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Jimmie
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 09/21/2010 : 12:28:58 PM
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I often perform Frank Ferera's Melani Anu Ka Makani. Can anyone give me a translation of the title? I'm frequently asked this when I play it. Thank you.
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 09:50:32 AM
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| Frank Ferrera is WAY back dere, brah! I have an old 78 from 1916 of him playing with Irene. |
keaka |
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Jimmie
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 11:58:23 AM
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| Yes, the old classic stuff is what I love best -- the Genial Hawaiians, Sol, Ferera, Sam Ku West, King Benny Nawahi. |
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mike2jb
Lokahi
USA
213 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2010 : 5:17:15 PM
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Hi, Jimmie.
While visiting Maui earlier this month, I ate at the Hana Hou Cafe in Ha`iku where I got to hear the superb Hula Honeys. Halfway through my supper, a lovely silver-haired lady eating dinner at the next table got up and joined the Honeys in a song. Turns out the lady was Emma Veary. You can hear a Hawaii PBS story on her career here.
I suspect the song you are referencing is actually "Ma Lana`i Anu Ka Makani" with the name a bit changed by Frank Ferera. Here is the incomparable Ms. Veary's recording. (Click on the name of the song-- #18 on the list-- to hear a one-minute sample.) Listen and see if you think it might be the same tune. It sounds like it to me.
If it is the song you're looking for, my amateur translation of the title would be something like: "The wind is cool on Lana`i". Hope this helps.
- Mike |
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Jimmie
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2010 : 5:46:42 PM
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| Many, many thanks, Mike! I've been trying to track this title (song) down for a long time -- and this is it. Appears that Ferera (or a transcriber at the recording company) simply did a phonetic rendering. Greatly appreciate your message. Wow. What a singer, and what a career. |
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kuulei88
Akahai
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2010 : 10:56:45 AM
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Hi folks:
The song title is actually "Malanai Anu Ka Makani". It is a widespread misunderstanding that the song is about Lana‘i. It is not.
Composition of the mele is credited to Queen Kapi‘olani. Not sure whether she also composed the tune herself. Text was published in 1888 and 1897 songbooks; musical pn-vocal scores were published by Henry Berger in his "Mele Hawaii" series in 1898, and in songbooks in 1907, and 1929. The song appears in Charles E. Kingʻs Book of Hawaiian Melodies ("Blue Book"), BUT only until the 1945 edition. If you have the final 1948 edition, my index sources say the song did NOT appear in the final 1948 edition of the Blue Book. |
amy k |
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Jimmie
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2010 : 06:38:48 AM
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| Many thanks. This is very good to know. Can you give me an accurate translation of the title and what the song is about? |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
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mike2jb
Lokahi
USA
213 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2010 : 5:05:09 PM
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Amy, thanks for recalling the correct title of this mele.
Jimmie, see if Amy (kuulei88) returns with the proper translation. She is a treasure trove of knowledge.
In the meantime, as it happens, I should have looked on my own bookshelf, cause there was that "Blue Book" of Mr. King that Amy mentioned. King gives the song's translated title as "The Gentle Zephyr"-- not sure how accurate this is.
In the lyrics of the song itself, the chorus begins with the phrase "Malanai anu ka makani nahenahe ka pilina mai..." He translates this as "For the gentle breeze that's ever blowing to me its cheering warmth doth bring..."
The rest of the lyrics mention mists, verdant hills, the woodland home of the birds, and placid water "revealing all its hidden beauty".
Regarding what this mele is about, please wait for Amy to respond with some scholarly insight, but my money is on it not being about mists, birds and water. |
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Translation
