IZ He Or IZ He Not

Recently my lovely wife and I watched the video "50 First Dates" starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore. We both loved the video. Thought it was a very sweet story and being we are both romantics we have a soft spot for those type of movies. Anyhow, I'm not going to talk about the movie, as I'm sure you've all seen it. But what I want to bring to you attention is the last song in the movie while they are running the credits along with some additional footage (outtakes). Do you remember the song? "Somewhere Over The Rainbow". No, No, not the Judy Garland version, this one was sung by an Hawaiian named Israel Kamakawiwo'ole or IZ for short.This song is performed with IZ singing and playing the Ukelele. IZ was possessed of a voice so sweet, so tender, and so lovely that it continues to deeply stir those who hear it long after he died. I have never heard of this man until I watched the video of the movie and heard his rendition of Rainbow. I fell in love with his version and wanted to know more about the man. You can too, by visiting a couple sites:http://www.geocities.com/~olelo/iz-themanandhismusic.html or http://www.mele.com/Farewell/tribute.htm and learn about this extraordinary man.

I like to buy soundtracks of some of the movies I watch as I may like the compilation of the music in the video and it's a way of my remembering that particular video. Sadly though, Over The Rainbow is NOT on the Soundtrack ..............which leads me to my next topic.

Why call it a Soundtrack when (a) the music in the movie is not on the soundtrack and (b) the music isn't even IN the movie and it's on the CD. There is this little saying, "Music inspired by the movie".

Man, I remember back when Soundtracks were what they are.............. Soundtracks. Sound tracks from the movie DUH!! Remember Hollands Opus? There were two Soundtracks, one with the Vocals and one with the Background Music. Now THAT"S a soundtrack. That's TWO Soundtracks. Even The Beatles got it right by including not only their top selling tunes but also some of the background music. Back then they turned me on to Wagner and I didn;t even know it until years later when I started studying music.

I know , I know, it's all in the commercial aspects of selling the accompanying CD, but for Gods' sake, put the music in the CD that was in the movie, don't give me this "inspired" crap. Don't be afraid to add some of the "filler music" as there is some nice stuff being written and performed that doesn't get its' due.

Oh, and as far as buying the CD Soundtrack of "50 First Dates"? NADA! I found "Rainbow" at the iTunes shop and I now have it nicely nestled amongst my iTunes in my iPod. I'll make my own Sountrack, thank you.