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APT
Aloha
34 Posts |
 Posted - 12/27/2008 : 07:44:54 AM
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... Not that he needs it, of course, but I recently bought The Art of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar (music and DVD) and I have just found it to be so enjoyable to work on "Ku`u Lei Awapuhi Melele." I have been working on slack key guitar since May, and I am just blown away by the beauty of the music.
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2008 : 4:18:34 PM
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I agree! Both Keola and Ozzie are very talented song writers/arrangers. I have been working on my own arrangement of Ku'u Lei Awapuhi (not mele mele) and after hearing the interlude Keola uses between verses, I cannot come up with anything that sounds as satisfying. He has a talent for that.
The more traditionally minded do not invoke his name that often here but I consider Keola and Ozzie to be among the elite contemporary composers. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 12/27/2008 4:19:49 PM |
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APT
Aloha
34 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2008 : 6:28:57 PM
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| Oops. Sorry for the title error. I just used the title that was given in the dvd/music. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2008 : 7:17:52 PM
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No, APT, your were right!
There are two different songs closely titled: "Ku'u Lei Awapuhi Mele Mele", and another "Ku'u Lei Awapuhi" (sometimes "Lei Awapui"). Ku'u Lei Awapuhi Mele Mele was the very first slack key tune I learned and I still love playing it. |
Bob |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 03:05:23 AM
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One more thing...
This subject reminded me about a video Wcerto (Wanda)listed in her videos of interest a some weeks ago.
It was a young Japanese man (Califso) playing Lei Awapuhi. He did a great job but did not credit Keola for the arrangement or the song writer Mekia Kealakai.
Up until a month ago I had not heard Keola's arr. and did not know where the arr came from.
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Bob |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 09:51:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Haole_Boy
One more thing...
This subject reminded me about a video Wcerto (Wanda)listed in her videos of interest a some weeks ago.
It was a young Japanese man (Califso) playing Lei Awapuhi. He did a great job but did not credit Keola for the arrangement or the song writer Mekia Kealakai.
Up until a month ago I had not heard Keola's arr. and did not know where the arr came from.
Every source I can find indicates Emily Kekahaloa Namau`u Taylor as the composer of Ku`u Lei Awapuhi. Her great-grandson is Sean Naleimaile, the bassist. Is there another source that credits Mekia Kealakai?
Just for grins, there are tons of u-tube vids where no credit is given to anyone... |
Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 10:40:19 AM
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Poi Dog,
It is not uncommon for two different songs to share the same title. The melody that people are familiar with now comes from a song that was used in the movie Bird of Paradise. Mekia's was composed in 1902. But it is not the same song that everyone now knows as Ku‘u Lei Awapuhi.
Emily Taylor's lyrics were composed much later and in 1951 were used over another old melody Ku‘u Lei Pupu. She was a Kamehameha Schools graduate and a very popular columnist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin I think? Ku‘u Lei Awapuhi was standard Kamehameha Schools Hawaiian repertoire from 1952 through the present day. And as you may remember all of us who graduated from there had to learn it or get demerits I guess. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 11:30:08 AM
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PoiDog and Peter
I got the credits from the liner notes of Keola's "Moe Uhane Kika" CD where he has a recording of "Lei Awapuhi".
I always hope that those of us playing and posting Hawaiian music will do better than all the rest. It is good to show that it matters by giving credit if the song is not original.
To me, in a relatively unknown art form, NO credit = this is my tune. I had thought that for a few weeks after watching the video but recently discovered Keolas recording.
Califso plays very well. My opinon is that he merely did not think it over. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 12/29/2008 11:31:30 AM |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 4:01:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Peter Medeiros
Poi Dog,
It is not uncommon for two different songs to share the same title. The melody that people are familiar with now comes from a song that was used in the movie Bird of Paradise. Mekia's was composed in 1902. But it is not the same song that everyone now knows as Ku‘u Lei Awapuhi.
Yup, I recall that part...
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Medeiros
Emily Taylor's lyrics were composed much later and in 1951 were used over another old melody Ku‘u Lei Pupu. She was a Kamehameha Schools graduate and a very popular columnist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin I think? Ku‘u Lei Awapuhi was standard Kamehameha Schools Hawaiian repertoire from 1952 through the present day.
Unless I downloaded the wrong mele, that was the one recorded by that Califso guy...I linked Wanda's post.
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Medeiros
And as you may remember all of us who graduated from there had to learn it or get demerits I guess.
For some reason, this is a very vivid memory. Something about L-R-L-R-L-R-L-R, ad nauseum; I wore a trail in Mauka Field. But hey, 5 demerits for green brass...that's bogus! In war, you're not supposed to have shiney stuff... Eh...You remembah da pink howitzer wit toilet pepa coming out of the barrel? 
Self-posting, with credits to the composer is always good; as well as credits for a different or unusual arrangement. Some of us are reggalah guys...no business, no commercials, 'jes press as Bruddah Led says, so we are not aware of the intricacies of the commercial side. Sometimes we forget, sometimes, we want to e-mail a vid to our `ohana...from there? Who knows. We're only trying to have fun...But when people claim stuff as their own when it isn't so, especially in a venue as wide as the internet. `A`ole pono.
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Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2008 : 9:02:12 PM
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| Yeah, Da pink cannon was a scream. I can remember waking up that morning before reveille and everybody was laughing at it standing in formation. It topped the usual bras and panties run up the flag pole. Truly a legacy to be remembered for Boys School, you guys should take a deep bow. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 11:19:29 AM
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Ku`u Lei `Awapuhi Melemele is the one that popularly starts with, "My Yellow Ginger Lei" (in english)...that verse and the 3rd verse are in english...V-2 and ha`ina are in Hawaiian. Huapala lists John Kaonohokala Keawehawaii as writer/composer.
Emily Taylor's Ku`u Lei Awapuhi is a short mele:
Auhea la `oe e ke aloha
`Awapuhi pala o ka ua noe
A e ia no me au
I ka poli o ke aloha
Hui
E ku`u aloha e (e o)
`Auhea la `oe (e ia no au)
A huli aku au ia `oe
Repeat hui.
Possibly the part of the title that was originally omitted (Melele as opposed to Melemele?), may have led to some confusion. AFAIK...most locals use My Yellow Ginger Lei as the title when referring to that particular song.
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Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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Momi
Lokahi
402 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 11:49:45 AM
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PoiDog, I know that song from Hui Ohana's version, which I think they called "Magic Isle." They sang English lyrics too, which I don't think are a direct translation from the Hawaiian. English lyrics were (if I can remember after all these years):
"Far across this Magic Island
Comes to me across the sea
And the magic of those islands
Fills my heart with memories
White ginger was in bloom
It filled the air
With sweet perfume
And you were there
Two shadows on the sand
A tropic moon above
And we were lost
So lost in love."
Different kine magic in da moonlight. |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 12:18:15 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Momi
Different kine magic in da moonlight.
I claim da fifth...Do you have all the verses? |
Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 1:14:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Haole_Boy
Peter
Who wrote the version of Lei Awapuhi played by Keola?
Keola's liner notes say Mekia Kealakai but I guess liner notes have been wrong before.
http://www.dancingcat.com/notes/08022-38006-2.php
Emily Taylor. It's just possible that Ken Darby did the arrangement or the english lyrics that Momi posted. She also did the song Kalua used in the same movie. |
Edited by - Peter Medeiros on 12/30/2008 1:43:31 PM |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 10:04:45 PM
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| Olomana also recorded the version that was not the yellow ginger. Very nice rendition by the way. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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