Over the Rainbow Kalimba Sheet Music

Would you like to learn how to play the song Over the Rainbow by the famous singer Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, aka IZ, on your kalimba? You’ve come to the right place! Here you’ll find all the sheet music and tablature you need to play this beautiful melody with confidence. And like hundreds of thumb piano players before you, with a little practice, you’ll soon be nailing the right note sequences for this gentle tune.

Now let’s dive into this Hawaiian classic.

How do you read thumb piano sheet music and tablature for the song Over the Rainbow?

If you’re unfamiliar with dotted notes and ties used in standard music notation, you may struggle to fully decipher the tablature for “Over the Rainbow.” For those who need to learn this or simply refresh their memory, we recommend consulting our comprehensive guide to reading kalimba tablature and sheet music. After reading this article, understanding how to read these musical symbols will be a breeze.

In addition, your instrument must be properly tuned to play any melody. So, check out this article specifically dedicated to tuning the thumb piano. Once you’ve gone through everything in this article, tuning the kalimba will feel like second nature.

What is the rhythm of IZ's Over the Rainbow melody on the kalimba?

To help you find the right rhythm when playing the sheet music, listen to an example of what you can achieve:

Below is the original clip of the 2010 version, which is the most popular.

The numbered sheet music for Over the Rainbow for kalimba

Over the Rainbow for mbira formatted as a score with letters

Here is the same sheet music as before, but this time written using standard letter notation (A–G).

Specialized sanza tablature for the melody Over the Rainbow

Finally, to capture the original song’s rhythm more accurately, here’s a tablature for Over the Rainbow—remember to read it from bottom to top.

Is a PDF file of Over the Rainbow for kalimba available?

Yes, so you can play Over the Rainbow on your kalimba anywhere (and print it easily), a PDF file with all the tablature and sheet music is available for you. Feel free to share it—we’d really appreciate it.

Who is IZ, the singer of Over the Rainbow?

IZ are the initials of the artist’s real name, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. He was a singer, musician, and ukulele player, born on May 20, 1959, in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. He started playing music at the age of 11 and eventually pursued this path, forming the group “Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau” with his brother, which specialized in traditional Hawaiian music. This group became very popular in the Hawaiian archipelago, producing more than a dozen successful albums.

A few years after his brother’s death, IZ ventured into a solo career, releasing a new album in 1990 and then “Facing Future” in 1993. This album included the song “Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World.” Thanks to his albums, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole was named Favorite Artist and then Best Singer of the Year by the Hawaiian Academy of Arts.

The singer died on June 26, 1997, at the age of 38, at the height of his career, still much loved by the people of Hawaii and the United States. However, this artist’s work remained largely unknown in France and across Europe. It wasn’t until 2010 that Universal Music helped popularize the song Over the Rainbow in Europe through a single and an album titled Alone in Iz World. Within a few months, in early 2011, the single hit No. 1 on the sales charts, and the album reached No. 2. Since then, IZ’s name, his talent, and his famous song have become widely known in France.

Expand your playing possibilities with this 21-note kalimba

4.6/5 — 500+ Reviews

See the 21-note kalimba

How did Israel Kamakawiwoʻole die?

It’s no secret that Israel Kamakawiwoʻole lived with obesity. In the last years of his life, the singer weighed over 660 lb (300 kg) and was about 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) tall. In the mid-1990s, IZ was regularly hospitalized for medical problems related to his obesity.

He eventually died on June 26, 1997, at Queen's Medical Center in Hawaii from respiratory failure, again related to his obesity. His funeral was held on July 10 of the same year, attended by approximately 15,000 people. Upon his death, Hawaiian flags were flown at half-staff on all official buildings. Two days later, after his cremation, his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean, as he had requested.

What is the origin of the melody Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World?

In 1988, at around 3 a.m., IZ contacted his sound engineer to tell him that he absolutely had to come and record a song. Fifteen minutes later, the singer was at the recording studio, and “Over the Rainbow” was recorded in one take. At the time, only Israel Kamakawiwoʻole and his engineer kept copies of the song. Five years later, in 1993, the same engineer played an acoustic version to IZ’s producer, who decided to add the song to the album Facing Future.

Originally, in 1993, IZ's “Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World” was a medley (a piece that blends multiple songs) of two other tracks, namely Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” The lyrics of these two songs were therefore almost entirely reused in a track that runs just over 5 minutes.

However, in 2001, IZ's original song was shortened to simply Over the Rainbow. In this version, which lasts just under 4 minutes, the section featuring “What a Wonderful World” was removed, leaving only the lyrics from Judy Garland’s song. That’s why the title was shortened as well. It is this latter version that was popularized by Universal starting in 2010 and that resonates in the minds of most people.

What is the meaning of the song Over the Rainbow?

On the one hand, Judy Garland’s song tells the story of a teenager who wants to escape from a reality that is too complex, sad, and hopeless, and reach a more colorful, carefree, and enchanting world via a rainbow. On the other hand, Louis Armstrong’s song describes the simple things in everyday life, including a rainbow, and expresses optimism that he lives in a wonderful world.

It’s therefore fair to say that Israel Kamakawiwoʻole wanted to send an optimistic, hopeful message about the future of our world. To reinforce that idea, his album “Facing Future,” which contains this track, literally means “Facing the Future.”

Where was the Over the Rainbow music video filmed?

The video wasn’t filmed as a traditional music video. It’s a compilation of moments from the singer’s life, recorded during concerts and his funeral, put together after the song’s popularity created demand for an official video. As a result, it wasn’t shot in one specific place. However, most of the footage was recorded in Hawaii, IZ’s birthplace.

Who covered the Over the Rainbow medley sung by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole?

While a few singers such as Cliff Richard have covered IZ's famous song, Robin Schulz, a DJ and music producer, along with Alle Farben, released a faster, more energetic remix of Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World in 2021. This time, unlike the 2001 version, they drew from the original 1993 medley, which includes lyrics from both Judy Garland and Louis Armstrong. You can watch their music video below:

The 21-key kalimba, essential for playing Over the Rainbow

Now you have the sheet music and tablature you need to play singer IZ's most famous song with accuracy. With patience, practice, and good technique, you’ll be able to blend the soft, relaxing sound of your thumb piano with the soothing melody of this hopeful song.

However, this song can only be played correctly with a 21-key instrument. Therefore, if you have a thumb piano with only 17 keys, you won’t be able to play this classic properly. So, to make sure you can play under the best conditions, Instruments du Monde offers a high-quality 21-key kalimba, letting you tackle an ever-wider range of songs.

Discover this instrument now by clicking on the image below:

Play all your favorite tunes with a high-quality 21-note kalimba

4.6/5 — 500+ Reviews

See the 21-key kalimba

Are you a romantic and a fan of Édith Piaf? Check out our kalimba sheet music for La Vie en Rose. This famous melody, known throughout the world, was a real springboard for the artist. It will be the ideal melody to declare your love to your significant other. Or, take a look at another of our sheet music and tablature for 21-key kalimbas.