HiP 069 The Story Behind “Aloha Oe” and “Kanaka Christmas”
In this musical episode, I debut a new track I produced, Queen Lilioulkalani’s (Lee-Lee-U-O-Ka-La-Nee) Aloha Oe, I produced a version of the song in a Country Hawaiian style. Big Mahalo to my house musician Luis Caldera for his masterful interpretation.
Then as Christmas approaches I review all of the Christmas themed highlights from my podcasts this month. Most of which includes music, events and activities that can be enjoyed all the way up to and through Christmas Day.
I will play for you the Hawaiian style version of The Night Before Christmas complete in its humorous pidgin style.
Of course we have our 7 day forecast for the Weather, Surf, Night Sky, Concerts, Events, and World Day calendar
Thank you for choosing Hawaii Posts to be part of your Christmas week.….. Aw-right – Lets go!
————
Mini- FEATURE
Let’s start off with debuting my Country Hawaiian style version of Queen Lilioulkalani’s song Aloha Oe .
You know the song but you may not know the story behind the song. I will play The Kalani High School Orchestra 2022 version in the back ground as I tell the story… you will recognize this version, because I often play it as part of the closing to this show Hawaii Posts. Now I have a new version that I have produced and will fdebut in this segment then use it at the end of my show from here on out. BUT FIRST THE HISTORY OF THE SONG….
“Aloha ʻOe” (“Farewell to Thee”) is a Hawaiian folk song written c. 1878 by Liliʻuokalani, who was then Princess of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It is her most famous song and is a common cultural symbol for Hawaii.
The story of the origin of the song has several variations.[1] They all have in common that the song was inspired by a notable farewell embrace given by Colonel James Harbottle Boyd during a horseback trip taken by Princess Liliʻuokalani in 1877 or 1878 to the Boyd ranch in Maunawili on the windward side of Oʻahu, and that the members of the party hummed the tune on the way back to Honolulu. Different versions tell of alternate recipients of the embrace—either Liliʻuokalani’s sister Princess Likelike Cleghorn or a young lady at the ranch.
This tender farewell set Liliʻuokalani to thinking, and she began humming to herself on the homeward trip. Overhearing, Charles Wilson observed, “That sounds like The Lone Rock by the Sea,” a comment with which Liliʻuokalani is said to have agreed. When the party paused to rest in an orange grove on the Honolulu side of the Pali, the others joined in the hummings, and the song was completed later at Washington Place.[3]
The Hawaiʻi State Archives preserves a hand-written manuscript[4] by Liliʻuokalani, dated 1878, with the score of the song, the lyrics, Liliʻuokalani’s English translation, and her note evidently added later: “Composed at Maunawili 1878. Played by the Royal Hawaiian Band in San Francisco August 1883 and became very popular.”
The first known recording of the song was released by Berliner Gramophone in 1898.[5] A catalogue issued by Columbia Records in 1901 mentioned two wax cylinders labeled “Vocal Solos in Hawaiian”, containing some of the earlier recordings of “Aloha ʻOe” and “Kuʻu Pua I Paoakalani”. However, it is uncertain if this was recorded in Hawaii or if the performer was Hawaiian and the cylinders are now lost.[6] Columbia Records later recorded a duet of the song by Nani Alapai and Henry N. Clark in 1911.[7] A 1913 score can be seen at the Levy Sheet Music Collection
Parts of “Aloha ‘Oe” resemble the song “The Lone Rock by the Sea” and the chorus of George Frederick Root‘s 1854 song “There’s Music in the Air”.[9] “The Lone Rock by the Sea” mentioned by Charles Wilson, was “The Rock Beside the Sea” published by Charles Crozat Converse in 1857,[10] and itself derives from a Croatian/Serbian folk song, “Sedi Mara na kamen studencu” (Mary is Sitting on a Stone Well).[11][12] The “Aloha Oe” Chorus melody was also used as the counterpoint to the chorus of the jazz song, Hula Lou and also could be a counterpoint to Woody Guthrie‘s folk song, “This Land Is Your Land“.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_ʻOe
The song was also covered by a number of artists from the 1910s through the ’60s, including Nani Alapai and Henry N. Clark’s rendition in 1911 for Columbia Records, and Frank Ferera’s in 1924.
