(Notes: If you dislike something on these pages, my apology for disturbing your peace. If you like something, sing it out loud. If you have time, do your own translations or trans-creations and see what happens…)
Song #1:
Aloha Oe
(These lyrics are inspired by the life, devotion and courage of Queen Lili’uokalani, and are not a direct translation of the original Hawaiian song)
Koolau’s rains (G) proudly soar (C) above the pali (G)
Nourishing lives (D7) among the forests afar
Following green slopes (G) outward bound (C) to greet the blue sea (G)
Kissing the ahihi (C) lehua (D7) along the land (G)
G G7
(C) Aloha Oe, (G) Aloha Oe
To those (D7) who’ve toiled and ‘ve bled for this blessed land (G G7)
(C) One fond embrace
(G) Though I may have departed
Until (D7) we meet again (G)
Old memories of years past come flooding back to me
The faces, the smiles and the tears sharply recalled
My compatriots, you are mine and I’m always yours
Together we shall live all as one
Aloha my land, Aloha my love
To those who’ve toiled and ‘ve bled for this blessed land
One fond embrace
Though I may have departed
Until we meet again
I have seen and have felt the kindness of your hearts
Brightest roses on the hills of Maunawili
A safe harbor for flocks of birds to shelter
Looking after one another until the day
Aloha Oe, Aloha Oe
To those who’ve toiled and ‘ve bled for this land we all love
One fond embrace
Though I may have departed
I’m sure we’ll meet again
***
Aloha Oe
Haaheo ka ua inā pali
Ke nihi aela kanahele
E hahai ana ika liko
Pua āhihi lehuao uka
Aloha oe, aloha oe
E ke onaona noho ika lipo
A fond embrace, a hoi ae au
Until we meet again
Ka halia aloha kai hiki mai
Ke hone ae nei i kuʻu manawa
O oe nō kaʻu aloha
A loko e hana nei
Maopopo kuu ike ika nani
Nā pua rose o Maunawili
I laila hoohie nā mau u
Mikiala ika nani oia pua
Song #2:
Bella Ciao
(This is not a direct translation of the original Italian folk song)
***
One fateful morning (Em)
I was awoken (Em)
Oh, bella ciao (C), bella ciao (C), bella ciao, ciao, ciao (Em)
That fateful morning (Am)
My country was inflamed (Em)
By the swords (B7) of the invaders (Em)
My compatriots
Please take me with you
Oh, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
My compatriots
Please take me along
So we could fight another day
And if I should die
Fighting for my country
Oh, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
And when I had died
Fighting for my country
Please bury me among my friends
Please bury me there
Top of the mountain
Oh, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
Please bury me here
On this old mountain
So I could see my old country
When all the people
Walked by our mountain
Oh, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
They’d see wild flowers
Dancing in cool breeze
Smiling with our new country
These are the flowers
From the graves of those patriots
Oh, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
And here are my flowers
To those who have fallen
For the freedom of our land
Song #3:
Aline
(A translation from French to English)
Didn’t know why I drew
On shifting sand dunes
A face so sweet
Yet a smile so distant
Then came the rain
Eclipsed the beaches
Amidst that storm
My Aline disappeared
Chorus:
How I did shout and pleaded, Aline, where had she gone?
How I cried out and begged her, oh please, please return
Alone there I sat
Embraced by sorrows
The beauty that I drew
Was beside me no more
I searched for her
Among the sand dunes
Without a hope
To guide or misguide (me)
Chorus:
How I did shout and pleaded, Aline, where had she gone?
How I cried out and begged her, oh please, please return
I could only recall
A gentle sweet face
The tears on the sand
Were they mine or the rain’s?
Chorus:
How I did shout and pleaded, Aline, where had she gone?
How I cried out and begged her, oh please, please return
***
J’avais dessi-[C]né sur le [E7] sable son doux vi-[F]sage qui me sour-[G7]iait Puis il a [C] plu sur cette [E7] plage, dans cet or-[F]age, elle a dispa-[G7]ru
Et j’ai cri-[C]é, cri-[E7]é A-[F]line pour qu’elle re-[G7]vienne Et j’ai pleu-[C]ré, pleu-[E7]ré, oh! [F] j’avais trop de [G7]peine
Je me suis as-[C]sis auprès de mon [E7]âme, mais la belle [F] dame s’était [G7]enfuie Je l’ai cher-[C]chée sans plus y [E7] croire, et sans un es-[F]poir, pour me guider [G7]
Et j’ai cri-[C]é, cri-[E7]é A-[F]line pour qu’elle re-[G7]vienne Et j’ai pleu-[C]ré, pleu-[E7]ré, oh! [F] j’avais trop de [G7]peine
Je n’ai gar-[C]dé que ce doux vi-[E7]sage comme une é-[F]pave sur le sable mouil-[G7]lé
Et j’ai cr-i[C]é, cri-[E7]é A-[F]line pour qu’elle rev-[G7]ienne Et j’ai pleu-[C]ré, pleu-[E7]ré, oh[F]! j’avais trop de [G7]peine
cricket kihei's garden 