Greatest Hits from Hawaii - The Waikikis (Instrumentals)

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1977 MCA Records - Printed in U.S.A.
MCA-547
(Formerly KS-3612)
Side 1
1. BEYOND THE REEF (0:00)
2. NOW IS THE HOUR* (2:43)
3. TINY BUBBLES (5:53)
4. THE MOON OF MANAKOORA* (8:00)
5. PEARLY SHELLS (11:29)
6. THE HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG (13:21)
All Selections Cleared Through ASCAP
Side 2
1. SONG OF THE ISLANDS (16:55 bmi)
2. SWEET LEILANI (19:29 ascap)
3. LOVELY HULA HANDS* (22:26 ascap)
4. BALI HA'I* (25:05 ascap)
5. ALOHA OE (Farewell To Thee)* (28:35 p.d.)
*Produced By Roland Kluger
*Engineer Pierre Dupriez
*Arrangement And Musical Supervision By Willy Albimoor
*Studio: Madeleine-Brussels
To be sure, there's a fairyland "escapism" attached to Hawaii and the Islands. And no lure of the Islands has been more effective in perpetuating the sweet serenity of life and enduring romance aura of this locale than its music.
No wonder, then, that the hardtimes of the 30's brought with this period a remarkable interest in Hawaiian music, so much so that the great mainland songwriters such as Jerome Kern, Richard Rogers, Frank Loesser, Alfred Newman and Harry Owens contributed many compositions in this vein. Harry Owens' "Sweet Leilani." in fact, was the winner of the Academy Award in 1937 as Best Song.
Over the past 30 years, Hawaiin music has maintained a strong appeal, with songs like "Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Lovely Hula Hands" among the more recent international successes. Their melodies were penned by native Hawaiians Charles King and R. Alex Anderson. And, of course, Rodgers & Hammerstein mirrored to perfection the Siren-like call of the Islands in "Bali Ha'i" from their 1949 musical, "South Pacific."
An interpretation of these great favorites that captures all that one wants to believe about the Islands is offered by the Waikikis. Guitars, naturally, hold sway, sometimes lightened by a soft or snappy rythmic beat.
Some may say that the "escapism" one associates with Hawaii is the quest for the impossible dream. But, dreaming in itself is not wrong. The Waikikis and their collection of songs are ever available to re-kindle a dream that most of us would like to see realized, not necessarily by the improbable chance of living in the yet uncharted parts of the Islands, but anywhere we hang out hats. The Waikikis supply a superb soundtrack to accompany our dreams.