Bing Crosby later recorded “Aloha Oe” in 1936 with Dick Mcintyre and His Harmony Hawaiians, and Les Paul and His Trio following in 1946. By 1961, Elvis Presley also took on the song for the soundtrack to the film Blue Hawaii.
Hawaii Magazine . Com has a list of “5 Beautiful versions of Aloha Oe”
There are countless versions and musical interpretations of this mele, a select handful we’ve gathered here. Be sure to see the lyrics below after the videos.
1. Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwoole, Henry Kapono, Cyril Pahinui and Roland Cazimero
This Hawaiian music all-star recording was filmed at a Hawaiian homestead as part of a larger television special in 1991.
2. Tia Carrera The Hawaiian actress was also the voice of Lilo’s sister, Nani, in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” which also features the song.
3. George Kahumoku Jr. Lovely live rendition by a ki hoalu (slack key) master.
4. Amy Hanaialii Hanaialiʻi is a six-time Grammy Award Nominee. She is best known for reinvigorating the Hawaiian tradition of female falsetto singing. She sings a beautiful version of Aloha Oe on her Grammy nominated album Nostalgia
5. Johnny Cash Did you know the Man in Black recorded a rendition of this? Definitely an “Aloha Oe” you’ve never heard like this before, from the late rock and roll and blues icon.
Elvis Presley: https://youtu.be/9x3lvaxgO4o
Les Paul: https://youtu.be/6icaw6k7LLg?si=zfJ7axBvPaiZudoc
Bing Crosby: https://youtu.be/gweroFhiHmA?si=Bue6xfenv90PS_t6
Now add my music project’s version to the list. My band is Blu Day and this song features Luis Caldera
https://hawaiiposts.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2023+HIP+shows/Aloha+Oe+(master).mp3
Previous Episodes with the Hawaiian Christmas Theme
HIP 66 = 2 Hawaiian Christmas Music Playlists
HIP 67 = Where you can get a picture with Santa
HIP 68 = Mele Kalikimaka markets
IN THIS EPISODE the NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS Hawaiian Pidgin style will be featured after the Night Sky Segment of this show…. Stay tuned and stay stoked for that.
Weather, Surf & Night Sky –
“Anilā, Nalu a me Pō Lani” 3 min
HiP weekly Weather Forecast- Thurs Dec 21 to Wed Dec 27th 2023
Weather Conditions for Oahu-
So far this month’s weather can be summarized as windy rainy and a bit chilly by Hawaiian standards. You may wonder when will the warm winds and sunny days return. I have Good and bad news for you. Starting with the bad…. The wind rain and chilly days are not past us and we will see more to come up until next week. Hopefully it will be a mostly sunny day on Monday December 25 Christmas Day. Here is the good news… Next week the rain will let up and we will see mostly sunny days by new years eve.
As I always say No Rain no Rainbows and Rain is a Hawaiian blessing because it restores our aquifers and ad much more green growth to areas that we have grown accustom to being brown and dry. All that makes the islands more lush, picturesque and capable of sustaining our growing population with fresh water for drinking, cooking, bathing and much much more. Maybe in January we’ll have an episode discussing the best time of year to visit the islands if you’re looking for Warm, Sunny days in the Hawaiian Islands.
