Lyr Req: My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua...

Subject: lyrics: My little grass shack
From: ambrose
Date: 21 Apr 97 - 06:19 PM

Looking for lyrics to hawaiian song... Little Grass Shack, etc. any help appreciated.

Subject: Lyr Add: MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA...
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 22 Apr 97 - 11:21 PM

This from a Ukulele Ike songbook (OLD!). There are probably more verses, all the songs in this book are shortened......Tiger

My Little Grass Shack In Kealakekua, Hawaii
Words and music by Bill Cogswell, Tommy Harrison and Johnny Noble
c1933 Miller Music Corp, NYC, renewed 1961

I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii.
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I knew long ago.
I can hear old guitars a-playing on the beach at Hoonaunau
I can hear the Hawaiians saying, "Komomai no kaua ikahale welakahao."

It won't be long 'til my ship will be sailing back to Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see.
I'm just a little Hawaiian and a homesick Island boy,
I want to go back to my fish and poi,

I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii.
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by.
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by.

I want to go.....(repeat all)

---

Added to DT Oct 1998.

Subject: RE: lyrics: My little grass shack
From: ambrose
Date: 23 Apr 97 - 07:35 PM

Thanks loads Ralph:

That will do the job for now.

Subject: RE: music: My little grass shack
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 03:00 AM

Subject: Lyr Add: MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA...
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 01:57 PM

When I was a kid, my family lived in Hawaii (on Oahu, near Honolulu) for a year. I took hula lessons & danced to this song; the words I learned were slightly different from those above (differences in bold):

I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii.
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I used to know, so long ago.
I can hear old guitars a-playing on the beach at Waikiki*
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying, "Komomai no kaua ikahale welakahao."

It won't be long 'til my ship will be sailing back to Kona
It's a grand old place that's always fair to see, you're telling me
I'm just a little Hawaiian and a homesick Island boy,
I want to go back to my fish and poi,

I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii.
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by.
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by.

*Of course, since Waikiki Beach is in Honolulu, the local version substituted it for the original 'Hônaunau'.


Out of curiosity, did a Google & found the following version (and notes) here:

My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua Hawai`i
by Bill Cogswell, Tommy Harrison & Johnny Noble

I want to go back to little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Hawai`i
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines
That I used to know long ago

I can hear the old guitars playing
On the beach at Hônaunau
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying
Komo mai no kâua i ka hale welakahao

It won't be long till my ship will be sailing
Back to Kona
A grand old place
That's always fair to see, you're telling me

I'm just a little Hawaiian
A homesick island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi

I want to go back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Hawai`i
Where the humuhumunukunukuâpua`a
Go swimming by


Source: Noble's"Hawaiian Favorites" Copyright 1933, 1961 Miller Music Corp, - This song was introduced in Kona, Hawai`i at the July 4th canoe races, 1933. Harrison gave the song to John Noble to publish, who revised the music to give it an almost new melody without changing Cogswell's words. This was done to dispel the claim that others had written the song. Once published, the song became a smash hit. Noble turned over the royalties to the Sherman Clay Co. in San Francisco for $500.00 advance royalty, giving the credit to Cogswell and Harrison. Kealakekua is the bay where Captain Cook was killed in 1779. Hônaunau is the ancient City of Refuge and Kona is the district where both are located on the Big Island.

Subject: RE: lyrics: My little grass shack
From: Ferrara
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 09:29 PM

Trivia... Humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apa'a's are a a kind of triggerfish that makes a grunting noise sometimes; the name means "fish that swims and grunts like a pig." Would have loved the song for that if nothing else. Kane's are men, wanihe's are women, Welaka-Hao is a greeting, I believe.

I don't think there are any other verses, at least there were none in my "Everybody's Favorite Hawaiian Songs" piano book many years ago.

There is an intro, given on some web sites, that goes:

"There's a place in Hawaii that is very dear to me.
I am home sick as can be, won't you listen to my plea?"

Rita

Subject: RE: lyrics: My little grass shack
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 10:04 PM

And "poi" is a food – a sort of doughy substance you get when you pound taro root(s) into submission.