Israel Kamakawiwoʻole — Hawai'i 78
Album: Facing FutureAvg rating:
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Length: 5:14
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Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
(The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness)
If just for a day our king and queen
Would visit all these islands and saw everything
How would they feel about the changes of our land
Could you just imagine if they were around
And saw highways on their sacred grounds
How would they feel about this modern city life
Tears would come from each others eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our people are in great great danger now
How, would they feel, could their smiles be content, then cry
[Chorus:]
Cry for the gods, cry for the people
Cry for the land that was taken away
And then yet you'll find, Hawai'i
Could you just imagine they came back
And saw traffic lights and railroad tracks
How would they feel about this modern city life
Tears would come from each others eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our land is in great great danger now
All the fighting that the king had done
To conquer all these islands now these condominiums
How would he feel if he saw Hawai'i nei
How, would he feel, would his smile be content, then cry
[Chorus]
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
(The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness)
If just for a day our king and queen
Would visit all these islands and saw everything
How would they feel about the changes of our land
Could you just imagine if they were around
And saw highways on their sacred grounds
How would they feel about this modern city life
Tears would come from each others eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our people are in great great danger now
How, would they feel, could their smiles be content, then cry
[Chorus:]
Cry for the gods, cry for the people
Cry for the land that was taken away
And then yet you'll find, Hawai'i
Could you just imagine they came back
And saw traffic lights and railroad tracks
How would they feel about this modern city life
Tears would come from each others eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our land is in great great danger now
All the fighting that the king had done
To conquer all these islands now these condominiums
How would he feel if he saw Hawai'i nei
How, would he feel, would his smile be content, then cry
[Chorus]
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
Ua mau, ke ea o ka aina, i ka pono, o Hawai'i
Comments (99)add comment
My respect for this song has increased since seeing "White Lotus."
“Years ago, many years ago there used to be a public service announcement that had an American Indian cry as he walked along garbage strewn highways up to a landfill. This is what PSAs were like on 70's TV. Does anyone remember it besides me? “
Yes. The reason there were any PSA’s at all is that when the FCC was first created and chartered, our legislators saw (correctly, IMO) that the airwaves were a public resource belonging to We The People. Therefore, when they sold lease rights for specific bandwidths to private interests, for broadcast purposes, they felt the People’s transfer of use rights, but not ownership, needed to include PSA's so the People’s daily needs for community service were met. I cannot find it now, but my recollection is that the original number of hours of PSA’s (free public service announcements) was 25hrs per week. I suspect that the “news” qualified as a PSA back in the day, but now not so much unless it is PBS or a non-profit, like a university news program.
Times have changed, the FCC has increasingly been co-opted by private media conglomerates, who very much have non-public motives in any and everything they broadcast, which is why so many of us are ardent supporters of RP.
Long live RP!
Such a great album, lots of song gems on it.
Sadly, he left us way too soon. I am sure he is singing in the heavens.
bruceandjenna wrote:
Fourteen years later, you must really be upset.
Hell yeah. I still am.
Fourteen years later, you must really be upset.
Hell yeah. I still am.
I was doin' stuff and came around the corner and on the HFi comes Israel Kamakawiwo'ole singing clear as a damn bell "Hawai'i 78" and it just about knocked me over. Tears were streaming down my face thinking he's gone. That is, till I said, aloud, without thinking "He's NOT dead..." As long as I can get my hand to the volume knob...
Universal Woeful Lament
Call somewhere Paradise, Kiss it Goodbye. Seen it over and over in seven decades...
Gotta keep on moving, from time to time.
RIP Brother Iz
Call somewhere Paradise, Kiss it Goodbye. Seen it over and over in seven decades...
Gotta keep on moving, from time to time.
RIP Brother Iz
More relevant now than ever before. Not just for Hawai'i.
Oh dear, what a mess we have made. Sorry Kids.
Oh dear, what a mess we have made. Sorry Kids.
