How often have you stood for the singing of our State anthem, "Hawai`i Pono`i," only to realize that others around you don't even know the words? Or how many times have you held hands with others at the end of an event, while everyone was singing the beautiful "Hawai`i Aloha," only to realize that many are mumbling because they don't know the words to that song either?

Don't feel alone. Most people don't know the words to those two famous songs, or "Aloha `Oe," the most famous Hawaiian song of all time.

If you don't know the words to your state song, you're probably not alone, in that I've often asked people from other places if they know their State song, and many do not. Some don't even know if they have an official state song or what it is.

Because we are such a musical community, we hear our state song and "Hawai`i Aloha" more often than most other songs, and we should learn them.

Keith sang "Hawai`i Pono`i" in its entirety at such events as an Islanders baseball game, the funeral of a prominent Hawaiian, annual conventions of the State Democratic Party and the statewide Realtors' Association, and people always come up to comment that they'd never heard the second and third verses. And some, who should know them, say they were shamed by the fact that they didn't.

Personally, we think everyone should learn to sing the songs in their entirety, as they were written. It is not that difficult. We've taught all the words to hundreds of school children and, if they can learn them, so can you.

So, here are the words (and translations) to those three songs. Surprise even those closest to you on the next occasion, by singing them, with emotion, correctly, and in their entirety.

First, our State song, our anthem, "Hawai`i Pono`i." It originated as another version of "God Save The King," with Hawaiian verses written by King Kalakaua, words he intended to be an anthem to Kamehameha Nui. Captain Henry Berger massaged it into a great anthem and it was first sung in Kawaiaha`o Church on November 16, 1874, the King's birthday. Here are the words to all three verses and the chorus, complete with translations. The translation is not sung.

"Hawai`i Pono`i"
(Kalakaua/Berger)

Second is "Hawai`i Aloha," one of many songs composed by the Reverend Lorenzo Lyons, the missionary pastor who became so famous for his musical talents. He wrote these words in the 1800s, to a melody from a hymn, "I Left It All With Jesus," written by a contemporary, the Reverend James McGranahan. It is sung more often even than our State song, usually as the closing number at major local events. Here are the words to all three verses and the chorus, again, complete with translations. Several other songs have been written to this melody, in both Hawaiian and English, but this translation is not sung.

"Hawai`i Aloha"
(Lyons/McGranahan)

E Hawai`i, e ku`u one hanau e
Ku`u home kulaiwi nei,
`Oli no au i na pono lani ou
E Hawai`i, aloha e

Hui:
E hau`oli na `opio o Hawai`i nei
`Oli e! `Oli e!
Mai na aheahe makani e pa mai nei
Mau ke aloha, no Hawai`i

E ha`i mai kou mau kini lani e
Kou mau kupa aloha, e Hawai`i
Na mea `olino kamaha`o no luna mai
E Hawai`i, aloha e

Na ke Akua e malama mai ia `oe
Kou mau kualono aloha nei
Kou mau kahawai `olinolino mau
Kou mau mala pua nani e

Often the song ends with the chorus and what is called a "tag line," usually a repeat of the last line of the chorus "mau ke aloha, no Hawai`i," or, in some arrangements, "e Hawai`i, aloha e."

Here is the translation:

O Hawai`i, O sands of my birth,
My native home,
I rejoice in the blessings of heaven
O Hawai`i, aloha.

Chorus:
Be happy, youth of Hawai`i
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Gentle breezes blow
Love always for Hawai`i

May your divine throngs speak,
Your loving people, O Hawai`i
The holy light from above,
O Hawai`i, aloha.

It is God who protects you,
Your beloved ridges,
Your ever-glistening streams
Your beautiful flower gardens.

And, last but certainly not least, here are the words and translation to all three verses of "Aloha `Oe," the most famous Hawaiian song ever. It was written by Queen Lili`uokalani in 1877, after she watched a fond parting embrace of two lovers, after an outing to Maunawili. It is believed that one was her younger sister, Princess Likelike, who later married Archibald Cleghorn and whose daughter, Princess Ka`iulani, was the last heiress to the throne of Hawai`i. Lili`u was reportedly shocked when she heard the song sung at a funeral, since she regarded it as a love song. It is often sung at arrivals and departures, as a song of farewell. The queen adapted the melodic line from an old American ballad, "The Rock By The Sea," by Charles Crozat Converse, first published in 1857. European musicologists often suggest that Converse may have borrowed the melody from a German folk song. Again, the English translation is not sung, though there are English words that have been written to the melody and that have been sung.

"Aloha `Oe"
(Lili`uokalani/Converse)

Ha`aheo `e ka ua i na pali
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E uhai ana paha i ka liko
Pua `ahihi lehua o uka.

Hui:
Aloha `oe, aloha 'oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace, a ho`i a`e au
A hui hou aku

`O ka hali`a aloha ka i hiki mai
Ke hone a`e nei i ku`u manawa,
`O `oe no ka`u ipo aloha
A loko e hana nei

Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani
Na pua rose o Maunawili.
I laila ho`ohie na manu
Miki`ala i ka nani o ia pua

Here is the translation. English lyric versions have been recorded, but are not popularly sung, and are very loose translations. The song most often ends with an English line, "Until we meet again," either in place of the Hawaiian line "a hui hou aku" or as a "tag line" added after that line has been sung. Again, it depends upon the arranger.

Proudly the rain on the cliffs
Creeps into the forest
Seeking the buds
And miniature lehua flowers of the uplands.

Chorus:
Farewell to you, farewell to you,
O fragrance in the blue depths
One fond embrace and I leave
To meet again

Sweet memories come
Sond softly in my heart
You are my beloved sweetheart
Felt within.

I understand the beauty
Of rose blossoms at Maunawili.
There the birds delight,
Alert the beauty of this flower.

Thanks to Noelani Kanoho Mahoe and Samuel Elbert, these and nearly 100 other old Hawaiian songs are available in a wonderful lyric/translation book called "Na Mele o Hawai`i Nei - 101 Hawaiian Songs." It is published by University of Hawai`i Press (1970) and is available in most music stores.

There are many recordings of all three of these songs, but most of them are very abbreviated - usually with artists singing only the first verse and the chorus, then repeating the chorus. And that is how most people sing them; but not how they were written to be performed.

Comments

towboyz — Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Always loved hearing the voices mingling together in singing Hawai`i Pono`i...from small kid time at May Day. Attended my children's "Spring Performance" at Holomua Elementary and when it came time for all to rise and sing the State song, I felt so happy to hear a mother remark that it was her son's favorite song... it has been mine also Gin, FHS '70

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