'Hawaiian Wedding Song" ( Ke Kali Nei Au)

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 16 Oct 2014 10:55 pm

A request from the audience to play this number at a local function a few weeks ago made me made me take the dust off the covers. This is a track from CD (2011) " Shadows on Steel". It was at the top of HAWAII Magazine’s list of the eight most romantic songs ever sung in Hawaii.

You may remember the LP cover and the presentation by the "Hawai'i Calls" shows which broadcast from under the banyan tree at the Sheraton Moana on the shores of Waikiki. "Hawaiian Wedding Song" is a love song written by Charles E. King in 1926 for his operetta, Prince of Hawaii and introduced by the Royal Hawaiian Band, this song featured a duet by John Paoakalani Heleluhe and Lizzie Alohikea.

It was originally titled "Ke Kali Nei Au" - Hawaiian for "Waiting Here for You" and was translated into English in 1958. Most will remember it from the Elvis Presley version of 1961 in the film "Blue Hawaii". Andy Williams, Don Ho, and Nina Keali'iwahamana famously also covered it. A notable steel guitar version was recorded by Benjamin Rogers. It also featured as an instrumental in "Steel Guitar Magic" by Billy Hew Len and Barney Isaacs. Alan Akaka accompanied it on steel on a vocal version in the "Hawai'i Golden Treasures" album.

This steel guitar version was inspired by some of the above recordings. Played here on the West Coast C6/C13, all accompaniments (strings, rhythm, and normal guitar) by Chick Holland of the UK.

http://soundcloud.com/kay-das/hawaiian-wedding-song

Enjoy!

Kay

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 17 Oct 2014 12:57 pm

Very Lush, very enjoyable and well done Kay.

James.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 17 Oct 2014 1:32 pm

Hi Kay. Nice work. Of all the haole composers in Hawaii during that era Charles King was unique. He cannot be confused with Anderson, Noble, or Owens. I love his stuff.

You have posted a lot of nice recordings over the years. I was wondering how many numbers you can keep up and running in a regular repertoire? I have trouble with 25.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 20 Oct 2014 10:15 am

Nice job, Kay. Looking forward to seeing you at the HSGA show in Ft. Collins.
Chuck

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 21 Oct 2014 10:15 pm

Jim, David, Chuck, thanks for the appreciation.

David, Charles King was of course born in Hawaii. He was one-quarter Hawaiian, and was raised among the ali`i. Queen Emma was his godmother, and Queen Lili`iuokalani his music teacher. Fluent in the Hawaiian language, he was an innovator who created a distinct class of music. He also insisted that Hawaiian songs should have Hawaiian lyrics, and promoted a nahenahe (sweet) music style even though he generated complex harmonic structures in his Hawaiian compositions.

My neighbour, Marilyn, whose mother, Marjorie Hudson (1915 - 2012), was an accomplished pianist who loved Hawaii, and taught at Iolani, presented me a few months ago with King's Book of Hawaiian Melodies (see below). A treasure trove of excellent compositions.

I know what you mean about keeping up a repertoire of numbers. In my case, what works is recording them (I guess I have over 200 on CD, never really counted) a discipline which has given me the chance to get up close and familiar with them. That said, am often stumped to think of even one when unexpectedly asked to play a tune. So, the answer to your question in my case may be....zero!

Kay

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 22 Oct 2014 12:23 pm

Thanks Kay, now I don't feel so moronic about my tune retention. I had no idea King was part Hawaiian. I do have his book in the new edition. I know he did not like hearing his songs played in Swing time. I guess he was getting to be a bit of an old fogey by then.