Heaven is My Island

Heaven is My Island

(Bob Nolan)

Heaven is my island somewhere
Waiting in the sun over the sea,
Waiting there for me.
I will find my island someday
Following the sun over the sea
Where it beckons me.

Hear my island calling, “Come to me.
I’ve been waiting oh! so long
And it’s a lonesome sea.”
If you ever find my island
Waiting in the sun over the sea,
You’ll belong to me.

Hear my island calling, “Come to me.
I’ve been waiting oh! so long
And it’s a lonesome sea.”
If you ever find my island
Waiting in the sun over the sea,
You’ll belong to me.

Although Bob often said that he was going to travel the world, a single excursion to Hawaii in 1948 with his wife, P-Nuts, was all he could afford because he had signed away his right to the royalties of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" early in his career. But he and his wife made the most of that one trip on the Matsonia. Because the people they met were so friendly, they extended their visit by several weeks. The islands were the inspiration for many songs, including "Heaven is My Island", sung here by Dave Bourne. SOURCE: Lead sheet with “Words & Music by Bob Nolan ©1958”.

Photocopies of the lead sheet for this song is available from Calin Coburn, Bob Nolan's grandson. Email Calin for more details.

In 2008, Bob's grandson (Calin Coburn) discovered a reel of film which turned out to be part of that voyage. The photographer appears to have been Bob's father-in-law. Only one reel was found and it was worn and hard to look at except for some footage of Bob and his wife and Bob swimming. These few clips were taken from the film but they are, sadly, of very poor quality.

Bob Nolan's other "island" songs inspired by this trip:

Far Enchanted Isle
Pali Wind
A Sailor Dreams
Stray Wind
Three Friends Have I
The Wind is Warm Again