What other versions you got?

I was fortunate enough to see Liza Minelli perform this at Harrah's Lake Tahoe years ago.

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” may well be my favorite song of all; I just like the way it makes me feel. My preference is for this version, although I have listened to them all.

Kermit the Frog's version is nice too.

And to think, that song almost hit the movie-edit cutting room floor because the studio didn’t want their star singing it in a barnyard.

Is it me... Or is this like the first thing everyone learns on a ukulele?

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:
Is it me... Or is this like the first thing everyone learns on a ukulele?

Pretty sure it came in my ukulele instruction manual.

I love the version that Bother Iz did (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole) and, yes, I play it on my Ukulele too.

According to what I heard recently and then read on the Wiki:


In 1988, a friend of Kamakawiwoʻole called a Honolulu recording studio owned by Milan Bertosa at 3:00 am with a request that Kamakawiwoʻole be allowed to come in to make a recording. Bertosa was about to shut down, but told the friend that Kamakawiwoʻole could come if he was able to make it within 15 minutes. In a 2011 interview, Bertosa recalled, "In walks the largest human being I had seen in my life. Israel was probably like 500 pounds. And the first thing at hand is to find something for him to sit on." A security guard gave Kamakawiwoʻole a large steel chair. "Then I put up some microphones, do a quick sound check, roll tape, and the first thing he does is 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.' He played and sang, one take, and it was over."

Link

My fave

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I love the version that Bother Iz did (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole)

Mike me too. Sadly he passed quite young no doubt due to his obesity.

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I0zNiae3j7k" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

Simply beautiful. Such young talent.

I like the Izzy version the best followed by the Clapton version

I'm somewhat indifferent to this song - maybe because I was somewhat traumatized by the movie the first time I watched it (very young - had to leave the theater).

I do like Jane Monheit. Here's her rendition:

The estate of Brother Iz is collecting checks in perpetuity from all the movies his version of the song has been in. The official video on YouTube is well over a billion views.