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The Story Behind All The Music
A good place to start I
suppose is at the... beginning! Now there is a
revolutionary thought ! My father was a combat pilot. First in WWII,
then in the
Korean war and finally we both would serve in Vietnam.
After his Korean tour he got a 1st choice of assignments in 1953 to
the small, quiet and
out of the way island of Guam at Anderson AFB.
So he came back
to the states and Greenville S.C. to pick mom, my
brother, sister and me up to ship us to our new assignment. But,
one of the things he wanted to do was
to take one last look from
Lookout Mt. and to ride the summit ridge road
of the Great Smokie
Mtn National Park. Here is what I remember that strange day...
we were all in the family car and we came upon this quaint little
log cabin gift shop. I was wrong in thinking I was going to get out
of the car, stretch my legs and go shopping with mom and dad.
Because dad said I had to stay & watch my baby brother
and sister.
You could say I was none too happy, but to make up for it, I could
sit up front, behind the steering wheel and
I got to touch one control.
The radio. Here is where this
memory gets imprinted on a very
young 5 year old to this day. It
would not be too hard to guess that
my music choices that day and at that
location are what you would
call mainstream Country music. But
hey, I'm a kid, what did I know
in 1953? The song that started playing on the radio would turn out
to be Hank Williams, which I quickly forgot to
say nothing about the
title of the song... 'Kawligah.' What
I do remember and actually shook
me up and got my attention really fast was... as the song
went along
it soon began to describe almost everything I saw
out from between
the spokes of that big steering wheel. There was the Log Cabin, there
was indeed
antiques, there was most important a giant wooden Indian
and he was by the door and there was an
empty space on the other
side where the Indian maid could have stood but was now indeed gone.
The whole song got my attention and eyes
riveted to the entrance.
And
I had no one to tell what just happened. I could not even explain
it when mom and dad returned. I was dumbstruck. It would
take me
another 45 years to figure out who that artist
was and what the title
was. Indeed that song
is as clear to me today as it was back in 1953.
Talk about a Twilight Zone experience!
Fast Forward... Westover AFB, near Springfield Massachusetts.
I'll be surely dating myself
here, but I was a high school sophomore
& it was a cool but nice Sunday morning, I think it was February.
My father, the Colonel and I were both washing our cars in the
driveway together. I was letting my Christmas gift, one of those
new battery portable AM radios blare out my type of music
from
our local favorite radio station, WBZ-Radio Boston. When all of
sudden a bulletin came over that morning saying a plane had
crashed somewhere out in Iowa in a snowstorm and Buddy
Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bobber had all perished. The
reason maybe this all stuck in my mind was my father asked,
"who were those guys Chuck?" I seem to remember we all
said
that it was the day the music died. 10
years later Don McLean
would have a ballad dedicated to just this occasion. It's on the
Listing... take a listen with eyes closed...
OK... I get the most request for
this... the Entire Rare 33 1/3 LP
record 'Island Paradise.' Translate the meaning, tell some things
about finally returning to Hawaii and introducing my two boys to
Mister Webley Edwards who was then (1980) in a hospice over
looking Diamond Head. Also to give some back ground info as
the LP
Stereo album unfolds, back on that 1st anniversary of
Hawaii
Statehood in 1959 and why this album is SO UNUSUAL.
Boat Day... arrival. In 1959 the queen of the seas was the Matson
cruise ship Luriline. Microphones line the old Port of Honolulu &
from off shore you hear the sounds. The Pacific waves coming
a shore, the ships fog horns signaling ready to dock, the faint
background coral singing the title "My Island Paradise" then
followed by the natural sounds of birds, fish, waters and dock
and ships greetings. 3 Aloha's from the shore and asking all that
visit where they are from, followed by the 1800's Royal Hawaiian
Band from the King Kalakaua period playing 'Song of the Island.'
Island Language Greetings...
Hawaiian, English, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean,
Tahitian, Samoan, Okinawan and Vietnamese.
Children from Royal School saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the
flag of the USA. Boys Choir Kamehameha High School 'Hawaii Ponoi'
Hilton Hawaiian Village with the late great Alfred Apaka singing first
'Lehuanani' (Flaming Flower) and 'Keep Your Eyes on the Hands.'
What is the Name of This Island? It is Kauai
St. Catherine's choir singing 'Pua Carnation' (Carnation Blossom).
Live Recording from 'Queens Beach' (Waikiki Beach)
14 man Outrigger Hawaiian canoe with stereo mikes ride the surf to shore
Sounds of Arthur Lyman orchestra 'Sim Sim" (Taboo) using real live
sounds of birds, jungle noises blended with ancient Hawaiian instruments.
Broadcast of the famous Hawaii Calls Radio Show from Waikiki Beach
The show singers open with Welcome, 'Hawaii Calls' & 'My Little Grass
Shack,' 'Sweet Leilani' by Haunani Kahalewai. Mahi Beamer sings Heeia
(Ritual Sacrifice Alter). Haunani returns with 'Farewell for just a While."
A Visit to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (Famous Waikiki Pink Castle)
'Hawaiian War Chant' by Royal Monarch Room singers opens. Ray Kinney
sings the album title 'Island Paradise' written by Webley Edwards. Then
the popular Slap Dance 'Auwe A-E' by Tafili Galeai. Danny Kaleikini
& Iwalani Kamahele traditional Hawaiian Wedding Song 'KeKali NeiAu'
What is the name of this Island? It is Hawaii
Haili Choir sings 'Islands March' of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Molokai.
On the day Hawaii became a state and there was a great celebration
and the dedication of the state capital which is in the shape of a giant
Volcano (Pele) and the columns are like great soaring royal palms, they
asked many singers to come. Haili came and when they began to sing;
as each island in this ancient chant was sung all those from that island
rose in a great wave until the next island was sung. It was a moment
to remember... now listen to that song again!
Luau at the Willows Resort (1959)
Conch Shell and Nose Flute 'Ancient Chant' by Kapena Wong. 'Hamau E
Ka Leo' Hush Voices by Waikiki Girls. Papio (Flame) by James Kaopuiki
who also sings Alekia (Alaska). Last 'Koni Au' Tasting Waters by Al Isaacs
What is the name of this Island? It is Maui
The famous Kaekeeke (Bamboo Organ) by Emma Maui Ensemble playing
3 island favorites: 'Kaneohe, Nani Koolau, Hiilawe'
7am on 7 December 1941 1102 Americans fell at Pearl Harbor
TAPS played at the Arizona Memorial by the U.S. Navy on duty.
Lord's Prayer in Hawaiian by Kamehameha Combined Chorus
was originally written in 1828 by missionaries.
Boat Day... Departure
Returning to the Aloha Tower & Port of Honolulu we are back on the
dock with the Royal Hawaiian Band bidding Farewell with the famous
song written by a deposed but beloved queen...
Liliuokalani
'Aloha Oe' Until We Meet Again
Hope you found this somewhat of
interest. There are millions
of stories in the Naked City and you just got
2 of them.
Mahalo nui Aloha
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My
3 Lost Hawaiians Mahalo nui Aloha