He Aloha No 'O Honolulu - Laurance Tan
It's raining everywhere in Honolulu, in the city, in the mountains, on the beach and on the ocean. Quick, let me grab my ukulele and sing this mele, and warm up my cold feet to dance a hula!
Another one of my favourite meles to sing!
English Translation :
Goodby Honolulu
In the Kūkalahale rain Māmala,
the entrance of Honolulu HarborLies behind
Ahead
The shady groves of Lele
Lighthouse is always burning
And not extinguished by the Kauaʻula rain
Sailing out to the open sea
ʻUpolu point appears
Take shelter at Mahukona
From the ʻĀpaʻapaʻa wind
Hurry, so we may tarry
Here at Kawaihae
From the Nāulu showers and
The wind that stirs the waves
Leave the Maunaloa
In the calm night of Kona
Enter Hoʻokena
Like the tail of the manini
Tell the refrain
Kona is the best
Kona of the calm sea
Famous among multitudes
He Aloha No 'O Honolulu was written by Lot Kauwe. He was an accomplished singer, dancer, musician, composer and entertainer whose talents went beyond the stage. He was known to set his indiscretions to music, veiled in 'kaona'. This is one of his best known compositions and tells of his return home from Honolulu to Kona, aboard the inter-island steamer, 'Maunaloa' (the house), in many instances, is symbolic of a long term lover. Kauaʻula waterfall is near Lele, short for Lahaina. ʻApaʻapaʻa, and Kuehuʻale in verse are names of Kona winds. The kole and manini fish are terms of endearment. Place names, such as Hoʻokena, are used as a play on words in many love songs.
Recorded and engineered by Gary Honess, Kuhl Music Studios, Toronto
Programmer, arranger, percussions - Gary Honess
Bass and guitars - Rauly Anton