Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 10:15 AM

Thanks masato sakurai.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 07:21 AM

The version I have been familiar with is the instrumental one by Billy Vaughn orchestra.
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 07:19 PM

Carol, I've been in touch with the woman who put the Huapala site together. She doesn't have melodies for the songs, and has not looked into putting MIDI's on the site because (1) she's concerned about copyright and (2) she has fairly antiquated equipment and (3) she has very little spare time. If anyone is interested in helping to improve this wonderful site (Mmario has already offered to help transcribe tunes, but I'm not sure if anything came of that), let me know and I'll put you in touch. <

Some more interesting trivia. The word "pupu" is now used to mean "appetizer": a party invitation will often state "light pupus" or "heavy pupus" (the latter is the kind of party you don't want to miss!). And the "pearly shells" referred to in the song are what gave Pearl Harbor its name...there weren't any real pearls there. In the same way, Diamond Head (a volcanic cone east of Honolulu) was named for mineral deposits that sparkled in the sun when seen from the ocean (sorry, I don't remember the geology).

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 06:18 PM

Yikes and Bubble-bumble! I put east when I meant west. Mark has given the whole story.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:44 PM

Thanks Steve. No, I need the melody or I don't really have anything to play. Ah well. Thanks anyway.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:34 PM

CarolC - If you go to the url I left - it will give you the Ukelele chords - if that will help.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:26 PM

I couldn't find any notes in the Huapala site. Is that because there aren't any, or because I'm not doing it right?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 05:15 PM

Well, I don't know much about the song, but I can give a little Hawaiian geography lesson--Dicho, you were close!

In Hawaii when people give directions they tend not to use north/south/east/west. Instead, they are given in one of two dimensions, which a mathematician might call "radial" or "circumferential", if you think of each island as a rough circle. The "radial" dimension would be "toward the ocean" vs. "toward the mountains". "Circumferential" would be "toward [that place]", along the edge of the island; generally it's a landmark or town that's reasonably big and well known.

The word for "toward the ocean" is "makai", and "toward the mountains (away from the ocean, or uphill)" is "mauka". (Kai=ocean and uka=high place.) These terms are universal on all islands. In Honolulu, where most people in Hawaii live, the circumferential reference points are Diamond Head, which is east of the city, and 'Ewa (pronounced eh'-vah), which is on the west side of Pearl Harbor, about 10 miles west of the city.

So, when you're in Honolulu, someone might tell you, "Go makai two blocks and then go 'Ewa another block, and you're there." In Honolulu, 'Ewa means, roughly, west; if you're in Waianae and you "go 'Ewa,", you're going more or less southeast. The point is, if you follow the road in that direction, you'll get to 'Ewa. Got it?

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 03:31 PM

Thanks Dicho - I'm just now getting back to this - I appreciate your sending them on to the site -

The site I used for this was

http://www.ukediner.ukulele.org/ukelesson.html

I didn't know the title was as you presented it. The lesson, it is a music lesson site, was given as a Hawaiian person doing the teaching. So much for my assumption! Your site was much better!!

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:25 PM

Also note Pupu 'O Ni'ihau. This is modern, but the tune is old (see notes following song). (Same site as above).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:19 PM

Thanks Dicho.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:14 PM

Go to http://www.huapala.org for side-by-side printable copy of Pupu A O'Ewa, with chords.
Title needs correction.
Ewa is in eastern Oahu. In giving directions, the locals say "Go Ewa" when telling someone to go east.
The site indicated above has many of the favorites, beautifully pesented.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:08 PM

Steve, the word 'tadpoles' appears to be a nicname for the notes on sheet music. I think another nicname for notes is 'dots'. So what I was asking is if anyone knows where I can find an on-line source for the notation for the tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Genie
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 01:58 PM

Norton,
Can you post the chords with the lyrics or in some other way indicate how the Hawaiian words fit with the "Pearly Shells" melody. I'm lost.

Mahalo,

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 12:55 PM

CarolC - What's a tadpole?

Thanks Kat - I was really surprised at what I found!

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 10:53 PM

Beautiful, Steve, thank you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 09:08 PM

Anybody know where I might be able to find tadpoles for this song? I checked JC's but they don't have it.

Subject: Pupu o Ewa (Pearly Shells)
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 02:05 PM

Pupu o Ewa

This is a beautiful old Hawaiian song that was later loosely translated and became the rather cheesy song "Pearly Shells." It is not without charm, though, especially if you sing it as a duet with a 3 year-old. The chords here are for the melody that was written for "Pearly Shells," though Pupu o Ewa may not have been originally sung this way.

Nani ka'ala, hemolele i ka malie, Kuahiwi kaulana a'o ewa, e ki'i ana i ka makoni o ka'aina.
Hea ka moa'e, eia au, e ka aloha.
Kilakila 'o polea noho i ka 'olu la home ho'ohihi a ka malihini, E walea ana ika 'olu o ke kiawe I ka pa kolonahe a ke Kiu.

Shells (of 'Ewa), throngs (of people) coming (to learn) the news of the land,
A land (famous) from the (ancients on).
In the seas of Pearl Harbor, the path trod upon by Ka'ahu'pahau (Ka-'ahupau)
In the seas of Pearl Harbor, the path trod upon by Ka'ahu'pahau.
Beautiful ka'ala sublime in the calm famous mountain of 'Ewa that fetches the Wind of the Land.
The tradwind calls, here I am, beloved.
Majestic Polea in the coolness, home delightful to visitors
Relaxing in the coolness of kiawe and the soft blowing of the Kiu wind.

The words in parenthesis are sung as a second part harmony just slightly after the first words - kind of like an echo or enunciative part.


Pearly Shells

Pearly Shells,
From the ocean,
Shining in the sun,
Covering the shore,
When I see them,
My heart tells me that I love you
More than those little Pearly Shells
More than those little Pearly Shells.

Pearly Shells was recorde by Don Ho, Burl Ives, and a couple of others that I can't find.

My buddies and I do it as a Bluegrass instrumental. Very lovely tune - and the Hawaiian words are the first I've seen - pretty cool though.

Mark Cohen may know more about this song than I since he lives over there.

Steve