Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Original Artist and Funeral Meaning

Original release year: 1939 · Original artist: Judy Garland · Composers: Harold Arlen (music), Yip Harburg (lyrics) · Most streamed version: Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (over 2 billion plays) · Israel Kamakawiwoʻole lifespan: 1959–1997

Six key facts, one pattern: the song’s emotional resonance spans generations and genres, from a 1939 film score to a 21st-century streaming phenomenon.

Who is the original artist of Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

Who composed the song and when?

• Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Yip Harburg (Wikipedia (general encyclopedia)).
• Written for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and performed by Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale.
• Won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

What film featured the original version?

• The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Judy Garland’s performance became her signature song.
• The studio nearly cut the number because they thought it slowed the pace, but it stayed and became the film’s emotional center.

Yip Harburg once explained that the song was about hope during the Depression: “It’s a song of longing for a place where there isn’t any trouble.”

The implication: the song’s very survival past the cutting-room floor shaped its destiny as an anthem of aspiration.

What is the story behind the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

What inspired the lyrics and melody?

• Harold Arlen wrote the melody with a distinctive octave leap on “somewhere” to convey yearning (Wikipedia).
• Yip Harburg’s lyrics were inspired by the desire for escape from the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.
• The song was nearly cut from The Wizard of Oz because producers felt it slowed the film’s pace.

How did the song become an anthem of hope?

• Its message of a better place resonated with Depression-era audiences.
• Over decades, it was adopted by civil rights movements and used in films to symbolize aspiration.
• The Library of Congress noted the song’s association with longing and hope made it “a natural fit for memorial and tribute use” (Library of Congress PDF).

What this means: the song’s ability to transcend its original context turned it into a universal symbol of hope.

What happened to the Hawaiian guy that sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

Who was Israel Kamakawiwoʻole?

• Born May 20, 1959 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was a musician, singer, and Hawaiian sovereignty activist.
• His medley of “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World” was recorded in 1988 in a spontaneous one-take session, according to Jazz Radio France (music news outlet).
• The recording was a last-minute addition to his 1993 album Facing Future (Library of Congress PDF (recording preservation board)).

How did he die and at what age?

• Israel Kamakawiwoʻole died on June 26, 1997 at age 38 (Infobae (Latin American news)).
• Cause of death: respiratory failure related to severe obesity. He weighed an estimated 755 pounds (342 kg).
• His body lay in state at the Hawaii State Capitol, and he was given a ceremonial burial at sea.

The pattern: Kamakawiwoʻole’s recording was a sleeper hit that only became a global phenomenon posthumously, driven by film and television placements.

How heavy was Israel Kamakawiwoʻole when he died?

What were his health struggles?

• He suffered from severe obesity, weighing an estimated 755 pounds (342 kg) at death (Infobae).
• His weight contributed to respiratory and heart issues that led to his early death.

Why was his weight significant?

• His death sparked public health discussions in Hawaii about obesity and lifestyle.
• The Hawaii legislature considered bills to address obesity after his passing.

The catch: a personal tragedy became a catalyst for community health awareness.

Why is Somewhere Over the Rainbow played at funerals?

Which version is most commonly used?

• Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s medley is the version most frequently chosen for memorials, including his own funeral.
• Judy Garland’s original also appears but less often in funeral settings owing to its orchestral, film-context sound.

What does the song symbolize in funeral settings?

• The lyrics speak of a place “over the rainbow, way up high” – a clear metaphor for heaven or an afterlife.
• The medley’s gentle ukulele and soft vocal delivery evoke peace and sorrow mixed with hope.
• The Library of Congress noted that the song’s association with longing and hope made it “a natural fit for memorial and tribute use” (Library of Congress PDF).

The trade-off: a song written as a child’s fantasy has been reinterpreted as an adult’s farewell. The same melody that once made people dream now helps them mourn.

What is the most famous version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

How does the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version compare to the original?

• Kamakawiwoʻole’s medley with “What a Wonderful World” is the most streamed version, with billions of plays (Wikipedia).
• The original Judy Garland version remains the definitive film rendition and won the Academy Award.
• Kamakawiwoʻole’s version is in C major, making it popular for ukulele, while the original is in E-flat major.

What other notable covers exist?

• Eva Cassidy, Eric Clapton, Ariana Grande, and many jazz artists have recorded it (Wikipedia).
• The song is considered a jazz standard and has been covered by dozens of artists.

The pattern: the song’s versatility allows it to be reinterpreted across genres, but the Hawaiian medley has become the definitive version for emotional contexts.

Timeline: The song’s evolution from 1939 to today

• 1939 – “Over the Rainbow” written for The Wizard of Oz; Judy Garland records it (Wikipedia).
• 1988 – Israel Kamakawiwoʻole records his medley in one take at 3 a.m. in Honolulu (Jazz Radio France).
• 1993 – Medley released on album Facing Future (Wikipedia).
• 1997 – Kamakawiwoʻole dies at age 38; his body lies in state at the Hawaii State Capitol (Infobae).
• 2000s – The track appears in films (Meet Joe Black, 50 First Dates, etc.) and becomes globally recognized (Wikipedia).
• 2021 – Library of Congress inducts the medley into the National Recording Registry (Images of Old Hawaii (historical site); Library of Congress PDF).

What this means: the song’s journey from a Depression-era film to a 21st-century funeral standard spans more than 80 years, with a single spontaneous recording acting as the bridge.

“I recorded it in one take. At three in the morning. The engineer said, ‘That’s it.’ I said, ‘What do you mean that’s it?’ He said, ‘You got it.’”

— Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, in an interview about the 1988 session

“The octave leap on ‘somewhere’ is one of the most recognizable intervals in American popular music. Arlen deliberately wrote it to convey a sense of yearning.”

— Columbia University news article on the song’s composition

For Hawaiian listeners, the song carries an additional layer: Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s recording is heard as an unofficial state anthem, a sound of home and loss. The Library of Congress noted that the recording “became an emblem of Hawaiian identity.” For the rest of the world, it’s the song you hear when words fail.

Frequently asked questions

For readers interested in how another iconic song carries its own history, see also America the Beautiful Lyrics: Story and Meaning.

For listeners and families planning a memorial, the choice between the hopeful 1939 original and the gentle Hawaiian medley defines the emotional tone of the service. The trade-off is clear: the Garland version offers cinematic nostalgia; the Kamakawiwoʻole version offers peace and closure. For those choosing music for a funeral, the medley’s universal calm has made it the default—and that is unlikely to change.