Despite all the blessings in my life, there was still a void inside me.
There was an emptiness in me
I felt incomplete and lacking despite my many blessings.
I was imprisoned by the power of gold
I was trapped in the desire for material wealth and possessions.
With one kind touch you sent me free
But your simple act of kindness helped to liberate me and fill the void.
Let the world stop turning
Even if everything else were to stop, my love for you would remain.
Let the sun stop burning
No matter what happens in the world, my love for you is unwavering.
Let them tell me love is not worth goin' through
Even if others try to tell me that love is not worth it, I know in my heart it is.
If it all falls apart
Even if everything in my life were to fall apart,
I will know deep in my heart
I will still know in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
that the only dream that truly mattered- being loved by you- had already come true.
In this life I was loved by you
You were the one treasure I had sought all along, and your love has made my life complete.
I know that I will live forever
I may not know what the future holds for me,
But forever ill be loving you
but I know that I will love you now and always.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ALLEN SHAMBLIN, MIKE REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@exocinai
For all I've been blessed with in my life
There was an emptyness in me
I was imprisoned by the power of gold
With one kind touch you sent me free
Let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Let them tell me love is not worth goin through
If it all falls apart
I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
For every mountain I have climbed
Every raging river crossed
You were the treasure that I longed to find
Without your love I would be lost
Let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Let them tell me love is not worth goin through
If it falls apart
I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
I know that I will not live forever
But forever I'll be loving you
Let the world stop turning
Let the sun stop burning
Tell me loves not going through
If it all falls apart I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life I was loved by you
In this life I was loved by you
@dianaclark6819
Aloha, l lived in Hawaii for over 20 years. In Makaha. First met the Sons in 83 when l visited my brother. He worked at Campbell Park with Boogie, Jerome, l mean, and the Westbrooks. So we saw them at the Ranch House alot. They were all great, but Iz, was a very special man. He was big, but his heart was bigger. When he left this world my son and l were crushed. And today, 5/20/2020, I live in Mississippi on the gulf coast. We retired here. When the world gets me down, l call on Iz. Having lost my Gene in 2008, the songs and pictures bring me up. Love the Sons and Iz. Mahalo for all the love and beauty you have given the world. Never to be forgotten. Since l am Hawaiian at heart l have never felt l was separate from the lslands or people. Aloha.
@thisabundantlife9576
we love him to. And we too are Mississippi's.
@mikapm2152
🥺❤️
@jessornelas8228
Aloha, Iz is amazing.. we all lost amazing, gospel spirit. Hope Mississippi is going ok. it is not as Ono as being home . Hawaii will wait for you, once it captures your ❤️, your captured. I am on Molokai, and I listen to Iz often. God Bless. A hui ho
@annivargas5093
⁰⁰⁰⁰0⁰⁰⁰⁰⁰
@98uy0yh89hgp
i wish i could of meet this wonderful spirit. am not hawaiian but i wish nothing but love and peace for every one. people like this and bob marley is how am able to keep pushing on.
@emilywalsh4963
My daughter was born 2 weeks ago, and I swear she knew Iz in her past life. This song, Over the rainbow, and Nohili E are her favorite songs. Her spirit is so sweet and kind with the biggest smiles, I have no doubt she was up there singing in heaven with Iz before God allowed her to come earthside to be my angel.
@rosaromolor264
My grandson was born 6 days ago and this song first popped in my head🥰🥰🥰 long live IZ🌎
@williamlee5220
AMEN
@rondaoust752
Beautiful Words, thanks for sharing