Temperatures average-
Highs will range from 75-81F (23-27C) warming up through the Christmas Day
Lows will range from 66-70 (18-21C)
Percipitation
60% today tapering to 20%chance of rain Christmas Day
Sunrise- around 7:05 am Sunset- around 5:55 pm Daylight – averaging about 11 hours 10 minutes
Surf
Song: Loma by Salon Kingsadore
North Shores 2-3 (4-16 faces) peaking weds. 5-8 (10-16 Faces) holding to Sunday 6-8 (12-16 Faces) but hold on we may see a Christmas swell building up
West Side 1-2 (2-4 faces) building to Sunday 4-6 (8-12 Faces)
South Shores 1-2 (2-4 faces) dropping through the week to 0-1 on Friday
East Side 2-4 (4–8 faces) sloppy and choppy dropping to 1-3 by Sunday
Surf CONTESTS
The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational
Where: Waimea Bay, Haleiwa, When: December 8 to February 28 (each year)
Night Sky
This week for night sky I will use a song by my project, Blü Day, song is called “If It Shines It’s Mine”
Moon Phase: Tuesday is the moon is waxing with a 32% illumination
Moonrise : Today at noon 12:20 PM / Moonset: Tonight 11:10 PM
Moonrise: Next Wed early evening 6:05 PM / Moonset: Next Thursday early morning 5:39 AM
Visible Planets
Mercury Sets at 6:10 PM WEST
Venus Rises 4:10 AM EAST
Mars Rises 6:20 AM EAST
Jupiter Sets 3:05 AM WEST
Saturn Sets 10:30 PM WEST
Uranus Sets 4:10 AM WEST
Astonomical NOTES:
At the moment of this year’s December solstice—at 03:27 UTC on December 22—the Sun will lie directly above Alice Springs, on the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia. The Sun reaching an altitude of 89.74° over Alice Springs on this day.
Feature- “Hiʻona” 10 Min
Kanaka Christmas (hawaiian christmas) by Kent Bowman – from the album Mele Kalikimaka – A Hawaiian Christmas Party. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nyKHK-sxY2cPLJzwhS-spzlfOQuva3pJw
Mele Kalikimaka – A Hawaiian Christmas PartyIt features Kent Bowman, Hilo Hattie, Nina Kealiiwahamana, the Kamehameha Glee Club in a christmas party like atmosphere with laughing singing and dancing.
Here is Hilo Hattie singing Santa’s Hula in the Background
For many local Hawaiians this album brings back childhood memories. I’ve lived in Hawaii for 25 years come march next year and I have never heard this album before. I don’t know why it doesn’t get air play on the radio…. I guess I know why but maybe I don’t understand the reason why….. seems ike locals today are losing touch with their modern local roots and too much focus on the loss of the kingdom that lasted 87 years rather than the focus on the post kingdom years that make hawaii so special fun and memorable. My guess is you may have never heard this before and if you have or haven’t and would like to hear the whole album
You can find this track and the whole album on my playlist titled Hawaiian Christmas Music. You can find the album on Spotify too
Tom’s Announcements
Canvas Rebel Magazine interviewed me earlier this month and just posted a story. If you want to learn a bit more about me your host of Hawaii Posts, you can go to HawaiiPosts.com and click the link to the story or you can also find a link to the story on my Hawaii Posts page on Facebook or @tomestokes on X
On Twitter/X @Tomestokes 123
Where I post stories about Goodhealth, liberty lifeguards, shark attacks, conservation, discovery, and crypto. Also, I always offer and ask for prayers for victims and praise for the heroes who intervene in avert tragedy.
So here are a few of the stories posted this week:
-A Itallian tourist in Australia was bit by a shark and he filmed what he thought were his last moments… he survived
-New Zealand lifeguard tips
– Belgium Man bit by a salt water croc or shark
– Why is 13 so often the result of combining 2 numbers on the clock face
-The miraculous benefits of Oregano Oil
-the dangers of the following oils, soy oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil
-I asked for prayers for Jasmine Jefferson, who is a Washington DC area lifeguard who almost fatally drowned in the pool that she was working at currently has brain damage is in the hospital in intensive care. I ask you the listener to offer your prayers during this holiday, season and comfort her and the family.
