In anticipation of long lines, anxiety, and fear on Nov. 3rd Election Day in the United States, I invite everyone to join together in a spirit of hope, peace, unity and love to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by the late Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, aka Bradah Iz. Whether youʻre a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or a non-voter immigrant like me, I invite you to join me in this song. Print the lyrics below, pass them out to folks in line and letʻs sing along.
Over the Rainbow
Ooh
Ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby, I
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
Clouds high over the rainbow, makes all your dreams come true, ooh
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 top
That’s where you’ll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Oh why, oh why can’t I? I
I see trees of green and red roses too
I’ll watch then bloom just for me and you
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue, clouds of white
The brightness of day, the dark, say goodnight
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shakin’ hands saying, “How’s it? How you?”
They’re really saying, “I love you”
I hear babies cry and I’d watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than we’ll know
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
I think to myself, yes
What a wonderful world
I think to myself, yeah
What a wonderful world
Ah-ooh
Oh, what a wonderful world it is
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, na, na, mama
Yeah, yeah, aloha