Haunting and beautiful. Not sure how I've never heard this before.
BooKitty wrote:
Imagine that now!
Someone should do an equivalent song about how our founding fathers would feel about the idiot w as our president. Cry for the country, cry for the people, cry for the environment, etc, etc...
Imagine that now!
hcaudill wrote:
Most people do not consider the Borg as the hero.
TeddiB wrote:
What a glorious, beautiful place we stole! We also destroyed a people in the process.
Sentimental pap. Do you think the people in other polynesian islands that were never colonized are so much better off today? That they wouldn't be paving paradise over with condo-min-i-ums if they had the resources to do so?
Most people do not consider the Borg as the hero.
hcaudill wrote:
Sounds like what someone who considers 'them' to be savages would say. Long Live RP and ALL HUMANITY EVERYWHERE!!
TeddiB wrote:
What a glorious, beautiful place we stole! We also destroyed a people in the process.
Sentimental pap. Do you think the people in other polynesian islands that were never colonized are so much better off today? That they wouldn't be paving paradise over with condo-min-i-ums if they had the resources to do so?
Sounds like what someone who considers 'them' to be savages would say. Long Live RP and ALL HUMANITY EVERYWHERE!!
eeching2004 wrote:
À chacun son goût.
Okay. Who gave it a "1"? Fess up. Can't you HEAR?
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.À chacun son goût.
He really has a beautiful voice.
BooKitty wrote:
Fourteen years later, you must really be upset.
Someone should do an equivalent song about how our founding fathers would feel about the idiot w as our president. Cry for the country, cry for the people, cry for the environment, etc, etc...
Fourteen years later, you must really be upset.
Brings me to tears...such soulful sentiment. Powerful message.
Paradise
Yes, I remember it well. The "Indian" guy's name was Iron Eyes Cody, and he'd played in a lot of Western in the '40s and '50s. Except he was not really an Indian (click here)
hcaudill wrote:
Sentimental pap. Do you think the people in other polynesian islands that were never colonized are so much better off today? That they wouldn't be paving paradise over with condo-min-i-ums if they had the resources to do so?
Ignorant apologist. Do you really think the world is so simple? Get a clue about Micronesian cultural traditions, learn some history, and then maybe you'll have some standing to run your mouth off. Maybe.
Yet another first for me, thanks to RP. Simply beautiful.
katschi wrote:
Is this the same artist who did the medley of Over the Rainbow and It's a Wonderful World?
Yes, it's on the same album. Defintely a must-buy.
CrowCommunications wrote: Years ago, many years ago there used to be a public service announcement that had an American Indian cry as he walked along garbage strewn highways up to a landfill. This is what PSAs were like on 70's TV.
Does anyone remember it besides me? The scenes described in the lyrics are almost exact matches. Moving.
The strings are wonderful and lilting. Certainly this is not a mainstream song to be overplayed - same as no-one would play the same Verdi tune all day. So I agree with posters on the low ratings "to the pop ear" but the musical work is so beautifully orchestrated and, for me, lovely reminiscient of a great and non-angry social message of yesteryear that's seldom produced today.
Thanks to RP for experiences like this.
Yes, I remember it well. The "Indian" guy's name was Iron Eyes Cody, and he'd played in a lot of Western in the '40s and '50s. Except he was not really an Indian (click here)
CrowCommunications wrote: Years ago, many years ago there used to be a public service announcement that had an American Indian cry as he walked along garbage strewn highways up to a landfill. This is what PSAs were like on 70's TV.
Does anyone remember it besides me? The scenes described in the lyrics are almost exact matches. Moving.
The strings are wonderful and lilting. Certainly this is not a mainstream song to be overplayed - same as no-one would play the same Verdi tune all day. So I agree with posters on the low ratings "to the pop ear" but the musical work is so beautifully orchestrated and, for me, lovely reminiscient of a great and non-angry social message of yesteryear that's seldom produced today.
Thanks to RP for experiences like this.
