Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, whose nickname was “Iz” (pronounced “is”), was an American musician from Hawaii. He was a talented singer and ukulele player. (To see what a ukulele looks like and to hear another excellent ukulele player, look at this.) He is most famous for his 1993 medley (a collection of songs performed as one song) of “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World.” This medley has been used in many movies, television programs, and commercials.

Iz was well known for his love of the land and the people of Hawaii, and is considered one of the major influences in Hawaiian music. Sadly, Iz was obese (very overweight) and at one time weighed over 750 pounds. He had several stays in the hospital and died of a breathing illness related to his weight in 1997. He was only 38 years old.

~ Lucy
______

Over the Rainbow

Somewhere over the rainbow
way up high.
And the dreams that you dreamed of
once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
blue birds fly.
And the dreams that you dreamed of
dreams really do come true.

Someday I’ll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops, thats where you’ll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to
why, oh why can’t I?
________

lullaby = song sung to children to help them fall asleep
lemon drop = a hard candy that tastes of lemon
chimney = the part of a house that takes smoke from a fireplace outside through the roof

Today’s podcast, ESL Podcast 318, is about writing a love song. If you’re like me, you don’t know how to write a love song, but maybe you’re in the mood for (have a feeling of wanting) for love. If so, here’s some Frank Sinatra to make your Monday go by a little easier.

~ Lucy

Fly Me to the Moon

Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars.
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars.
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me.

Fill my life with song
And let me sing forevermore.
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore.
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you.
_____________

forevermore = forever; always
to long for (something) = to have a strong wish or desire for something
to worship = to love and deeply respect, usually a god
to be true = to be faithful; to love only me

English Cafe 108 talks about the famous Route 66, a highway that goes from Chicago to Los Angeles. In the Cafe, I mention a song called “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” originally performed by Nat King Cole.

In searching YouTube, I found an original version (performance) by the great Nat King Cole himself. Cole had one of the most wonderful voices in American pop music of the 20th century. Listen and see if you don’t agree. I’ve put the lyrics below so you can understand him better.

Here are the lyrics:
If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way,
Take the highway that’s the best –
Get your kicks on Route 66.It winds from Chicago to LA,
More than two thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on Route 66.Now you go through Saint Looey
Joplin, Missouri,
and Oklahoma City is mighty pretty.
You see Amarillo,
Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona.
Don’t forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino.

Won’t you get hip to this timely tip:
When you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66.

Won’t you get hip to this timely tip:
When you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66.
Come on in — get your kicks on Route 66.
Get your kicks on Route 66.

In the first stanza (section) of the song, it says “If you plan to motor west.” To motor is an older expression meaning to drive in a car, to take a trip in a car. The singer is recommending that you take Route 66. “To get your kicks” is explained more in the podcast. Next the song says, “It winds from Chicago to LA.” This is the verb to wind, meaning that that Route 66 isn’t a straight line, but curves as it moves across the country. To wind rhymes with “mind” and “kind.” Don’t confuse this verb with the noun, wind. Wind is what happens when the air blows in a certain direction, and the noun wind rhymes with “sinned” (the “i” short, like the “i” in him).

Saint Looey is slang for Saint Louis, a large city in the state of Missouri. The song mentions several of the cities, big and small, that are on Route 66. Then it says, “Won’t you get hip to this timely tip.” To get hip to is an old expression, popular in the 1940s and 1950s, meaning to become informed about something, to get information about something, to become aware of something. Timely means useful, coming right at the right time, not too late.

~Jeff