Track Listing

1. Margarita
2. Coney Island Washboard Woman
3. Kainoa
4. Ka Na'i Aupuni
5. I'll Be There/Warren's Song
6. Men Who Ride Mountains
7. Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
8. Hanohano O Cowboy
9. Sea of Love
10. You Don't Know Me

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38236 in Music
• Released on: 1999-02-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Amazon.com essential recording
Better known among his fans as "Iz," Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was a phenomenon in the Hawai'ian Islands totally below Mainland radar. So important was Iz's singing to Native Hawa'ians and Hawai'i residents alike that Governor Ben Cayetano declared a statewide day of mourning when Iz passed away in 1997--this despite his controversial Hawai'i-sovereignty politics. Ka Ano'i was the 1991 winner of the prestigious Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best contemporary Hawai'ian album, and Iz himself won for best male vocalist that year. This album is appealing mainly for its honesty and simplicity: simplicity of tone consistent with the casual ukulele and slack-key sound, and honesty of voice through Hawai'i-enhanced allegorical tracks like "Coney Island Washer Woman" and "I'll Be There." A later version of Iz's "Over the Rainbow" was featured in the 1998 film Meet Joe Black, as well. Despite his imposing stature, Iz was an embodiment of the simplicity and gentleness in the music itself, more noticeable in this early album than in his later work. --Erik Macki

Customer Reviews

Heaven for the Ears
If you can't appreciate the whole CD--go buy the soundtrack for Meet Joe Black! If you enjoy IZ, you'll like both versions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World. By the way, the Meet Joe Black version can be found on the Facing Future CD.

Not the version I was looking for.
This is a great album by IZ, however was looking for the version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" that I heard on a tv toy commercial. The CD "Facing Future" is the one with the correct version.

The reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars...
is only because of the sound quality. This early CD was before Israel signed with Mountain Apple Company and the recording quality isn't quite as good as his later CDs. Having said that, the music is great. For an Iz fan it's a must-have. It's the only recording on CD of Men Who Ride Mountains and I love his version of You Don't Know Me. Again, a must-have. Look for the video, Island Music Island Hearts - The Man and His Music. It's the only video, produced after his passing, and it gives you the sense of this man's immense love for people and their love for him.