Christmas in Hawaii isn't complete without the fun and festive holiday Hawaiian music. It's the traditional with a definite island twist. Filled with lyrics in both Hawaiian and English, these songs are a joy for anyone wishing to remember and reminisce about the holidays in Hawai'i Nei. Mele Kalikimaka!
First the classics.
Away in a Manger (He Kapu Hanai)
Composed by William J. Kirkpatrick
He kapu hanai oia ka moe
No ke kamaiki e hia moe ai
Nana mai lana hoku mailuna mai
Ia Iesu ka Haku o moe lai ana.
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Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. |
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The cattle are lowing the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you Lord Jesus; look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
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Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mele Mai Na 'Anela)
Written by: Charles Wesley & Felix Mendelssohn
Hawaiian lyrics by Laiana
| Hamau `e na kanaka
Mele mai na `anela
Eia ke Li`i hanau hou
E ho'onani a`e `oukou
Malu no ko lalo nei
E hau`oli ho`omaika`i
Ke Akua ko ke ao
Ku`ikahi pu lakou
Ke Akua ko ke ao
Ku`ikahi pu lakou
Oli a`e na `aina ka a pau
Oli pu me kela ao
E ha`i a`e mai `o a `o
Iesu ke Li`i no kakou
Hele mai ka lani mai
Hanau `ia no ma`ane`i
No kakou i hanau hou
A loa`a ke ola mau
No kakou i hanau hou
A loa`a ke ola mau
E aloha ke Li`i mau
Ke Li`i pono no kakou
Lama ola malu no
No keia ao a pau
Mele `e na kanaka
Mele me na `anela
Eia ke Li`i hanau hou
Pomaikai a malu mau
Eia ke'lii hanau hou
Pomaika'i a malu mau
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Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the new born King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the new born King
Christ by highest heaven adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time
Behold Him come
Offspring of the Virgins's womb
Veiled in flesh
The Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased on earth with us to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hail the heaven born
Prince of peace
Hail the son of
Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that we no more may die
Born to raise us from the earth
Born to give us second birth
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It Came Upon The Midnight Clear (Ka Po La`ela`e Ka Hikina Mai)
Written by Ed H. Sears & Richard S. Willis
Hawaiian lyrics by Edward Kahale
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Ka po la`ela`e ka hikina mai
Ia mele `oli nei
Mai na `anela i ke ao
Ho`okani mai lakou
He malu he aloha no
Mai ka Makua mai
Mehameha ke ao a pau
Aloha no lakou
Mai loko mai o ke ao
A wehe a`e na `eheu
A `o na mele ke `o mai la
I ke ao luhi nei
Maluna a`e o ka honua
Kulou mai no lakou
Ho`okani no a lohe `ia
Ka leo o na `anela
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It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth goodwill to men
From heavens's all gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing
And ever over its babel sounds
The blessed angels sing
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Jingle Bells (Kani Na Pele)
Written by: J.S. Pierpont
Hawaiian lyrics by Ronald Brown
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Kani na pele
Kani na pele
Kani na wa apau
Le`ale`a no ke kau `oe
Ma ke ka`a holo hau
Ha`ule mai ka hau
A holo no lakou
Maluna o na kula
Me na leo hau`oli
Kani mai na pele
Hau`oli nui no
Ka hele `ana i ka holo
Hau keia po
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Jingle bells
Jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
Oe'r the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
The sleighing song tonight
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Joy to the World (Hiki Mai Hau`oli Honua)
Written by Isaac Watts Music by George Handel
Hawaiian lyrics by Hiram Bingham
| Pomaika`i wale ko ke ao
Ua hiki mai ke Ali`i
E moe e na `aina a pau
E malu nui mai
E malu nui mai
E malu, malu nui mai
Hau`oli `o Iesu ke Ali`i
Mahalo kanaka
Ho`okani a`e na mea a pau
E pau ho`i na kina
E pau ho`i na kina
E pau, e pau ho`i na kina
A nana e ho`omalu mau
Ke aupuni pomaika`i
A `ike pu na `aina a pau
Ia pono e ola ai
Ia pono e ola ai
Ia pono, pono e ola ai
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Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonder of His love
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O Come All Ye Faithful (E Hele Mai `Oukou)
Written by John F. Wade & M.A. Portogallo
Hawaiian lyrics by Laiana
| E hele mai `oukou
Ka po`e mana`o`i`o
E hele hau`oli i Betelehema
Hele mai a `ike
I ka Mo`i hanau hou
Ho`onani kakou Ia ia
Ho`onani kakou Ia ia
Ho`onani kakou Ia ia
Kristo ka Haku
Ka lama i`o
Mai ka Lama mai
He nani Ka hua a ka pu`u pa`a
Akua maoli i hana `ole i`a
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O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
God of God
Light of Light
Lo, he comes forth from the Virgin's womb
Our very God, begotten, not created
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O Little Town of Bethlehem (Betelehema Iki E)
Written by Phillip Brooks & Lewis Redner
Hawaiian lyrics by Edward Kahale
| Betelehema iki e
Ke `ike nei makou
Kou moe `ana i ka po
Pane`e a`e na hoku
La`ela`e no kou mau ala
Ka lama e ola ai
Ka li`a ka weli o na kau
Aia no me `oe
Hanau `ia `o Kristo
A hui a`e ko `o
Moe ko ke ao a kia`i mau
Na`anela maika`i
Hui pu na hoku ao
Kukala a`e `oukou
A mililani i ke Akua
- He malu i kanaka
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O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark street shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes andfears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep
The angels keep their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to all on earth
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Silent Night (Po La`i E)
Lyrics by: Joseph Mohr Music by: Franz Gruber
Translated by: Noelani Kanoho Mahoe and Samuel H. Elbert
| Po la`i e, po kamaha`o,
Maluhia, malamalama
Ka makuahine aloha e
Me ke keiki hemolele e
Moe me ka maluhia lani
Moe me ka maluhia lani
Po la`i e, po kamaha`o,
Oni na kahu hipa e
I ko ka lani nani no
Mele na `anela haleluia.
