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Queen Lili'uokalani
onipaa.org
- One of the most iconic Hawaiian songs, "Aloha 'Oe," holds a special place in the hearts of the Hawaiian people. Written by Queen Lili'uokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, this melancholic melody served as her farewell to the Hawaiian Kingdom.
www.nanihawaii.com/famous-hawaiian-songs
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- Aloha ‘Oe
- I’ll Remember You
- Honolulu Ciy Lights
- Hi‘Ilawe
- Waikīkī
- Hawai‘i Aloha
- Ku‘u Home O Kahalu‘u
- Kaulana Nā Pua
- Ke Kali Nei Au
- Morning Dew
by Queen Lili‘uokalani, 1878
More than a century ago, “Aloha ‘Oe” became one of the first Hawaiian songs to achieve recognition outside of the Islands. Today, it remains Hawai‘i’s most famous composition. Since Lili‘uokalani composed the song in the late 1870s, its poignant words and melody have been sung on countless occasions, from sendoffs at Honolulu Harbor to final farewells at local funerals. Says Hawaiian historian and singer Nalani Olds, “When I was with the Royal Hawaiian Band, we took a six-week tour of Europe,...
by Kui Lee, 1964
Although Lee died of cancer at age 34 in 1966, many of his compositions achieved immortality in the repertoire of his childhood friend Don Ho. Lee, a Hawaiian fireknife dancer, was a talented song stylist and entertainer, but his legacy is his work as a composer, with more than 40 song credits to his name. Lee helped pioneer a new era in local music in the 1960s by infusing jazz, blues and rock into his tunes. The strength of “I’ll Remember You,” though, is its simplicity—a memorable melody w...
by Keola Beamer, 1978
Keola Beamer has been playing and composing for most of his life, but “Honolulu City Lights,” a song he wrote almost 30 years ago, remains his most popular creation. “I’ve played this song so many times, every once in awhile I go on strike, and say, I’m not going to play it this tour,” he says, laughing. “And invariably, people come up to me afterwards and ask, what happened?” Something about the song resonates with Hawai‘i residents and visitors alike, who recognize in Keola and Kapono Beame...
by unknown
Gabby Pahinui transformed this hula standard about a love affair at a Big Island waterfall into an anthem for slack guitar players. With his guttural falsetto, musical virtuosity and incomparable ability to bring out the soul in his songs, Pahinui became a folk hero of the Hawaiian Renaissance. “The first time I heard Gabby, I could see the faces of my tutus,” says slack key master Dennis Kamakahi. “I said, This is what Hawaiian music is all about.”
by Andy Cummings, 1883
Cummings, a homesick local boy, penned this signature song while touring Michigan, more than 4,000 miles away from Hawai‘i. Many musicians have interpreted the famous ode to Hawai‘i’s crown jewel, but none top Cummings’ original version, which music historian George Kanahele called a “rare instance of a near perfect fit of song and singer.” The 1946 recording showcases Cummings’ fine tenor voice backed by his Hawaiian Serenaders, including slack key and steel guitar legend Gabby Pahinui.
By Rev. Lorenzo Lyons, 1800s
This beloved hymn, which borrows its melody from another tune, “I Left It All With Jesus,” was composed by Lyons, a missionary fluent in the Hawaiian language, and known to his Waimea, Big Island, congregation as “Makua Laiana” (Father Lyons). Radio personality Harry B. Soria Jr. says the song was not always performed as the stirring anthem it is today. “When I was a kid ‘Hawai‘i Aloha’ was more of a church song. But they started doing it after events, and now, we all hold our hands high whil...
By Jerry Santos, 1976
Santos calls “Ku‘u Home o Kahalu‘u” his growing up song. In 1972, he was living away from home for the first time, in a little fourth-floor apartment in San Francisco. A year earlier, the prospect of a record contract had lured him to Los Angeles, and but he ended up in the Bay Area, playing his music in coffee houses all over the city. It was a fun time, a learning experience, Santos recalls, but he was beginning to wonder what direction his life should take next. “The song was a conversatio...
By Ellen Wright Prendergast, 1893
Listening only to the upbeat melody of “Kaulana nā Pua,” it would be easy to miss the song’s serious political message. Originally entitled “Mele ‘Ai Pōhaku,” (the stone-eating song), it protests Hawai‘i’s annexation with bitter lyrics: “We do not value the government’s sums of money. We are satisfied with the stones, astonishing food of the land.” Prendergast composed the song in 1893, and it remains a touchstone of the sovereignty movement to this day.
By Charles E. King, 1925
It just wouldn’t be a Hawaiian wedding without a performance of “Ke Kali Nei Au.” Ironically, the song, although romantic, never actually mentions anything about marriage—King originally composed the song for a 1925 operetta, Prince of Hawai‘i. But with lyrics such as, “sweetheart, you are so precious, I pledge my love to you alone,” its appeal as a song of dedication is undeniable, leading everyone from Alfred Apaka to Andy Williams to offer their own version.
Lyrics by Larry Lindsey Kimura, Music by Eddie Kamae, 1972
Kamae, an ‘ukulele virtuoso, came up the sweet melody for this Sons of Hawai‘i classic and asked Kimura, an authority on Hawaiian language, to create the lyrics. “Eddie only had one idea, this recurring feeling of ‘wait for me,’” recalls Kimura, who drew added inspiration from the damp, chilly climate of his Big Island hometown, Waimea. “The morning dew, in Hawaiian culture, represents young love, because of its freshness. But it’s temporary, it doesn’t last.”
Kamakawiwoʻole is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and is the most successful musician from the state. [ 2 ][ 3 ] Along with his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres, such as jazz and reggae, Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential on Hawaiian music. [ 4 ]
- Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole is a singer and activist who also goes by the stage name IZ. He is one of the most famous Hawaiian musicians ever, and has been coined “The voice of Hawaii”.
- Keali’i Reichel. Carleton Lewis Kealiʻinaniaimokuokalani Reichel, better known as Keali’i Reichel, is a popular Hawaiian singer, songwriter, and personality.
- Jake Shimabukuro. Jake Shimabukuro is a ukulele star from Hawaii and is thought to be one of the best players of all time. His career took off when he recorded the soundtracks for two Japanese films.
- Ledward Kaapana. Ledward Kaapana is a talented Hawaiian musician who plays steel guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele. He has won numerous awards and also holds four Grammy Awards nominations in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category.
- Aloha ‘Oe. I had to start this list with Hawaii’s most famous Hawaiian song written by the last queen of Hawaii, Queen Liliuokalani. She originally wrote Aloha ‘Oe during a horseback ride when she saw two people embrace and bid each other farewell.
- Hawaii Aloha. This is probably one of the most special songs in Hawaii of all time. That’s because it’s all about bringing people together. It was written by a missionary named Lorenzo Lyons and uses the melody of the hymn “I Left It All With Jesus.”
- Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World. This is hands-down one of the most recognizable Hawaiian songs across the world. It’s been featured in tons of movies and TV shows (I still cry at that ER scene.)
- Hawaiian War Chant. First of all, this isn’t a chant. And the original version is actually a love song. This has been a popular hula song where the dancer uses hula implements (like the split bamboo or feather rattles.)
Jul 16, 2023 · Arguably the “best” Hawaiian artist is Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole. He wrote and sang beautiful songs, but the most-loved song he performed is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World”. For the past two decades, he has been dubbed the best Hawaiian musical artist, and for a good reason.
Oct 29, 2015 · To find out, we assembled a panel of esteemed musicians, historians and producers to vote for the songs released since 2000 that have represented the best in Hawai‘i music, tabulating the ...
