Niki N. Phaser

Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours has, without a doubt, left its mark since its release in April of 2008. It practically spent a year on the charts, setting some new records (most weeks on the Billboard Hot 100) in the process. It’s all true and the guy is an accomplished singer-songwriter, no objection here. My thesis is that a lot of the song’s success is owed to another well-known song, that is Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s cover of Over the Rainbow, from 1993. Yes, you know it, the ukulele version used in a million or so movies, TV shows, commercials or any other entity that can have a soundtrack. The Hawai’ian artist’s heartfelt reendition of the Arlen-Harburg classic is the very definition of the simple, yet effective song — a few ukulele chords and a wonderful calm and soothing voice. The result is one of the most emotional songs ever, that holds a special unique place in the listener’s mind. It was also one of the few ukulele songs to reach mainstream in pop history.

Until April of 2008 (though Mraz’s song might be played on guitar, it is played as to sound like a ukulele)… This is not, in any way, some sort of plagiarism accusation against Mraz, maybe just a demerit, spoiling his golden stars collection. Funnily enough, I’m Yours has started going on the same path as Over the Rainbow: shows, trailers, commercials and you can hold your breath that it will start the romantic comedy/drama circuit soon enough. Both songs evoque a similar feeling, the life-is-short-let’s-enjoy-it-by-loving-someone kind of feeling, a simple philosophy expressed through a simple song structure. It’s a good trick on Mraz’s part, but maybe I’m wrong. Listen to both songs and judge y’rself:

Over the Rainbow I’m Yours