Suggestions for fun to play Hawaiian songs

deschutestrout · Dec 30, 2016

Hey there! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate!

I'm looking to learn some more "traditional" Hawaiian songs, and some to teach to my students. I know ZERO Hawaiian songs, so links to solid Youtube vids/tutorials would be great. Printable lyrics and chords/tabs are appreciated!

Thank you!

Fleapluckin_Flapper · Dec 30, 2016

Fred Sokolow has a book of Slide & Slack Key for ukulele that has a lot of fun Hawaiian tunes in it-with easy alternate tunings.

Django · Dec 30, 2016

Solo or rhythm? Aloha Oe is a beautiful song with English translation available and parts of the melody may already be familiar to the students. The story behind it is nice too and it doesn't hurt that it was written by the gentle and beloved Queen of Hawaii. It might be a nice place to start because it is a piece of Hawaiian history and was not written as a commercial composition.

Are these students school age? What is their playing level? Good luck with the lessons.

Popular Hawaiian music as we know it is not very old. Before the Portuguese instruments were introduced in the late 1800s, Hawaiian music was mostly percussive. I think that a big part of appreciating the traditional Hawaiian music is understanding who wrote and why. I play Aloha Oe as a fingerstyle solo and try to express it gently and with respect. It's a very sweet piece of music.

bonesigh · Dec 31, 2016

Code:

“Margarita” by IZ
Intro: G↓fan↑↑↓↓↑C7↓↑↑ ↑↓↑
Use above strum for the end of the chorus.
Standard ↓↓↑↑↓↑ for the rest of the song.

     G                          C               G
On a hill top in Tahiti as they gaze across the bay 
                            D7 
At the island of Moorea ... standing in the day 
   G                        C           G
My lovely Margarita serving cool Hinano Beer 
                                  D7 
I’ll be a fool in Paradise ... if I’m a fool out here 

chorus: 
C//     G       C                 G
ia    orana ... can you stand the heat ( ‘IA ORA NA’ - ya-rah-nah)
C//     G       D7
ia    orana ... bouncing in bare feet 
C//     G        C                G
ia    orana ... when you laugh at me 
C//  G           D7                   tacit       G C7 G C7 (beginning strum)
ia orana ... say I, I, I, I, I, I ... I’m in ecstasy

     G                      C             G 
Your name is Margarita, the salt upon you lips
                           D7 
Lemon & Tequila is ... the flavor of your kiss
        G 
All the magic and the beauty, 
    C              G
The humor of these isles,

Captured like the goldfish, 
    D7
The sparkle of your smile 

Go to chorus:

       G
Oh the crimson dress you're wearing, 
     C            G
With nothing underneath 
G
Flower there behind your ear, 
    D7
The grass beneath your feet (orig: And all your rotten teeth)



     G
Margarita, Margarita, 
       C               G
Please dance with me tonight 
G
We would dance together, 
      D7
Where stars shine so bright 

Go to chorus: 
     G
Margarita, Margarita, 
  C              G
I come from far away 
G
Let's go take a swim down in 
D7
.... Matawai Bay               (ma-ta-vay-ee)
     G
Margarita, Margarita, 
       C            G            
Please touch my Hinalea   (hee-nah-lay-ah) [SIZE=1]Take a guess at what this is, lol   [/SIZE]
G
We go fishing in the dark 
    D7
And we don't need a spear.  

C//     G       C                 G
ia    orana ... can you stand the heat (ya-rah-nah)
C//     G       D7
ia    orana ... bouncing in bare feet 
C//     G        C                G
ia    orana ... when you laugh at me 
C//  G           D7                   tacit       G C7 x4 (beginning strum)
ia orana ... say I, I, I, I, I, I ... I’m in ecstasy

end  G↓C7↓↑G↓

bonesigh · Dec 31, 2016

This is in my memory so I don't have the sheet music.

bonesigh · Dec 31, 2016

Here is another wonderful site for traditional HI music. Words but no chords but they shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Good luck ( o()=>

UkieOkie · Dec 31, 2016

Bonesigh your songs made me happy. Thank you for posting them.