Yes, I do remember that PSA - it wasn't on the air for very long.
This is a beautiful song.
Is this the same artist who did the medley of Over the Rainbow and It's a Wonderful World?
TeddiB wrote:
What a glorious, beautiful place we stole! We also destroyed a people in the process.
Sentimental pap. Do you think the people in other polynesian islands that were never colonized are so much better off today? That they wouldn't be paving paradise over with condo-min-i-ums if they had the resources to do so?
not one of my favorites by him but I do love his voice! He has such a silly side too! The live records are sooo fun!
ploafmaster wrote:
Hold on - do you mean that we're all entitled to our opinion except when it comes to music? Or at least what you think is music?
That's rediculous. Sorry.
Have to say I'm with ploafmaster. Just because this song does not appeal to me musically, does not mean that I am against the artist's message.
I guess I'm disappointed to find as much close-mindedness on the "other side of the fence" that we find in the W camp. I'm sure the next question directed at ploaf will be "why do you hate Hawaii so much?" Shame on all of you with that mindset of "if you're not with us, you're against us."
eeching2004 wrote:
Okay. Who gave it a "1"? Fess up. Can't you HEAR?
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.
Hold on - do you mean that we're all entitled to our opinion except when it comes to music? Or at least what you think is music?
That's rediculous. Sorry.
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.Someone should do an equivalent song about how our founding fathers would feel about the idiot w as our president. Cry for the country, cry for the people, cry for the environment, etc, etc...
Okay. Who gave it a "1"? Fess up. Can't you HEAR?
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.
We're all entitled to our opinion, but this is music.How can it be this has a rating of only 6.1?
Stunning music. A 9...
Feeling terribly unsophisticated, having never heard of this guy before. I want to hear more -- much more -- of his works.
The message is so touching. 
Mahalo Brotha IZ
jamiezocean wrote:
shame on you JamieR, no respect for a majestic land like Hawaii. i am so sick of haoles who go on vacations to these wonderful places with zero respect for the culture. Iz is the man and apparently, you're not.
Yup, that makes perfect sense---wait, no, NO, it doesn't.
He's expressing that he doesn't like it. He said what the song reminded him of.
How is disliking a song disrespectful to a cluture? And how are you able to insult him just because you disagree?
Man, they sell this guy's stuff in like EVERY convenience/general store on Maui...
First time I heard any of it, and for now it's a 5 - Decent.
Avatard wrote:
Time to put this one on a burning raft and push it out to sea.
No, I'm putting you on that raft instead...
lalindalinda wrote:
C'mon, are people that stupid that they don't know who IZ is? What a wonderful world it would be indeed if they disappeared...
A beautiful song from an artist who too soon left us...
Isn't this Adam Sandler?
Yes, about 6 of them.
C'mon, are people that stupid that they don't know who IZ is? What a wonderful world it would be indeed if they disappeared...
A beautiful song from an artist who too soon left us...
Isn't this Adam Sandler?
All the COOL people are called ISRAEL....
Hmm.....Israel Trekhead.... dour smile.
Alright whose nickname wants to marry mine??
Huh?!
C'mon! I'm quite the catch!
You are truly missed Isreal. I love this song, such a beautiful statement about a displaced people.
tg3k wrote:
This song's not really my cup o' tea, but I gotta admire and respect him for putting it out there. To me, Iz's personal heart and emotion behind the message shows through in the music.
Most definitely- Iz has wonderful heart & soul. (....but not my cup-o-tea either!)
sujomgmt wrote:
Simply beautiful!!
I agree
This song's not really my cup o' tea, but I gotta admire and respect him for putting it out there. To me, Iz's personal heart and emotion behind the message shows through in the music.
Simply beautiful!!
Drummer4soul wrote:
His voice is pure and he sings from his great big heart. God bless him where ever he is.
True. I also liked the guitar at the beginning of the song. I wish modern/indie rock would adopt a more middle eastern sound for acoustic guitar playing.
deckside wrote:
that toby keith reference is f-in hysterical!
