Song Help Request True "Hawaiian" Uke Song

Ukuleleblues · Oct 23, 2009

We are expanding our history of the Ukulele show. We start out with the beginings with the Portuguese coming to Hawaii and go through the 20's 40s, and end up with current uke craze. The problem is I started looking over the song we play and I think all of them are Haole Hawaiian songs. I have two questons:

1. What defines a uke song as a true Hawaiian song.
2. What are some examples of "true" Hawaiian songs I could play from the various periods that folks would recognize.

Any help would be appreciated.

Blrfl · Oct 23, 2009

Ukuleleblues said:
1. What defines a uke song as a true Hawaiian song.

I imagine you'll get a whole lot of different answers. For me, I think it would boil down to anything written by a local about something local. One song that nails that is He Ono, a Bina Mossman song about eating fish that the Ka'au Crater Boys expanded to include some other local food. (The middle part's in English.)

2. What are some examples of "true" Hawaiian songs I could play from the various periods that folks would recognize.

Unless you're willing to resort to Tiny Bubbles

rolleyes

, you might have trouble getting both of those together in the same room.

I've always liked Henehene Kou Aka, especially the version the Pahinui Brothers do.

It's pretty easy to play, too:

Verse: C F C D7 G7 C
Turnaround: D7 G7 C Bb (slide up to) B (slide up to) C

Here are the words with a translation and the back story: CLICKY

--Mark

Ukulele JJ · Oct 23, 2009

Ukuleleblues said:
2. What are some examples of "true" Hawaiian songs I could play from the various periods that folks would recognize.

Most people know Aloha 'Oe, don't they?

Not sure if you'd call it a "uke song", per se. But seeing as how it was written by Queen Lili'uokalani, I'd say it falls under the category of "true" Hawaiian.

JJ

dhkane · Oct 23, 2009

How about the songs with just Hawaiian words in it.

Ahulili,Ahe Lau Makani,Aloha Ka Manini.......and so on.

If you can play these songs and sing it at the same time, you Hawaiian, brah.

jinny · Oct 23, 2009

i think most of the recognizable "Hawaiian" songs are Haole too...

i don't play professionally, but I often have my uke at small gatherings. when i play uke for others as background music they often request something "Hawaiiany" and i usually fall back to a few songs... Aloha'Oe being the main one. also hanalei moon, lahaina luna, little grass shack... stuff like that.

Kanaka916 · Oct 23, 2009

There are different categories of Hawaiian music . . . Traditional, Contemporary, Ki Ho`alu, Hapa Haole, Jawaiian. There are several threads regarding Hawaiian music. Tropical Storm Hawaii is a good source for music and lyrics. There are two categories for songs; Local Jams and Hawaiian Mele.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18846
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16937
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15711
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12068
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13153

If you're looking for the history of Hawaiian music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Hawaii

Uncle Rod Higuchi · Oct 23, 2009

I believe true Hawaiian music began with the ancient chants accompanied, if at all, by indigenous percussion instruments.

Perhaps some of the chants were utilized when the ukulele was introduced in the late 1800's.

Hapa Haole music might have begun at the turn of the last century (early 1900's) during a World Exposition/Fair.

After that, "Hawaiian" could be used primarily for songs in the Hawaiian Language, or as per the above, local songs by local musicians on local topics.

Just my 2 cents.

mikesurfer · Oct 24, 2009

Ditto, man

:agree: its hard to find some classic hawaiian tunes-- and i dont know much

Ukuleleblues · Oct 24, 2009

Kanaka916 said:
There are different categories of Hawaiian music . . . Traditional, Contemporary, Ki Ho`alu, Hapa Haole, Jawaiian. There are several threads regarding Hawaiian music. Tropical Storm Hawaii is a good source for music and lyrics. There are two categories for songs; Local Jams and Hawaiian Mele.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18846
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16937
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15711
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12068
http://ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13153

If you're looking for the history of Hawaiian music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Hawaii

Thank you for the info. I have a lot of research to do. The way our show is set up we start from the lat 1800's and work our way up to the current time. We play songs form each era and tell a little about the history of the uke and the artists that were popular that played them. I want to incorporate some of the songs folks have pointed me to in this thead. I also want to include some traditional Hawaiian percussion insturments.

Kanaka916 · Oct 24, 2009

mikesurfer said:
:agree: its hard to find some classic hawaiian tunes-- and i dont know much

What specific tunes are you looking for?

Song Help Request True "Hawaiian" Uke Song

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