– I posted a story where you can see what happens when a killer whale and a dolphin butt heads. I wonder who will win
– and my latest crypto investment this month is the Jesus Coin. I do not offer financial advice, so I’ll just leave it right here. The makers of the Jesus coin are Christians and they do not plan on doing a rug pole. If you know anything about crypto currencies, you know what a rug pole is. The mission of the coin is to do good and give more and those who are invested offer. Prayers for those who need it. It was right up my alley. Maybe it’s right up your alley to
….and you can see that along with all the other stories on my ex feed that’s X @TomeStokes.
Instagram Hawaii Posts Podcasts. A few sailboats with christmas lights, a well framed sunset, a few pictures from my Nature Toy series I shot in 2013, and a picture of my christmas Aloha Shirt from Reyn Spooner, that my wife gave to me for my birthday…. This and more on my instagram channel Hawaii Posts Podcast
Events
“Ho’okipa” (Hospitality or to entertain) 2 Min
Concerts & Comedy
Thursday
26th Annual “Jazzed Holidaze” concert with The Rich Crandall TrioStudio 909 | Honolulu, HI 7:30 pm
Friday
Santa’s Jazzland featuring The Thomas Mackay ProjectThe Walk In | Honolulu, HI 7:30 pm
Spooky Couch and Goat Punishment at ProofProof Social Club | Honolulu, HI 8:00 pm
Paula Fuga: Home For The HolidaysBlue Note Hawaii | Honolulu, HI 9:00 pm and Saturday too
Saturday
Punk Rock Christmas at ProofProof Social Club | Honolulu, HI 7:30 pm
RootsKaiTiki’s Grill & Bar | Honolulu, HI 5:30 pm
The Republik, Honolulu, HI, US
Sunday
A Charlie Brown ChristmasBlue Note Hawaii | Honolulu, HI 6:30 pm and 9pm
Monday
Christmas
Tuesday
Blue Note Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, US
Wednesday
Blue Note Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, US
Events
Thursday
Men’s Basketball Diamond Head ClassicHonolulu, HI0.2 mi
Friday
Elf in the ShellWaikiki Aquarium | Honolulu, HI 9:00 am
Saturday
Sunday
Christmas Dinner at Hideout WaikikiHideout at The Laylow | Honolulu, HI 5:00 pm2.9 mi
Monday
Christmas Dinner at Hideout WaikikiHideout at The Laylow | Honolulu, HI 5:00 pm2.9 mi
Tuesday
DAVE & BUSTER’S BLOOD DRIVEDave & Buster’s Honolulu | Honolulu, HI 9:00 am1.1 mi
7 World DAYS to Celebrate
World day segment will feature a song that I produced with the musical expertise of Luis Caldera. My music project is Blu Day and the song is a little hawaiian and a little surf fusion called “Makani Kaimana”.
Thursday- Winter Solstice, Crossword Puzzle Day, Short Girl day, Look on the bright side day
Friday- Short Person Day, christmas cookie exchange day
Saturday- Roots day
Sunday- Christmas Eve
Monday- Christmas
Tuesday- Boxing Day
Wednesday- Epidemic Preparedness day
KOKUA FOR MAUI
Please Kokua for Maui in supporting the American Red Cross.
Help people affected by the Hawaii Wildfires. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from this disaster
https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/iheartmediahawaii-pub.html/
|
Please consider supporting Hawaii Posts by any number of ways provided go to HAWAII POSTS.com click on Support Hawaii Posts / Contact Tomestokes link. There you will see ways to donate and other opportunities and ways to support the show. You will see my Hawaii Posts Tip Jar Accepting crypto like: Bitcoin, Ethereal, Cronos, Ripple Or you can donate cash: Venmo (@tom33), CashApp ($tomestokes) or PayPal (tomestokes@gmail.com) Your contributions are needed to keep the show going and greatly appreciated. |