Song Help Request Pua Lililehua (John King arrangement)

whetu

whetu

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As seen here and here.

I've never tabbed anything before, but here's my attempt:

Code: 
Pua Lililehua as arranged by John King
Tabbed by 'whetu' and intro by 'danged' from ukuleleunderground.com/forum

Intro:

A |---10--10--10--10--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5--3--|
E |-------------------------------------------------------0--|
C |-11--11--11--11--9--9--9--9--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5----0--|
G |-------------------------------------------------------0--|

Verses:

A |----3--7--7--5--5--7--5--3--3--5--8--8--5--7-----5-----------3--3-----|
E |-------0--0--4-----------0--0--5-----5-----0--0--3-----------0--0-----|
C |-------0--0--4-----------0--0--5-----5-----0--0--5-----------0--0--0--|
G |-0-----0--0--4-----------2--2--5-----5-----0--0--0--5--0--4--0--0-----|

A |----3--7--7--5-----------3--3-----5--7--8--8--7-----------5--5-----|
E |-------0--0--3-----------0--0--6--6-----5--5--0-----------3--3-----|
C |-------0--0--5-----------0--0-----0-----5--5--0-----------5--5-----|
G |-0-----0--0--0--5--0--4--0--0-----0-----5--5--0--5--0--5--0--0--0--|

Rinse and repeat as required.  

Here's another way he uses for the first 'verse' 
which may be easier going from the second 'verse':

A |-------7--7--5--5--7--5--3--3--5--8--8--5--7-----5-----------3--3-----|
E |-------0--0--4-----------0--0--5-----5-----0--0--3-----------0--0-----|
C |-------0--0--4-----------0--0--5-----5-----0--0--5-----------0--0--0--|
G |-0--5--0--0--4-----------2--2--5-----5-----0--0--0--5--0--4--0--0-----|

Outro:

A |----3--5--3--3-----5--3-----3--5--3--------3-----5-----7--7--10--|
E |-------------2--------------------------0-----0-----0---------0--|
C |-------------2-----------------------0------------------------0--|
G |-0-----------2--2--------0------------------------------------0--|

It's based mostly off the first example link, there are subtle differences, and I have excluded a slide. Am I on the right track? Is my tabbing all wrong and you feel stupider for having read it?

Feedback appreciated before I get too far... or, if I've inspired anyone, feel free to collab :D
 
Last edited:
And for those who are really interested in Traditional Hawaiian mele, the Hawaiian lyrics with English translations courtesy of Huapala.

Pua Lili Lehua - by Mary Puku`i & Kahauanu Lake

`Auhea wale ana `oe
E ka pua lililehua
A he `ipo ho`ohenoheno
E ho`ohihi ai no ka mana`o

Iâ `oe e `imi ana
I nâ nani o ka `âina
Eia nô lâ au ma `ane`i
E kali ana i kou ho`i mai

E `alawa mai ho`i `oe
I nei mau maka onaona
He mau maka po`ina `ole
E kapalili ai kô pu`uwai

Hilo pa`a ia ke aloha
I ka lino hilo pa walu|
`A`ohe mea e hemo `ai
Me au `oe a mau loa

Ha`ina mai ka puana
E ka pua lili lehua
A he `ipo ho`ohenoheno
E ho`ohihi ai no ka mana`o

This is to you
O sage blossom
A cherished sweetheart
That attracts the mind

While you go seeking
Among the beauties of the land
Right here I remain
Waiting for your return

Glance quickly this way
At these inviting eyes
These unforgettable eyes
That makes my heart tremble

Love is bound fast
With an eight strand lei
There is nothing to separate
You from me forever

This story is told for you
O sage blossom
A cherished sweetheart
That attracts the mind

Source: Copyright Melway ASCAP - Composed by Kahauanu Lake for his wife Ma'iki, the lililehua is the red sage brush flower. It is also the name of the wind and rain in Palolo Valley, and the name of a maiden who resided in the valley that was courted by a mo`o.
 
1014 said:
mahalo whetu,

this is one of my favorite songs.
Click to expand...

:eek: I better not tab this wrong then! :)

I can see why it's one of your favs though, it's a lovely tune. Having read the translation above, it's possibly a counterpart for the NZ Maori love song 'Pokarekare Ana' which is one of my favourite songs. I hate hearing it when I'm overseas for work, because I immediately get homesick. Not as bad as the time I heard this in a burger joint in the south of France though!

Enquire within if you'd like to know the translation and basic chord progression for Pokarekare Ana though, I'm always keen for a bit of cultural exchange :)

p.s. I've updated the above tab.
 
Last edited:
VERY nice!! Thank you!! :shaka:
 
Spooner said:
VERY nice!! Thank you!! :shaka:
Click to expand...

Thanks heaps :) I've just updated it again, I'm slowly working through it now so keep your eyes peeled.

I think the longest part to figure out will be the outro that he plays in the second vid, I'm not even sure I'll be able to 100% finish that, but the above tab could still be used in e.g. a guitar/uke duet
 
whetu said:
Thanks heaps :) I've just updated it again, I'm slowly working through it now so keep your eyes peeled.

I think the longest part to figure out will be the outro that he plays in the second vid, I'm not even sure I'll be able to 100% finish that, but the above tab could still be used in e.g. a guitar/uke duet
Click to expand...


Will do!!! :)
 
whetu said:
. . . Enquire within if you'd like to know the translation and basic chord progression for Pokarekare Ana though, I'm always keen for a bit of cultural exchange :)
Click to expand...
whetu, I'd love to get the lyrics and chords.
 
Kanaka916 said:
whetu, I'd love to get the lyrics and chords.
Click to expand...

Damn, I went to make a new thread and everything, was collecting references etc only to find that one of them does a far better job than I could with translation and backstory etc and chords already:

http://folksong.org.nz/pokarekare/index.html

The sheet music there shows the verse and chorus progressions, the only difference is that I use C7 rather than C in the chorus progression.

For the strum a simple D,D,U,U,D works fine. Maori tend to add chunks/mutes to their strums to add a shuffle beat, but in this case it's a love song so we forego the pep in favour of something a bit more intimate. You can also pick this, like a simplified version of White Sandy Beach, though it's more common to strum it.

One of these days I'll do a tutorial vid.
 
Ho the bugga sound gooood! Much mahaloz for your tabs. I been working on this song, and it's always nice to add another rendition..
 
thanks for the feedback :)

I've just tabbed up the outro, it's as close as I can get it. The last 7 or so I went mostly by ear and right at the end with the 00010 was a compromise. You could maybe tremolo that A string on the 10th fret for extra effect.

If anyone can improve on that outro, that'd be greatly appreciated :)
 
Thanks Whetu, No ideas on the Outro, but how about an Intro?

Added this Intro/Vamp to jazz it up.
Intro:

A |-10-10-10-10-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-3--|
E |----------------------------------------0--|
C |11-11-11-11-9-9-9-9-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5--0--|
G |----------------------------------------0--|

Go into the chorus.
 
Thank you so much for tabbing this out!!! It is my favorite song to play! Thank you :)
 
sounds like you guys are playing this with hi g yeah?
 
Anyone seen tabs for the version Herb Ohta Jr is playing? I see several people playing in on youtube so I'm guessing tabs are available somewhere.



Thanks
 
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