Political? Lamenting the fact your people were decimated and your land stolen is way past political. Belittling brother Israel's cry to his Gods as whining shows your limited xenophobic view of the world and its ills. Perhaps you would prefer some Toby Keith? Simple songs for a simple mind.
awesome awesome response deckside. that toby keith reference is f-in hysterical!
Wow - I was gonna login to give this song one of my very few sucko-barfo ratings but I saw it was Iz. He's a lot better than this song would lead one to believe. Now, what about that rating........
His voice is pure and he sings from his great big heart. God bless him where ever he is.
We go from The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins and Death Cab for Cutie to this. You gotta love Radio Paradise. When they say eclectic, they certainly mean it... :) This song is kind of "eh" to me, but to each his own. Not really my style of music to begin with.
physicsgenius wrote:
Wow, if you are going to have over-the-top political whining in the lyrics at least make the music listenable.
Now this is just stupid. You could call me a conservative republican, but I've always been too spellbound by the music of this to even notice the lyrics. Now that you've pointed them out, I hear them, and you know what? You're still stupid.
physicsgenius wrote:
Wow, if you are going to have over-the-top political whining in the lyrics at least make the music listenable.
Political? Lamenting the fact your people were decimated and your land stolen is way past political. Belittling brother Israel's cry to his Gods as whining shows your limited xenophobic view of the world and its ills. Perhaps you would prefer some Toby Keith? Simple songs for a simple mind.
drew wrote:
Nice, like a cross between old Genesis & Don Ho. Mahalo
Is it possible to mention Genesis and Don Ho in the same paragraph? Don Ho is to Hawaiian music what Vanilla Ice is to hip-hop.
Wow, if you are going to have over-the-top political whining in the lyrics at least make the music listenable.
Nice, like a cross between old Genesis & Don Ho. Mahalo
Izzy's the man. He badly needed a better lyricist, though.
JamieR wrote:
all this reminds me of is Beavis and Butthead when they were singing bung-hoool-llleoooo. 
shame on you JamieR, no respect for a majestic land like Hawaii. i am so sick of haoles who go on vacations to these wonderful places with zero respect for the culture. Iz is the man and apparently, you're not.
It is hard to find another who sings so authentically from the heart with such a soulful range of feeling. Iz. Yeah.
RIP, Iz. :daisy.gif: One of the purest voices ever. Very nice song.
perry wrote:
Sorry, but the song was just way too literal minded.
I agree. The music and his voice are mysterious, but the lyrics aren't at all.
While there is a bit too much of the "true believer" feel to the lyrics for me, the voice is majestic. His emotions come through in this song in an almost physical sense. I describe his voice to friends as being that of the Hawaiian version of a gospel singer.
I suppose you can be a wise-ass about this sort of song, but why? Either you make an emotional connection or you don't.
The man is gone, but I hear his stuff here, on NPR, and a number of college stations. While this song may never find a *huge* audience, I imagine it will survive it's detractor's comments quite easily.
all this reminds me of is Beavis and Butthead when they were singing bung-hoool-llleoooo.
Does a great take on Somewhere Over the Rainbow into What a Wonderful World.
Naaaa-ice..ssssss this is new to me. Way to go RP. Thanks
A very beautiful, very sad song.
hurrrrrr. I do not have the Hawaiian music gene.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Peyote wrote:
I could listen to Iz all day!! 
Sometimes do!!
with a couple of peyote bites I could lsiten to your mama snoring too...
You guys are killin' me...it's not bedtime here yet!Holy Kamakawiwo'ole, Batman!
That's niiiiiice!
:daisy.gif:
The voice of a saint. Hope he's entertaining the angels.
Aaaah!
Bruddah Iz.
Mahalo! :sunny.gif:
First time I've heard this and I happen to like it. He has a beautiful voice and seems to sing effortlessly. Perhaps it is my LOVE of Hawaii....
