What is it about this song that touches my heart?
“Rainbow Connection” was written to be the song to the Muppets as “When You Wish Upon A Star” had been to Walt Disney. In many ways, “Rainbow Connection” is also very similar to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from Jim Henson’s favorite film, The Wizard of Oz (1939).
For many, the song is truly about finding yourself and following your dreams. This is the beginning for most Muppet fans, and where it all started. It’s where Kermit decides to leave the swamp and make millions of people happy, and the rest is history. This song gives the same message as Disney’s Pinocchio gave, which is really in essence, to believe in yourself, and follow your dreams. It sounds a little cheesy when I explain it like that, but that’s how I feel about it personally. At the end of the film, when Kermit builds his family of all his friends who believe in him and share his dream (after the set gets blown to pieces), a rainbow shines through the hole in the ceiling, showing that Kermit has finally found his “Rainbow Connection” and is exactly where he wanted to be.
In the song rainbows are a metaphor for dreams, desires, and wishes. These things are not illusions or visions but real tangible things and hide within them deep joy and contentment.
What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing? That little voice inside that knows our deepest desires and tries, ever so gently, to push us towards achieving them. The promise of fulfillment. Those who heed the calling of that voice (the lovers and dreamers) find a deep and abiding joy.
The rainbow connection is the moment when your spiritual purpose (that little voice inside) has been realized in the physical world. The spiritual and physical connect in a state of bliss.
I chose this song for our Happyokai because it has a deeper and beautiful meaning that I wanted share to my students. If you believe in yourself and follow your dreams, you will find the Rainbow connection that`s exactly where you want to be.
JOHN