Island in the Sun (Harry Belafonte song)

The song was one of two songs (the other song being "Lead Man Holler") written by Harry Belafonte and Irving Burgie for the 1957 film Island in the Sun, a film on racial tension and interracial romance. The song serves as the title song sung at the start of the film, which ends with Belafonte walking off to the humming of the song. Belafonte performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show on June 9, 1957 to promote the film.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e4FurHBvuo8C&pg=PA61|title=Constructing Black Selves|first= Lisa D. |last=McGill |date= 2005 |page=61–71|isbn= 9780814756911 |publisher=NYU Press}} It was also released as a single backed with "Cocoanut Woman" in May 1957;{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sx0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60 |title=Review Spotlights on ... Pop Records |date=May 6, 1957 |magazine=Billboard }} both songs charted, and "Island in the Sun" reached No. 30 on the Billboard{{'}}s Best Sellers in Stores, and No. 42 on Top 100 Sides.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA88|title=Billboard Top 100 Sides|magazine=Billboard |page=88|date=August 26, 1958 }}

In 2017, Belafonte released the album When Colors Come Together: The Legacy of Harry Belafonte for his 90th birthday with the intention of fostering racial harmony, which included a new version of "Island in the Sun" titled "When Colors Come Together (Our Island in the Sun)" performed by a multi-ethnic children choir.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/harry-belafonte-unveils-when-colors-come-together-career-anthology-listen-7677709/|title=Harry Belafonte Unveils 'When Colors Come Together': Listen |date=February 2, 2017 |magazine=Billboard }}{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/harry-belafonte-celebrate-90th-birthday-album-7662424/ |title=Harry Belafonte to Celebrate 90th Birthday with New Album 'When Colors Come Together' |date=January 20, 2017 |agency=Associated Press|via=Billboard}}

In 1999, the song was adapted into a children's picture book, illustrated with cut-paper collages by Alex Ayliffe and published by Dial Books. The book was an Américas Award commended title and received generally positive reviews.{{cite web |title=1999 Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature |url=http://claspprograms.org/uploads/finallst_1999-1487258690.pdf |publisher=Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) |accessdate=10 December 2019}}{{cite web |title=Island in the Sun |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8037-2387-0 |publisher=Publishers Weekly |accessdate=10 December 2019}}

The song has also been covered by many artists, including The Merrymen, John Rowles,[http://www.discogs.com/MerrymenFeaturing-Emile-Straker-Caribbean-Treasure-Chest-The-Sunny-Sound-Of-The-Caribbean/release/2090361 Merrymen, The Featuring Emile Straker – Caribbean Treasure Chest (The Sunny Sound Of The Caribbean)] José Carreras, The Paragons,{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/island-in-the-sun-mt0030303035|title = Island in the Sun - the Paragons | Song Info | AllMusic|website = AllMusic}} and The Righteous Brothers.[http://www.discogs.com/Righteous-Brothers-Island-In-The-Sun/master/245505 Righteous Brothers, The – Island In The Sun]

In 1962, the song was performed by The Brothers Four on the album In Person/Cross-Country Concert.

The song has been sung in other languages; as early as 1958, Henri Salvador wrote lyrics and sang the song in French. Caterina Valente performed the song in German as "Wo meine Sonne scheint ".[http://www.discogs.com/Caterina-Valente-The-Best-Of-Caterina-Valente/master/549161 Caterina Valente – The Best Of Caterina Valente]

Bo-Göran Edling wrote lyrics in Swedish, and as De tusen öars land, the song was recorded by the Streaplers, releasing it as a single in October 1969 with En enda kort minut acting as a B-side.{{cite web|url=http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001445252|title=De tusen öars land|publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=1969|accessdate=12 May 2011}} and their version also charted at Svensktoppen for 19 weeks between 28 December 1969[http://www.sr.se/Diverse/AppData/Isidor/files/2023/3467.txt Svensktoppen - 1969]-4 May 1970,[http://www.sr.se/Diverse/AppData/Isidor/files/2023/3468.txt Svensktoppen - 1970] and managed to top the chart. With these lyrics the song was also recorded in 1970 by Nora Brockstedt,{{cite web|url=http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001429317|title=Svensktoppar 6| publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=1970|accessdate=12 May 2011}} by Tage Öst in 1976,{{cite web|url=http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001526977|title=Vår egen snoa|publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=1976|accessdate=12 May 2011}} and Källströms in 1985{{cite web|url= http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001890029|title=Än en gång| publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=1985|accessdate=12 May 2011}} and finally in 2005 by Hans Martin.{{cite web|url=http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/002020336|title=Minnenas promenad| publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=2005|accessdate=12 May 2011}}

With lyrics in Swedish by Margot Borgström, as Sol, öar, vind och hav, the song was also recorded by Schytts on the 1979 album Nya änglalåtar{{cite web|url=http://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/001887680|title=Nya änglalåtar|publisher=Svensk mediedatabas|language=Swedish|date=1980|accessdate=12 May 2011}} and their version charted for 10 weeks at Svensktoppen between 13 April-24 August 1980, and also managed to top the chart.[http://www.sr.se/Diverse/AppData/Isidor/files/2023/3478.txt Svensktoppen - 1980]

The Croatian version sung by Darko Rundek was recorded in 2000 for album U širokom svijetu[https://www.discogs.com/Darko-Rundek-U-%C5%A0irokom-Svijetu/master/665208 Darko Rundek - U širokom svijetu] (rereleased in 2017 on compilation ApoCalypso)

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Category:Songs about islands

Category:1957 songs

Category:Harry Belafonte songs

Category:Caterina Valente songs

Category:Schytts songs

Category:Streaplers songs