Hanau `ia Kristo ka haku.
Hanau `ia Kristo ka haku.
Po la`i e, po kamaha`o,
Keiki hiwahiwa aloha e,
Ka lama la`i mai luna mai
Me ka lokomaika`i makamae.
Iesu i kou hanau `ana.
Iesu i kou hanau `ana.
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Peaceful night, wonderful night,
Peace, light
The beloved mother
With the holy child
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Peaceful night, wonderful night,
The shepherds come
With the heaven's beauty
The angels sing hallelujah.
Christ the Lord is born.
Christ the Lord is born.
Peaceful night, wonderful night,
Beloved sacred child,
Light of peace from above
With goodwill and purity.
Jesus for your birth.
Jesus for your birth.
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Na Mele O Hawai`i Nei." 1970, University of Hawai`i Press
And now some Hawaiian originals and twists on classics.
Christmas Day in Hawaii Nei
Louis R. Kauakahi
Clear blue skies, pristine seas,
Swaying palms in the tropical breeze
On Christmas Day in Hawai'i Nei.
Bustling crowds in shopping malls,
Blinking lights in front of City Hall,
Such is Christmas Day in Hawai'i Nei.
King Street's crowded with a motorcade,
With Santa riding high in a big parade,
What a wonderful way,
To spend Christmas Day in Hawai'i Nei.
Children's faces all aglow,
Liquid sunshine in place of snow,
On Christmas Day in Hawai'i Nei.
Garlands red, green, and gold,
See Waikiki's majesty unfold,
On Christmas Day in Hawai'i Nei.
All around the islands, far and near,
"Mele Kalikimaka," you will hear,
Na Malihini will say,
Na kama'aina will say,
"Merry Christmas to you"… in Hawai'i Nei.
Hawaiian Santa
Mary Johnson and Tony Todaro
Hawaiian Santa is a sight to see
When he comes surfing into Waikiki
He wears a malo around his big Opu
Singing a Merry Christmas and waving to you.
Hawaiian Santa with a great big bag
'Climb the window into your grass shack
He dance the hula around the Christmas tree
Bringing a lot of presents for you and for me.
Soft guitars are playing
Christmas songs to fill the tropic skies
Coco palms are swaying
Santa's here again in paradise.
Hawaiian Santa goes around the isle
And does the hula with a great big smile
He waves Aloha with a Christmas cheer
Mele Kalikimaka and Happy New Year.
Mele Kalikimaka (1949)
R. Alex Anderson
Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."
(Repeat)
The words "Mele Kalikimaka" are a phonetic translation. When the missionaries and other Westerners first brought the custom of Christmas to the islands the Hawaiians had difficulty pronouncing Merry Christmas and turned it into words that rolled more easily off their tongues.
Numbah One Day of Christmas
(The 12 Days of Christmas local style)
Eaton B. Magoon Jr., Edward Kenny, Gordon N. Phelps
Numbah One day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
One mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Two day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Two coconut, an' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Tree day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Foah day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Five day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Five beeg fat peeg... foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Seex day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg (that make TEN!),
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Seven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Eight day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg (that make TWENNY!), foah flowah lei, tree dry squid,
two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Nine day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Nine pound of poi, eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin',
Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah let, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Ten day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Ten can of beer, nine pound of poi, eight ukuklele, seven shrimp a-swimmin'
Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg,
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
Numbah Eleven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Eleven missionary, ten can of beer, nine pound of poi,
Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.
(Numbah Twelve day of Christmas the bes', and the bes' stuff always come las'...)
Numbah Twelve day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Twelve TELEVISION, eleven missionary, ten can of beer,
Nine pound of poi, eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin',
Seex hula lesson, FORTY steenkin' peeg,
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree!
© 1959 Hawaiian Recording and Publishing Company, Inc.
