Waikiki Hula ( a two-chord song)

Very nice Hawaiian song with only two chords, G and D7



words and music by Isaac Keola

[ G D7 G D7 ]

[G] I Waikīkī [D7] anuanu [G] au
(At Waikiki I am cold)
Hoʻi au [D7] i Kewalo pumehana [G] au [ D7 G ]
(Returning to Kewalo, I am warm)

[G] Aia i Kalihi [D7] kaʻu a[G]loha
(There at Kalihi is my love)
I ka hale [D7] kula nui ʻo Kameha[G]meha [ D7 G ]
(at Kamehameha High School)

[G] Meʻole ia loa [D7] kahi ma[G]naʻo
(I don’t mind traveling the distance)
Ma hope [D7] hoʻi au o kuʻu a[G]loha [ D7 G ]
(to be with my love)

[G] He loa ka ʻimina [D7] a ka hua[G]pala
(A long time I searched for this sweetheart)
ʻAlo aʻe [D7] i ke kula o Kaiwi[G]ʻula [ D7 G ]
(Over the plains of Kaiwi’ula)

[G] ʻŌlelo kauoha [D7] na kuʻu a[G]loha
(My love said be there)
I ka hola [D7] ʻeiwa hiki aku [G] wau [ D7 G ]
(at nine o’clock)

[G] Kakali au a [D7] hala ka ma[G]nawa
( I waited long past the appointed hour)
Pau ka ma[D7]naʻolana o ka hiki [G] mai [ D7 G ]
(The thought came to me – she isn’t coming)

[G] Ke huli hoʻi nei [D7] ʻo Lele[G]sia
(Lelesia is returning)
Keiki [D7] o ka pua laʻ[G]i [ D7 G ]
(Child of the la’i flower)

[G] Haʻina ʻia mai [D7] ana ka [G] puana
(Tell the story)
Hoʻi au [D7] i Kewalo pumehana [G] au [ D7 G D7 G ]
(I return to Kewalo and I am warm)

This is very inspiring ! Love it.
Made me want to go back to Waikiki !
Is Hawaii native language compulsory in school?

Thanks, Brenda! No, not at Hawaii public schools. The only Hawaiian I know are food and place names, and of course some of the songs, but I still need to look up the translation!

Nice feel good song. I can even play along. Sing it? Maybe with a wad of gum in my mouth and slur the words a lot. I can only sing the words of Hawaiian songs if they're super slow. You always do a great job. Thanks for sharing it and the words and chords.

Thanks, Shirley! Dennis Kamakahi has a nice mellow version of the song on his "Glowing Brightly" CD. I'd recommend listening to that to get familiar with the words and phrasing.