Playlist for a luau

Hey UU,

My friend is having a luau in July and asked me to bring my ukulele so we could have music at the party.

Now I just realized after a couple of years of playing that I don't actually know any traditional Hawaiian songs, (unless you can count Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World by Iz). Most of the songs I play on the Uke are western pop, rock & folk songs that have just been transcribed over. I think I need to inject some real Hawaiian music into the mix.

Could you guys give me some suggestions of more traditional Hawaiian songs to learn for the luau. Are there certain standards that people expect to hear at luau's? Thanks guys.

That's cool that you got invited to play!

Unless you have experience in the Hawaiian language I would not try playing anything "traditional". Traditional Hawaiian is like "I Kona" or "The Queen's Prayer", or other Hawaiian language songs.

Instead, I would do more contemporary songs like "Over the Rainbow". You are doing this lu'au in NY right? The only songs people are going to know there (maybe) are IZ songs and if you are extremely lucky, one or two from different artists. All the songs need to have is a "happy Hawaiian feel", so you still have a lot of options.

The Ka'au Crater Boys: "Opihi Man" or "Tropical Hawaiian Day"
3 Plus: "Honey Baby"
Mana'o Co.: "Drop Baby Drop"
Ho'onu'a: "Feel Good Island Music" or "Koa Tree"
Peter Moon Band: "Cane Fire" or "Guava Jelly"

Anything like that will work. Do a search of the forum, people are always looking for song suggestions. The old School songs are good too, from artists like C&K, or Kalapana.

Good luck with your search.

White Sandy Beach

Hi Hippie Guy,

Yes, it's in New York. I think the Iz songs might be the only ones people are really familiar with around here.

I'll definitely look these songs up. Thanks for the info! Much appreciated!

Oh right, White Sandy Beach. Another classic. Thanks.

You can get all hokey and sing Hukilau, and have the audience do the dance.

Here's a recent thread on the same subject.

Ya' gotta play "Ukulele lady". It's a pretty easy song.

Whoops. Didn't see that thread. Thanks.

I'd go with Beach Boys songs, some Jimmy Buffett, Don't Worry, Be Happy... some of those mainstream songs that people will recognize and are not Hawaiian, yet they are remotely related. Maybe throw in Elvis' version of "Blue Hawaii".

Many good suggestions in this thread, Caz. We (Ukulele Society of America)just played two luaus yesterday, complete with hula dancers. Here's the songlists from both of them:

Palomar Airport 50th Anniversary

E Ku’u Morning Dew – D
In Your Hawaiian Way – C
I Only have Eyes for You - A
Only You – C
Hanalei Moon – C
Truck Drivin’ Man - G
Keep Your Eyes on the Hands – C
You Ku’uipo - G
All of Me - F
E Huli Makou - F
My Yellow Ginger Lei – C
Sloop John B - G Dallas
Tiny Bubbles – C Dede
Sophisticated Hula – F
Ring of Fire - G
Beautiful Kauai – G
Beyond the Reef – A
My Little Grass Shack – F
Hele on to Kauai – F
Na Hala O Naue - F
To You Sweetheart Aloha-C/ Aloha Oe- F


Deb & Gary's Luau

1. BLUE HAWAII …. ‘F’
2. IN YOUR HAWAIIAN WAY ….. ‘C’
3. SONG OF OLD HAWAII ….. ‘C’
4. WHITE SANDY BEACH …. ‘F’
5. BEAUTIFUL KAUAI …. ‘G’
6. LITTLE BROWN GAL … ‘F’
7. SWEET SINGING BAMBOO …. ‘C’
8. HANALEI MOON …. ‘C’
9. I’LL REMEMBER YOU …. ‘C’
10. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE HANDS …. ‘C’
11. PEARLY SHELLS …. ‘F’
12. MAKAHA VALLEY … ‘F’
13. LAHINA LUNA …. ‘F’
14. MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK …. ‘F’
15. TINY BUBBLES …. ‘F’
16. ALOHA WEEK HULA …. ‘F’
17. SOPHISTICATED HULA …. ‘F’
18. ISLANDS OF DREAMS …. ‘C’
19. HUKILAU …. ‘F’
20. HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG …. ‘G’
21. OVER THE RAINBOW …. ‘C’
22. HONOLULU ISLE I’M COMING HOME …. ‘F’
24. OPIHI MAN …. ‘F’
25. HELE ON TO KAUAI …. ‘F’
26. TO YOU SWEETHEART ALOHA/ALOHA OE … ‘F’