Possibly the best voice I've heard on RP (or anywhere else for that matter) pure, not strained and with perfect diction.
Absolutly amazing.
I think that there was a political message in there, but I lost it in listening in wonder to the voice.
Sorry, but the song was just way too literal minded. Sincere to a fault. Some of the lyrics sounded like they came straight from the Alfred Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest. The music was not particularly stunning either.
I could listen to Iz all day!!
Sometimes do!!
I'm sure it's a heartfelt message and all, but this song just doesn't float my outrigger canoe.
:headshake:
I like Hawai'i very much, but not for the music. This has at least no slack guitar. It's a decent tune to my likings.
gilmorecairns wrote:
music I can do, it's the con-do-min-i-ums that kill it for me. Message is good, but maybe shouldn't rhyme.
Then do it, don't make it rhyme and since you're at it, sing like that and try, I mean TRY getting the respect this big fellow got before leaving us.
This is beautiful. Stopped going to Hawaii in '78.
Man, this sounds like Mandy Patinkin. Think I might tune out for the rest of this set...
robinesque wrote:
I feel the opposite - the lyrics are maudlin, but the music is pretty.
music I can do, it's the con-do-min-i-ums that kill it for me. Message is good, but maybe shouldn't rhyme.
yermum wrote:
Brutal. Just Brutal.
Message notwithstanding.
Musically reprehensible. Is that too strong?
I feel the opposite - the lyrics are maudlin, but the music is pretty.
TeddiB wrote:
It always brings chills to me and an intense sadness. What a glorious, beautiful place we stole! We also destroyed a people in the process. This song exemplefies those emotions.
Ted
Destroyed's not really accurate. The big land owners marginalized Hawaiian people with their lack of interest and disdain. Fortunately there is a huge revival going on among the 250,000 people in Hawaii with Hawaiian blood. More than a great musician, Iz was a true leader.
Wow, Israel! I haven't ever heard him on the airwaves outside of Hawai'i. Good music. Sad, but the same coud be said for just about everywhere that humans have moved to. Heck, the islands still have good vibes.
islands still have good vibes. It always brings chills to me and an intense sadness. What a glorious, beautiful place we stole! We also destroyed a people in the process. This song exemplefies those emotions.
Ted
So I empathize entirely with the message, and yet as a song... it's just not doing it for me. Maybe it's too literal? I don't know. I think that con-do-min-i-ums is just not a good hook.
Sweet, soft music. :-$
Just not into this at all, unfortunately.
Brutal. Just Brutal.
Message notwithstanding.
Musically reprehensible. Is that too strong?
Incredible..Much better than his cover of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' that we hear quite often on RP. Very soulful and heartfelt.
Man that guy was good.
Nice and mellow. Little slow, but good spirit.
Always makes me tear up -- damn IZ could sing
a peaceful song
Very beautiful... good message.
:D
Can\'t think of any words....
“Years ago, many years ago there used to be a public service announcement that had an American Indian cry as he walked along garbage strewn highways up to a landfill. This is what PSAs were like on 70's TV. Does anyone remember it besides me? “ Yes. The reason there were any PSA’s at all is that when the FCC was first created and chartered, our legislators saw (correctly, IMO) that the airwaves were a public resource belonging to We The People. Therefore, when they sold lease rights for specific bandwidths to private interests, for broadcast purposes, they felt the People’s transfer of use rights, but not ownership, needed to include PSA's so the People’s daily needs for community service were met. I cannot find it now, but my recollection is that the original number of hours of PSA’s (free public service announcements) was 25hrs per week. I suspect that the “news” qualified as a PSA back in the day, but now not so much unless it is PBS or a non-profit, like a university news program. Times have changed, the FCC has increasingly been co-opted by private media conglomerates, who very much have non-public motives in any and everything they broadcast, which is why so many of us are ardent supporters of RP. Long live RP!
for those of us who appreciate non commercial radio and can’t afford due too a fixed income, we appreciate it s-curvey