Which local song has had more impact around the world than any other? It’s on Hawaii’s only double-platinum album. It’s been used in more than 80 movies and TV shows. Its YouTube video has been viewed 70 million times. Which song is it?
It’s Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole’s "Over the Rainbow" from his "Facing Future" CD. Israel Ka‘ano‘i Kamakawiwo‘ole was born May 20, 1959, 53 years ago this week.
"That song touches people in a very emotional way, whether it’s a happy emotion or sad," says Mountain Apple Co. President Leah Bernstein. "It’s always one or the other."
"It’s used around the world in hundreds of commercials," Bernstein says. "Fiat is using it in two different car commercials. The song is selling mineral water in Slovenia, Rice Krispies in America; Sony uses it in China; it sells gas in Portugal, toys in Spain, banking in Croatia, health insurance in the Netherlands and the lottery in Norway."
"Over the Rainbow" has been used by "American Idol," "E.R.," "So You Think You Can Dance," "Glee," "National Geographic Explorer," "Brothers & Sisters," "Meet Joe Black" and "Fifty First Dates," among many others.
"Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World" was recorded as a medley in 1989. Kamakawiwo‘ole came to the studio at 2:10 in the morning. He did one take of it and a couple of other songs and left 30 minutes later.
Harold Arlen wrote the music and E.Y. Harburg wrote the lyrics to "Over the Rainbow" in 1938 for "The Wizard of Oz." It was almost deleted from the movie because MGM CEO Louis B. Mayer thought the song "slowed down the picture." He also pointed out that "our star sings it in a barnyard."
When the movie came out, "Over the Rainbow" was a smash. It became Judy Garland’s signature song. It’s No. 1 on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest movie songs of all time.
Mountain Apple Co. handles the licensing for Kamakawiwo‘ole’s version of "Over the Rainbow." Interested parties also have to license it from EMI, which handles the rights to the original song.
Licenses are priced according to area, territory, viewers and frequency, and can go to seven figures.
The woman who handles the licensing of "Over the Rainbow" for EMI in New York says Kamakawiwo‘ole’s is the most requested version of the song by far. Within another generation, she predicts, few will remember that Judy Garland sang it. Everyone will associate it with Kamakawiwo‘ole.
The lyrics Kamakawiwo‘ole sang on "Over the Rainbow" deviated from the original in several places. EMI called and asked whether he could re-record it the right way. Artists need permission from the copyright holder to change the song. "‘We’d love to but he passed away,’ we had to tell them," Bernstein recalls. Kamakawiwo‘ole died in 1997.
Nineteen years after its release, "Over the Rainbow" continues to sell well. Mountain Apple sells Kamakawiwo‘ole’s CDs in 49 countries.
Mountain Apple founder and CEO Jon de Mello says the impact of Kamakawiwo‘ole’s "Over the Rainbow" is difficult to measure. "It’s outsold everything else that has ever been released in Hawaii. It surpassed Don Ho’s ‘Tiny Bubbles,’ which was probably the previous record holder. It’s changed Hawaiian music forever, and except that we have rainbows here, there’s nothing Hawaiian about it. It’s an amazing thing."
"It’s made the ukulele the most famous instrument in the world right now. People can pack a ukulele and carry it anywhere. It’s small. It’s handy."
Roy Sakuma says new students invariably ask, as soon as they get into class, whether they’re going to learn "Over the Rainbow."
Kamakawiwo‘ole’s "Over the Rainbow" has remarkable "legs" for a 19-year-old recording. In 2011 it won Germany’s Echo Award for song of the year (their Grammys).
The album was No. 1 in France for 17 weeks and in the top five in Germany for 42 weeks in 2010. It reached No. 1 in Belgium, Portugal and Italy. "Over the Rainbow" has been certified gold in Switzerland and Belgium, and double platinum in Germany and France.
"Over the Rainbow" will be used in the queen’s 60th Jubilee celebration this summer in Great Britain. "That is quite an honor," Bernstein says. "Happy birthday, IZ!"
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Bob Sigall, author of the “Companies We Keep” books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
