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Mark E
Lokahi
USA
186 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2005 : 7:12:57 PM
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Aloha People -
It's time to learn a new piece. As always, I'm looking for something that's so sweet, it makes you want to cry - in tab. Many Mahalos for any suggestions.
Mark (E)
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MahinaM
Lokahi
USA
389 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 01:48:26 AM
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Aloha Mark:
My favorite tear-jerker is "Holei" (especially Dennis Pavao's version on the "All Hawaii Stands Together" CD). I get totally "veklempt" (what is the Hawaiian equivalent for "emotional"?), every time I hear it! It's so beautiful, and Dennis sings it like no other person can, in my estimation. I got the words from the "huapala.org" website, but so far, no chords, tabs, etc. anywhere. I may have to listen to the tune and figure it out myself for slack key one of these days. However, it sounds like it might be a fairly easy song to play on the uke.
M |
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javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 08:01:03 AM
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Hi Mark,
Are you a Leonard Kwan fan? Two of his songs that are real slow and nahenahe are "Keala's Mele" and "Nahenahe". For me, I can remember listening to him as a child because my dad loved his music. Ultimately, when I was a lot older, this was what made me want to learn slack key. "Nahenahe" is one of the not-too-many songs that I can play in it's entirety but I haven't yet tried to learn "Keala's Mele". Both of these are in drop C (also called Leonard's C) tuning which contributes to the sweetness. There is tab available for both these tunes.
Aloha, |
Aloha, John A. |
Edited by - javeiro on 02/12/2005 08:03:31 AM |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 09:20:52 AM
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Mark, My vote would be either Makana's version of Ku'u Lei Awapuhi on Ki Ho'alu, Journey of slack Key guitar, or Iz's verswion of Kaulana Kawaihae on Facing Future. I cannot tell if they are terar jerkers, because I don;t have a clue as to the meanings of the lyrics, but they are beautiful songs, beautifully done. I have figured out most of Ku'u Lei on guitar, in taropatch and in Keola's F Wahine, so i could help you with that if yo like |
Karl Frozen North |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 09:48:22 AM
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Sweet songs of loss:
Holei, Ku'u Lei Awapuhi, Makee Ailana, and Morning Dew, (and a bunch of others) are all sweet songs of "loss".
Holei was written before Kalapana was destroyed by lava, mostly sings about the large and loud waves on the coast, and has taken on a special poinancy because much of the town is now buried. A particulary nice (and long) version of this song was peformed at last June's George Kahumoku workshop.
Ku'u Lei Awapuhi is (more or less) about walking down a familiar beach missing your lost love by you side, a similar set of English lyrics (that have less complex meaning) but with the same melody is known as "Magic Island".
Morning Dew is about feeling alone awaiting the return of your love.
Makee Ailana reminises about the nice little island that you went to and had special times with your love and that also no longer exists.
(all above are my interpretations - there is always more to the Kaona that what it obvious)
There are, not surprisingly, a lot of such sweet songs of loss in the Hawaiian folk idiom.
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Mahope Kākou... ...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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Jeff Watkins
Aloha
37 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 05:59:23 AM
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Aloha You might consider "Pohakuloa" by Moses Kahumoku. I think it's a really sweet song to play.
E malama pono Jeff |
Jeff Watkins |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 06:08:17 AM
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I'm a sucker for Cyril Pahinui's version of Kaulana Kawaihae. Although I like almost everything he does, this one song seems to have a special character that to me is what Hawaiian music is all about. If you want a real tear-jerker, try Cyril's "Lulabye for Pops" - it's a difficult piece; he wrote it for his dad and Cyril told me that he can't do it in concert because he breaks up. I played the CD for my dad once and I almost broke down watching him listen to it. Unfortunately, there is no tab for it. |
Edited by - chunky monkey on 02/14/2005 06:08:46 AM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 08:45:37 AM
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My favorite is He Punahele (The Favored Child) by Keola Beamer
You can learn to play it on his "THE ART OF HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR" DVD (tab included)
He played this one at his concert in San Diego and was pure nahenahe
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E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 08:56:52 AM
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Mika ele,
Boy do I agree with that. That's the song that hooked me on Slack Key. It was the first song I ever learned and I still play it almost every day.
Dave |
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Larry Miller
Akahai
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 12:03:34 PM
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Cliched as it may seem: George Kahumoku jr. led the audience in a version of Aloha Oe at one of the slack key mid-winter concerts here in Somervile Mass a couple of years ago. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
When I listen to some of Gabby's more heartfelt recordings, it grabs me as well. Such a sweet soft soufulness in is voice.
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Whee ha!
Larry M |
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Mark E
Lokahi
USA
186 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2005 : 6:59:43 PM
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Thank you so much -everybody who has made suggestions and given me ideas here. With Keola's permission, I have embarked upon JWN's tab of Wai Ulu. I am also looking into the other pieces mentioned above. Some I already play such as E Ku'u Morning Dew, He Punahele and Ku'u Lei Awapuhi Mele Mele. The others will be most valuable to me to explore. Thank you, thank you.
Mark (E) |
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mokulele
Aloha
1 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2005 : 04:51:33 AM
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quote: Originally posted by Jeff Watkins
Aloha You might consider "Pohakuloa" by Moses Kahumoku. I think it's a really sweet song to play.
E malama pono Jeff
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Papamonty
Aloha
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2006 : 04:31:31 AM
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Mark,
My wife loves Slack Key Lullabye by Led Kaapana. It is simple yet sweet. I have Led's DVD with tabs.
I also like Keola Beamer's Moana Laundry Basket when played "sweetly."
While I don't think the above songs make me want to cry, they do help me to reminisce about Hawaii; then those thoughts move me.
Jon M |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2006 : 07:33:15 AM
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Although I don't play an instrument (wahhhhh!), I do play the music on my radio shows -- and the ultimate tearjerker IMHO is the heart-wrenching "Wai Ulu" (or "Waiulu")...speaking of "love bound tightly...forever". To hear a snippet of the vocals, Na Palapalai has a great old-style version: http://www.mele.com/v3/info/2867.htm
Whenever a local listener wants to send out a passionate love song to his/her ku`uipo, this is the #1 requested song. Wu-huuuu!!
Other renditions of the song -- both vocal and instrumental -- are also available from John Keawe, Sonny Chillingworth, Nolan Ha`o, Keola Beamer, Sons of Hawai`i, and more.
Lyrics & translation available at huapala.org: http://www.huapala.org/Waiaulu.html |
Auntie Maria =================== My "Aloha Kaua`i" radio show streams FREE online every Thu & Fri 7-9am (HST) www.kkcr.org - Kaua`i Community Radio "Like" Aloha Kauai on Facebook, for playlists and news/info about island music and musicians!
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