Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song

Subject: Hawaiian Song
From: toadfrog
Date: 03 May 01 - 04:05 PM

This is a song I heard at the old Freight and Salvage, back in the 70's. I can only remember a few fragments. Does anyone know the song, or who sang it, or if is recorded. What I remember is something like:

Papa work for stevedore,
Mama, she make poi.
Sister go with a Haole boy,
She come back any time!
Papa work for stevedore,
Mama, she make poi.
Sister go with a sailor boy,
She come back any time!

Manuel boy, darling boy
You no more tiki tiki.[?]
You no more five cent.
You go to . . . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 03 May 01 - 11:44 PM

The song is "Manuela Boy." There's a link to a MIDI here, and a questionable version of the words here. It's popular both as a vocal and as a slack key guitar solo. Do a Google search on "Manuela Boy" and you may find better words and music. Hope that helps!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: toadfrog
Date: 04 May 01 - 12:39 AM

Thanks Mark! Sometimes "cruel facts are lost in time, and kinder memory fool[s] ya! I had remembered something better than that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 May 01 - 02:58 AM

slack key? wozzatt?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 May 01 - 04:35 PM

Slack key guitar ("ki ho'alo" in Hawaiian) is a type of fingerstyle guitar playing that originated in Hawaii, using open tunings -- that is, the guitar strings are tuned so they make a chord when they are all strummed together without fretting. It got its name from the fact that the tuning pegs ("keys") were loosened ("slacked") to bring the strings into the proper pitches for each tuning. The story is that in the old days, each family would have its own special tunings that were jealously guarded from others. Originally the music was used for vocal accompaniment, but now there is a strong tradition of solo performers. Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill and now Dancing Cat records, is a big slack key fan and has put out a series of recordings on Dancing Cat that has done a lot to popularize this wonderful style worldwide.

Anybody who's interested in coming to the Slack Key Guitar Festival in Hilo, let me know.

Happy to contribute to your continuing musical education, Susan!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: harpmolly
Date: 04 May 01 - 05:07 PM

Slack key guitar ROCKS!!! :)

my dad plays slack key. something about the sound just tickles me pink. Dennis Kamakahi is one of my favorite slackers (er, slack key players *g*).

Side note: those of you who own or have heard the Chieftains' "Long Black Veil" album have heard slack key guitar--it's played on "The Coast of Malabar". Lovely song, and the slack key only adds to it.

aloha,

Moll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 May 01 - 06:53 PM

I saw Dennis in concert a few months ago in Honolulu, Moll. What a wild time...part slack-key, part old hapa-haole Hawaiian songs, part back-yard rock 'n' roll. And his son David plays a MEAN ukulele.

Here is a link to Dennis Kamakahi's website, and here's an excellent resource for Hawaiian music, both traditional and contemporary, Hawaiian Music Island. I highly recommend Dennis and David's "Ohana" CD, and also, if you're interested in the range of slack-key styles, Dancing Cat's collections of Slack-Key Masters.

(By the way, it's ki ho'alu, not ho'alo--I know you all knew that! "Ki" is simply the English word "key", and "ho'alu" means loose.)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hawaiian Song
From: harpmolly
Date: 04 May 01 - 07:40 PM

My dad got me "Ohana" for Christmas. Great CD! :D

Also, "Wahine Ilikea," was my dad's wedding march (unfortunately not at my parents' wedding, but oh well...can't win 'em all *grin*). I really adore that song. It's probably my favorite of Dennis' originals.

M