Songful Style | “Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #290

August 30, 2022 / 50 Comments

Yesterday, we shared our sartorial interpretations of Beth Hart’s “Mama” so now it is time to share the inspirational details for our next Songful Style challenge. Marsha has chosen “Over the Rainbow” by Hawaiian musician, singer, songwriter, and sovereignty activist Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, one of the very best versions of this timelessly classic song that I have ever heard.

About Songful Style

Songful Style is an ageless style challenge series hosted by Suzy of The Grey Brunette, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Marsha of Marsha in the Middle. 

Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit. 

It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.

Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing! 

We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post.

Video Inspiration

There are so many iconic versions performed of “Over the Rainbow” including Judy Garland’s 1939 performance in The Wizard of Oz which won the song the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Many artists have performed versions of this song, but Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s performance is perhaps the most well known contemporary version of this song since Judy Garland’s inaugural performance. You can search YouTube for all the amazing covers of this classic song including versions by Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mandy Patinkin, and Trisha Yearwood. I am only linking video performances by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.

The Lyrics
“Over the Rainbow” (Judy Garland Version)
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why, then, oh, why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh, why can't I?
“Over the Rainbow” (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole Version)
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dream of
Once in a lullaby, oh

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true-ooh-ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops that's where
You'll find me, oh

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can't I? I

Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow way up high
And the dream that you dare to
Why, oh why can't I? I

Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ah-ah-eh-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
About the Artist and the Song

“Over the Rainbow” is an original song that was written by composer Harold Arlen and lyricist Yip Harburg for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale who performed the song about 5 minutes into the film. After the enormous success of this film, “Over the Rainbow” became Garland’s signature song for the rest of her career.

Harburg has claimed that his inspiration for the lyrics was “a ballad for a little girl who…was in trouble and…wanted to get away from…Kansas. A dry, arid, colorless place. She had never seen anything colorful in her life except the rainbow.” Arlen decided that the song needed “a melody with a long broad line” which he wrote while riding in the car as his wife drove them to a Chinese restaurant for dinner.

While this song enjoyed much success over the next half century since it was first performed by Judy Garland, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole gave it a whole new life in his 1990 medley of “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World”. Israel’s recording which initially happened in a spur of the moment demo session launched him into the spotlight with his medley being included in almost a dozen movie soundtracks as well as being used in various American television series.

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole was a fascinating human with an angelic voice that inspired and moved his people, the indigenous islanders of Hawaii. He incorporated jazz and reggae into his traditional ukulele music creating an influential genre in Hawaiian music. He is viewed by many experts in the music industry and in Hawaiian culture as the best Hawaiian musician of all time. He also became well known for promoting Hawaiian rights and advocating for Hawaiian independence through his lyrical compositions as well as through his personal actions.

He passed away on June 26, 1997, at the age of 38 from respiratory failure as a result of a lifelong battle with obesity. At the time of his death he was 6’2” and weighed over 700 pounds. Approximately 10,000 people attended his funeral as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997. You can see clips of this ceremony in the first video that I linked.

Album Covers
Image Source
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Remember that you can use anything related to this song to inspire your outfit. You are not limited to just what I have shared here. Feel free to do your own research if you’d like. You can look to Judy Garland for outfit inspiration as well, if you choose. But I think I am going to stick with the Hawaiian version for my interpretation.

If you want to join us in styling your own look inspired by this song, we will have a link party on Monday, September 26, 2022, where you can share your post. We would love to see your Songful Styles, too. Happy styling! And remember to look over the rainbow every once in a while!

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Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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