It’s three in the morning in 1988. Milan Bertosa, a recording engineer in Honolulu, is about to shut down his studio for the night. Suddenly, the phone rings. On the other end is a guy named Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, or "Iz" to those who knew him. He’s got an idea, he says. He needs to record it right now.
Bertosa is tired. Honestly, who wouldn’t be? But something about the urgency in Iz’s voice makes him say yes. He tells Iz he has 15 minutes to get there.
When the door finally swings open, Bertosa sees a man who is roughly 500 pounds, carrying a tiny ukulele. He looks like a giant holding a toy. They find a steel chair strong enough to hold him, set up one microphone, and Iz starts to play.
What happened next wasn't some overproduced pop session. It was one take. No edits. No Auto-Tune. Just a man, a uke, and a melody that would eventually become the Hawaiian version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the most famous piece of music to ever come out of the islands.
The Story Behind the Single Take
Most people don't realize that the version they hear on the radio or in movies wasn't even the first time Iz tried to record this song. In 1990, he released a version with a full band on his album Ka ʻAnoʻi. It had a "Jawaiian" (Hawaiian reggae) beat, synths, and a much more produced feel. It was fine, but it didn't set the world on fire.
It was only later, when his producer Jon de Mello was putting together the 1993 album Facing Future, that they went back to that raw 3 AM demo tape.
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The simplicity of it is what makes it work. You can actually hear Iz’s fingers sliding across the strings. You can hear the deep resonance of his breath. It feels like he’s sitting right there in the room with you, which is a rare thing to capture on a digital file.
He actually got the lyrics "wrong"
If you listen closely, Iz doesn't follow the original Judy Garland script. He mixes up the lines, swapping "the dreams that you dare to dream" with "the dreams that you dream of." He even slips in a bit of "What a Wonderful World" halfway through.
Some purists might call it a mistake. I call it soul. He wasn't reading off a sheet; he was singing what he felt in that specific moment. That spontaneity is why the Hawaiian version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow feels so much more authentic than a standard cover.
Why the Ukulele Sounds Different
Ever wonder why his uke sounds so much deeper and warmer than the ones you see in souvenir shops?
It's not just his skill. Iz used a Low G tuning.
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- Standard tuning: G-C-E-A (The G is high).
- Iz's tuning: The G string is replaced with a thicker string tuned an octave lower.
This gives the instrument a more "guitar-like" depth. It supports his massive, angelic tenor voice without sounding tinny. If you’re trying to play this at home and it sounds like a toy, that’s probably why. You need that Low G to get the "Iz sound."
More Than Just a Pretty Song
In the "mainland" US and Europe, we often associate this song with sunsets, weddings, or maybe that one scene in 50 First Dates. But in Hawaii? It’s basically a national anthem.
Iz wasn't just a singer. He was a fierce advocate for Hawaiian sovereignty. He was a symbol of the "Hawaiian Renaissance," a movement to reclaim the culture and language that had been suppressed for decades. When he sings about a land "once in a lullaby," many locals hear it as a longing for the Hawaii that existed before it was a tourist destination.
The Funeral on the Water
When Iz died in 1997 at just 38 years old, the entire state of Hawaii went into mourning. He was the only non-government official to ever have his casket lie in state at the Hawaii State Capitol building.
If you've seen the music video—the one with over a billion views—you’ve seen the footage of his funeral. Thousands of people gathered at Mākua Beach. They cheered, they splashed water, and they celebrated a man who gave their culture a voice on the global stage. It wasn't a somber, quiet affair. It was loud, beautiful, and chaotic.
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How it Conquered Hollywood
It’s wild to think that a song recorded at 3 AM by a local artist in a tiny Honolulu studio ended up in:
- Meet Joe Black
- ER (the heart-wrenching scene where Dr. Greene passes away)
- K-Pax
- Scrubs
- Glee
The song became a "go-to" for directors who needed to signal a moment of transition—life to death, sadness to hope. It has this weird power to make you feel nostalgic for a place you’ve never even been to.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Musicians
If you've fallen in love with this track and want to dig deeper, don't just stop at the Spotify stream. Here is how to actually appreciate the legacy of the Hawaiian version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
- Learn the Strumming: If you play ukulele, don't just strum down-up. Iz used a specific "swing" feel. It’s a 16th-note pattern that involves a subtle thumb-pluck on the downbeat.
- Listen to "Hawaiʻi '78": If you want to understand who Israel really was, listen to this track. It’s much more political and dark, but it’s the heart of his message.
- Support Local Artisans: Instead of buying a mass-produced uke, look into Hawaiian luthiers like Kamaka or KoAloha. They keep the tradition of the instrument alive.
- Check the Tuning: If you’re a player, swap your high-G string for a low-G. It’ll change the way you perceive the instrument instantly.
The magic of this recording wasn't in the equipment or the marketing budget. It was in the fact that Milan Bertosa stayed open for 15 more minutes. It was in the fact that Iz had something to say and didn't wait until "business hours" to say it. Sometimes, the best things in life are the ones we don't overthink.