hello --- I was surfing around for tabs or sheet music for Gabby Pahinui's song, Ka Makani Kaili Aloha. What I found was the score for Matthew Kane's original. Then I found that the words are somewhat different. For example, the first line of Kane's song goes
E aloha a'e ana no au
but the first line of Gabby's goes
Ke aloha ana no wau
So do these mean the same thing, or is it a dialect difference, or what?
Gabby often sang the wrong words to many of the songs he played. His parents were probably from the era where the Hawaiian language was suppressed in school, so even if they could speak Hawaiian they never taught Gabby.
I always do "Hula O' Makee" when I perform & I sing it the way Gabby does. Verses out of order & many incorrect lyrics. I used to live next door to kumu hula Sam Bernard & he & his family all used to bash Gabby for singing the wrong words. I always countered with "Gabby made a bigger impact on Hawaiian music than any kumu hula could ever wish to make, so show some respect"
Go with Matthew Kane's score. Gabby's is probably incorrect.
lyrics question for a Hawaiian speaker
Posted - 08/08/2015 : 07:58:14 AM
Duke