Croaky Keith · Dec 31, 2016

Teaching students, you would probably like one of IZ's songs - Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man

Django · Dec 31, 2016

deschutestrout said:
Hey there! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate!

I'm looking to learn some more "traditional" Hawaiian songs, and some to teach to my students. I know ZERO Hawaiian songs, so links to solid Youtube vids/tutorials would be great. Printable lyrics and chords/tabs are appreciated!

Thank you!

When you say "traditional", what period are you speaking of? I think of traditional as the period before the take over by the US, or the music that was popular from the Hawaiian music during the teens and twenties, but that is just my interpretation. We can probably make better suggestions if we know what your students interests, abilities and ages are and the period in time that you are thinking of. Mark Kailana Nelson wrote a book, "Learn to Play Fingerstyle Solos for Ukulele". It is mostly fingerstyle, but it also has the chords for accompaniment and a CD. It contains a number of traditional Hawaiian songs along with a good variety of other genres.

Down Up Dick · Dec 31, 2016

I have "Jumpin' Jim's - Gone Hawaiian". It's got good songs that are mostly easy enough for me to play and sing.

I like it, and its songs.

ld:

Joyful Uke · Dec 31, 2016

I'm not sure if this is the type of thing you're looking for, but it's fun!

Pineapple Mango FULL SONG DEMONSTRATION, DANIEL HO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N18nhlehc8

Croaky Keith · Dec 31, 2016

If you are to consider buying a publication, I recently purchased Mel Bay's Hawaiian Uke Tunebook, no lyrics but lots of authentic tunes.

Trader Todd · Dec 31, 2016

Not sure this falls into "traditional" but it is one of the first Hawaiian tunes I learned, there is an easy and intermediate version on the site. There are some good ones on the UU page.

http://ukuleleunderground.com/2015/10/uu-solos-waimanalo-blues-solo-ukulele-arrangement/

bunnyf · Jan 1, 2017

Here's one of my favs, when I think of FUN Hawaiian songs.http://https://youtu.be/EPUx53G0uGg.

deschutestrout · Jan 1, 2017

Thank ukers! Lots of great suggestions. I will spend some time looking through these. Happy New Year! Mark

TheCraftedCow · Jan 1, 2017

This teaches an alternate fingering mentioned by Jim Beloff on Page 11 of his First big book. It is called Pinky C. Play a C chord (G for those tuned dgbe.) with the little finger, NOT the ring finger. The 4 chord will be G7 or D7 with the little finger, ring and center finger. The index finger is used to form a barre. Opae E is on page 208 of He Mele Aloha. It only uses two chords, and can drive you to boredom....but..... by saving the index finger as a barre, every verse can go up a half step, and build suspense and interest. The very last two words can move down one fret for Kela, and back up a half step for puhi.

The same thing happens with Dem Dry Bones, or whatever your imagination thinks needs a bit of variety. Hauoli Makahiki Hou

Kanaka916 · Jan 1, 2017

Try He Mele Aloha, it has the chords and lyrics to a number of traditional hawaiian mele (around 250 or so) played kanikapila (impromptu jam session). Most of these songs can be found on You Tube so you get an idea of the melody and how it's played. Island Music Network is another online source for traditional and contemporary island music.

bunnyf · Jan 1, 2017

Kanaka916 said:
Try He Mele Aloha, it has the chords and lyrics to a number of traditional hawaiian mele (around 250 or so) played kanikapila (impromptu jam session). Most of these songs can be found on You Tube so you get an idea of the melody and how it's played. Island Music Network is another online source for traditional and contemporary island music.

Ditto this, great book. Look for spiral bound. Easier to use.

bonesigh · Jan 2, 2017

So nice to put a smile on a face UkieOkie. You're very welcome.

UkieOkie said:
Bonesigh your songs made me happy. Thank you for posting them.

UkerDanno · Jan 2, 2017

Ukulele Underground youtube channel...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONFMei_PpNQ

Suggestions for fun to play Hawaiian songs

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