Somewhere...
Thanks everyone for taking the time to do this.
Maddy, the link that wyndhy posted is much better than the route I tried to list. Hers takes you right to the song, and provides some interesting information about Israel Kamakawo'ole, (known both as "Brudda Iz" and as "The Gentle Giant", - he weighed over 700 pounds!) I have learned he recorded this in 1996, and died a year later. I think the medly is an original by him. The original "Somewhere" was written in the 1930's for "The Wizard of Oz" and "What Wonderful World" Was written for and first recorded by Louis Armstrong in the 1960's.
I have also learned that this recording was played on the Episode of "ER" where Dr. Green died, and in the movie "Finding Forrester", as well as used in some TV commercials. (EWWWWWW!)
When I was a teen, my tastes in music were... different. I loved Louis Armstrong, jazz, R&B, soul, zydeco, and classical. I suffered from that typical teen arrogance that my music, like my life, was so much more interesting and complicated than my peers. I HATED most of the popular music, especially hip hop and Rap.
Pop music didn't speak to me because my life had nothing in common with the lyrics. To me, "Gansta rap" is mysogynistic and promotes hatred and violence.
As I got older and my world expanded, I listened to a lot of the "approved lesbian music", The Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, and k.d. lang.
I still do, but because I like it, not because it is socially aceptable for Lesbians.
"Somewhere" was just a children'a song from a fun old movie. Until now. This new song has touched me in a very odd, deep, very personal way.
He (Iz) sings with such a clear, sweet, kind, longing voice, in which I hear hope for a better world, even for adults
Love,
Wanda
__________________
"I wondered, am I a lesbian, am I straight, or bisexual? Then I realized that I am just a slut.
So where's MY parade?"
---Margaret Cho
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