Aloha. I'm Keith Haugen, and I've been a student of Hawaiian music for nearly 50 years. I've written, performed, recorded and produced it. I've written about it, and I've taught it. I've read almost everything that has ever been written and published about it, and I have listened to more of the recorded music of Hawai`i than most. I have interviewed dozens of kupuna who are now long gone and who knew more about Hawaiian music than I do. I've been fortunate to have had as my mentors, my teachers, many who knew Hawaiian music and language well, from long before I was born.
Cover of June-July issue of Honolulu Magazine
I want to preface this cursory review of the 50 "greatest" songs of Hawai`i, by saying that I was invited to be a panelist on the Honolulu Magazine project to select the 50. I accepted at first. I was flattered. Then I declined. And I'm not sure why. I do recall that I was very busy, teaching and working on a book about the history of Hawaiian music, and I thought I might not be able to fulfill my end of the bargain on a short deadline. I also did not want to put on hold other ongoing Hawaiian music projects, such as this column, and the award-winning "Music of Hawai`i" radio show that Carmen and I produce and host on KIPO, 89.3 FM, Hawai`i Public Radio. I also wondered who else was on the panel and I wondered what songs they might choose. Would I be held accountable for the overall selection, including songs that others might choose, but which I would not place in such a list? I could imagine others, including some whom respect my opinion when it comes to Hawaiian music, asking me: "Why did you choose that song?" when in fact I may not have done so. And, if I was a part of the project, would I be able to critically review the end result for this column?
And what is meant by "greatest?"
I looked through several dictionaries and found many definitions of "great" and "greatest." I guess it is being "beyond average," "eminent, grand" "main, principal," or "markedly superior in character, quality, or skill." I suppose there are hundreds or thousands of Hawaiian songs, or songs of Hawai`i, that fall into those categories.
I'm sure that what some feel is great, others do not.
Like beauty and ugly, greatness is in the eyes of the beholder.
I thought about my review of the magazine's list of "Hawai`i's 50 greatest albums" a couple of years ago, and how I disagreed with many of the albums selected. Having listened to almost every Hawaiian recording from the earliest chants to the most modern sounds, I recall preparing a list of recordings that were missing from that list, and artists and producers whose works certainly (in my humble opinion) had been missed. I realized that many of the panelists may never have heard many of those I would have chosen.
I recall also the thoughts of many of my mentors who said that the words, the mana`o, was the most important part of a song. To Hawaiians, the melody was secondary. But then, this list was not limited to Hawaiian songs.
And I immediately started thinking about the many songs that I dropped from my performing repertoire over the years, as I became more familiar with the language and learned their meanings. As a composer, lyricist and teacher of Hawaiian music and language, I felt that some songs, when understood, seemed to pale, despite their beautiful melodies and popularity among others in our business.
How can "greatness" be defined in such a selection process, when many will be affected by popularity of a particular song. Some extremely popular songs are not "great" at all. I felt that some songs undoubtedly would be chosen by the popularity of the recording, or maybe even of the recording artist.
That said, I read with interest, the Honolulu Magazine's list of the 50 greatest songs of Hawai`i, in the June issue. You will note that they did not say "Hawaiian Songs" in the headline, although the cover copy might mislead those who speak Hawaiian since "Hawai`i" translates to "Hawaiian" in English.
B&W photo of Queen Lili`uokalani
It was a given that "Aloha `Oe," would be high on the list. But there was no mention of the song's composer, Charles Converse, only Queen Lili`uokalani, who wrote the lyrics. Yes, she borrowed the melody from an older song. It came in as number one on this list, followed by a beautiful, touching, non-Hawaiian song, "I'll Remember You," written by Kui Lee, another of Hawai`i's best, and best-loved composers. WOW! That's a good start, I thought.
The list goes on. As one might expect, "Honolulu City Lights," title cut on one of the best selling Hawaiian albums of all time, was included. Ditto, "Hi`ilawe," (though the composer, Mrs. Kuakini, was not credited), "Waikiki," "Hawai`i Aloha," (again without mention of the composer, the Rev. James McGranahan, who wrote the melody as "I Left It All With Jesus"). I might have suggested leaving off the English song title, "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," in the listing of "Ke Kali Nei Au," unless Al Hoffman and Dick Manning were to be included as the lyricists of that English song that borrowed Charles E. King’s melody. I also agree with Noelani Mahoe and Sam Elbert concerning "Lei Aloha, Lei Makamae," which was written by King a decade after his "Ke Kali Nei Au." The newer song, "Lei Aloha, Lei Makamae," is all too often mistakenly called the "original" Hawaiian wedding song. Neither was written to be a wedding song. As an old editor, I found myself wishing that I had at least offered to do a pre-publication read-through of the list, or to assist in editing.
Some songs appear to have been chosen just because they were popular songs, given considerable airplay during recent times (in the memory of younger panelists perhaps), and maybe without regard to the words, the meaning.
"About You" is a very popular song, but there is nothing "Hawai`i" about it. The same can be said for "Tiny Bubbles," or "Night Bird," "Days of My Youth," one of the most meaningful (and beautiful) songs I've ever heard. Even the popular medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "What A Wonderful World," two songs that originated outside Hawai`i but were recorded in Hawai`i and given a new popularity by Israel Kamakawiwo`ole. Admittedly, both are among the "greatest" American songs of our lifetime. And, yes, these were all popular songs. And they all made the list.
I think of a couple dozen other, not-so-popular songs that I might have chosen because of their words, their mana`o. In fact, I might have submitted many songs that others on the panel may never have even heard or heard of. But I also would have included many that the panel chose – songs like "Kaulana Na Pua" by Eleanor Wright Prendergast, and "Ipo Lei Manu" by Queen Kapi`olani. I might have suggested "`Ohi`a Tree" by Gordon Broad (or was it Lani Kai?) from the recording by Rod Young, or "Waimea Lullaby," penned by Patrick Downes. But those are all one man's opinion. I could go on and on, and you might agree with some and disagree with others – even among those you would recognize.
I remember comments from a fellow composer, Carmen's Uncle Jimmy Kaholokula, who felt that today's musicians and music fans often choose songs because of the nice melody and without regard for the words and the meaning. "All smell, no taste," he said, implying that the meaning was not important to those who don't understand Hawaiian. They love a song for its melody or performance by a particular artist.
All in all, the panelists did a pretty terrific job, a "great" job you might say, faced with an almost impossible task. And I am impressed with the credentials and knowledge of most of those on the panel. Among the panelists are some for whom I hold the greatest respect.
Greatness, I guess, IS in the eyes of the beholder. I tip my hat to all of them.
For the complete list of Honolulu Magazine's 50 "greatest" songs of Hawai`i, go to www.honolulumagazine.com. It will probably lead to another series of CDs from Honolulu Magazine, and yes, we think everyone who loves Hawaiian music should buy them – every one of them.
