Category Archives: Songs

SONGS: Gabby Pahinuiʻs recordings of “Hiʻilawe”

Posted on March 11, 2012 by

In the last post I pointed to early printings of the mele “Hiʻilawe”–in a 1902 songbook (where the mele appears with two different tunes) and in the newspaper Ke Aloha Aina in 1906. The song is now forever associated with … Continue reading →

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SONGS: Hiilawe [Hi‘ilawe]

Posted on March 6, 2012 by

Dear Readers, it has been a month since my last post. I have not been idle; like so many others, I am struggling to stay afloat in the riptides . . . Like so many others, I mourned Whitney Houstonʻs … Continue reading →

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Early Hapa Haole Songs

Posted on November 13, 2011 by

The term “hapa haole song” usually brings to mind songs like “Lovely Hula Hands” or “Beyond the Reef” or “Blue Hawai‘i.” These three songs all share the same format of text and tune. Hum this to yourself: Lovely hula hands, … Continue reading →

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Mele Hawai‘i — Historical Sources

Posted on March 12, 2011 by

Related posts: Mele Hawai‘i —  An Introduction (September 24, 2009) Mele Hawai‘i Playlist for my UH course on Hawaiian music (August 29,2010) Lili‘uokalani’s “He Buke Mele Hawaii” 1897 (July 29, 2010) Some Comments on The Queen’s Songbook (July 19, 2010) … Continue reading →

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PLAYLIST: Ka Mahina Mālamalama / Songs about the Moon

Posted on November 8, 2010 by

The brilliant moonlight is surely one of the more universal images of romance. Whether bright or pale, full or new, waxing or waning, shimmer or glimmer, the moon‘s figures into songs of love. It is no surprise, then, that there … Continue reading →

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Playlist for MUS 478B Fall 2010: Hapa Haole Song

Posted on September 3, 2010 by

Hapa Haole Song. Hapa = “half”; haole = “foreign”; hapa haole = foreign half, half foreign. Hereʻs a post from late 2009 describing what hapa haole songs are. The English-language lyrics are an immediate giveaway. Then any quick perusal of … Continue reading →

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Playlist for MUS 478B Fall 2010: Mele Hawai‘i

Posted on August 30, 2010 by

An early post on this blog introduced the genre of mele Hawai‘i songs. The term “mele Hawai‘i” invites pondering. Does it refer to any Hawaiian song? Mele = “poetic text;” Hawai‘i = Hawai‘i as in the place, or Hawaiian as … Continue reading →

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SONGS: Kawika

Posted on August 18, 2010 by

One of the dances that virtually every hula student learns at some point in her or his dancing days. Usually as a hula kahiko–ancient hula. But also performed as a modern hula ‘auana, too. The mele has all of the … Continue reading →

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Hula Ku‘i & Hula ‘Ōlapa–The “Crossovers”

Posted on August 8, 2010 by

When talking about “ancient hula” and “modern hula,” some folks like to draw an impenetrable boundary between the two categories. Ancient hula uses traditional percussive instruments  to accompany the standing dances–ipu, pahu. Modern hula uses stringed instruments to accompany dances. … Continue reading →

Posted in hula, recordings, remarks, Songs | 2 Comments

PLAYLIST: Songs of Lena Machado (2)

Posted on June 10, 2010 by

Lena Machado — he leo ha‘i mai ka lani, he haku mele mai ka na‘au. A voice from the heavens, a composer from within. A towering presence in Hawaiian music. Her mele are a priceless legacy. The lyrics come from … Continue reading →

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