p. 140
First Line:
I see trees of green, red roses too
Artist & Tune
Composed by:
Rec/Performed by:
Live recording by Louis Armstrong
Performed by:
Version by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Performed by:
title track of Willie Nelson's 1988 alb
Performed by:
Video by Etta James
Performed by:
Michael Bublé on his 2001 Babalu alb
Performed by:
Video by Tony Bennett, k.d. lang
Performed by:
2024 live rec by Valerie June
Performed by:
Reference
Genre:
About the Song
The song was first recorded as a single by Louis Amstrong in 1967. George Weiss recounts in the book Off the Record: Songwriters on Songwriting by Graham Nash that he wrote the song specifically for Louis Armstrong. Weiss was inspired by Armstrong's ability to bring people of different races together.
The recording by Hawaiian singer & ukelele player Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is one of the most iconic covers. He changes the chord pattern of the original song so that it has the same chord pattern as "Over the Rainbow" and the two songs can be done as a kind of 2 song medley. This & Mark Knopler's recordings are two of our favorites!
Secondhand songs list of covers: https://secondhandsongs.com/work/6394/versions