My Hawaiian name is Leilani. What a beautiful song. As a lullaby it's particularly sweet. The main dancer is beautiful, but the sitting dancers express the lyrics better with their hands. I'm always in Hawaii in my head.
The staging in the film is appropriate. While the lyrics suggest a love song, in fact Harry Owens wrote it for his newborn daughter Leilani only hours after her birth.
They do this! The song "Nancy, with the Laughing Face" as sung by Frank Sinatra, was said to be about his wife at the time, but after their divorce and all that entailed, the story changed to be his daughter Nancy. The lyrics don't fit a daughter, however, more a love song.
While Sweet Leilani won the 1937 Academy Award for Best Song, I'm sure that some who remember that year would have argued that the tune from another '37 film, The Hurricane (The Moon of Manakoora), should have won the Oscar. Coincidentally, both songs came from movies with south sea island themes. Thanks for posting the above video.
Hawaiian Music and Musicians (1979) pages 380--381: Sweet Leilani "sold a million records in a few weeks ... was on the Hit Parade for 28 consecutive weeks---a record that has never been equaled ... sales of recordings and sheet music have exceeded 26 million copies ... Oscar for the best song in 1938---one of only three songs that have won Oscars for best song presented by an individual" [other 2 were White Christmas (1942) and Baby It's Cold Outside (1949)].
It was fashionable at the time, in the '30s. There was a group calling themselves the Lecuona Cuban Boys who recorded Hawaiian style and of course, Cuban music. There was an English band, whose name I forget, but they played Hawaiian music and called themselves Hawaiian names. As you say, it was considered very exotic, to European and US eyes then.
Hey, I'm glad some people think so highly of it. Obviously people at the time felt that way. I like it, it's good, it was different, but I just think biggest hit of the year and an Oscar is a bit much.
she was so beautiful and what a film and cast. i can watch this over and over again. cheeky chip roddy doing a scouse accent was so funny but better than dick van dyke doing my accent
I can't believe this song beat out George Gershwin's posthumous Academy Award nomination for "They Can't That Away from Me", which history has proven to be a far superior and memorable song. Who remembers this all-around mediocre song today?
+William Forrest History has proven that this song is a keeper since it keeps getting redone by new artists every little bit. But as we all know, music is a matter of personal preference, and some like this better than "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and others don't. But what mattered most was the preference of the people who voted, and history has proven that they liked this better than Gershwin's song.
As with Oscars and other gongs, there is a large element of graft involved. This isn't exactly trite, but compared with a Gershwin song which came in 2nd, yes, it certainly was. Somebody paid somebody something, is my guess. Never mind, Gershwin's music prevailed as far superior in every way, eventually, and rightly so.
Bill Forrest you are wrong about what "history has proven". Sweet Leilani "sold a million records in a few weeks ... was on the Hit Parade for 28 consecutive weeks---a record that has never been equaled ... sales of recordings and sheet music have exceeded 26 million copies ... Oscar for the best song in 1938---one of only three songs that have won Oscars for best song presented by an individual". See George Kanahele 1979 pages 380--381.
I've just taken on a 13 yr old labrador, who's owner passed away. She loved this song, and Lani is named after this song.
every now and then I come here to escape. gorgeous.
My Hawaiian name is Leilani. What a beautiful song. As a lullaby it's particularly sweet. The main dancer is beautiful, but the sitting dancers express the lyrics better with their hands. I'm always in Hawaii in my head.
That's awesome Leilani is my middle name
The staging in the film is appropriate. While the lyrics suggest a love song, in fact Harry Owens wrote it for his newborn daughter Leilani only hours after her birth.
They do this! The song "Nancy, with the Laughing Face" as sung by Frank Sinatra, was said to be about his wife at the time, but after their divorce and all that entailed, the story changed to be his daughter Nancy. The lyrics don't fit a daughter, however, more a love song.
In 1973, I lived for a summer in Tahiti with the extended family of Miri Rei, who performs the drum dance about an hour into this film :).
It was a favorite of my father's. I still have his old record collection.
While Sweet Leilani won the 1937 Academy Award for Best Song, I'm sure that some who remember that year would have argued that the tune from another '37 film, The Hurricane (The Moon of Manakoora), should have won the Oscar. Coincidentally, both songs came from movies with south sea island themes. Thanks for posting the above video.
This gives me the chills, this is beautiful
BEAUTIFUL SONG. LOVE IT
NILANI SIRIWARDENA.
Elvis and Nancy Sharpe sing this song to PERFECTION!
Wonderful music and voice. This might have inspired Elvis when he recorded Blue Hawaii.
But, am I mistaken? The Elvis Presley "Blue Hawaii" was same title but totally different song, from my memory. Nothing like.
Hawaiian Music and Musicians (1979) pages 380--381: Sweet Leilani "sold a million records in a few weeks ... was on the Hit Parade for 28 consecutive weeks---a record that has never been equaled ... sales of recordings and sheet music have exceeded 26 million copies ... Oscar for the best song in 1938---one of only three songs that have won Oscars for best song presented by an individual" [other 2 were White Christmas (1942) and Baby It's Cold Outside (1949)].
Not "Baby it's Cold Outside". The 3rd one was "In The Cool Cool Cool of the Evening"
Hawaii was a very remote inaccessible place for the regular public so anything Hawaiian was very exotic.
It was fashionable at the time, in the '30s. There was a group calling themselves the Lecuona Cuban Boys who recorded Hawaiian style and of course, Cuban music. There was an English band, whose name I forget, but they played Hawaiian music and called themselves Hawaiian names. As you say, it was considered very exotic, to European and US eyes then.
Oh, yes, Edmundo Ross was his name (not especially Hawaiian, but his style was)...aka Ted Ross.
Apparently the 'stealing of the nose' is as old as the hills. ;)
Somehow..this song beat Gershwin's "They can't take that away from me" as incredible as that could be.
Hey, I'm glad some people think so highly of it. Obviously people at the time felt that way. I like it, it's good, it was different, but I just think biggest hit of the year and an Oscar is a bit much.
Bing could sing a nursery rhyme and it would be a best seller.
Elvis and Nancy Sharpe sing this song to PERFECTION!
my ñame is leilani, this makes me feel so much nostalgic idk why. I feel as if I heard it in a past life, it gives me so much chills.
I personally like the song XD
Not to mention also introduced a future Elvis Presley movie theme Blue Hawaii
Cannot BELIEVE this beat out George Gershwin for an Academy Award. It's nice, but uhhh
To think that Sweet Leilani won in the year of They Can't Take That Away From Me and That Old Feeling beggars belief. What were the Academy thinking?
Now I know where Elvis Presley come from.
It won an Oscar over Gershwin/Astaire.
@beejls It was also a super enormous mega hit, something which will probably always baffle me.
One word: Bing.
she was so beautiful and what a film and cast. i can watch this over and over again. cheeky chip roddy doing a scouse accent was so funny but better than dick van dyke doing my accent
I can't believe this song beat out George Gershwin's posthumous Academy Award nomination for "They Can't That Away from Me", which history has proven to be a far superior and memorable song. Who remembers this all-around mediocre song today?
+William Forrest Apparently Gershwin retitled the song: "Yes, yes, they can take that away from me".
+William Forrest History has proven that this song is a keeper since it keeps getting redone by new artists every little bit. But as we all know, music is a matter of personal preference, and some like this better than "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and others don't. But what mattered most was the preference of the people who voted, and history has proven that they liked this better than Gershwin's song.
As with Oscars and other gongs, there is a large element of graft involved. This isn't exactly trite, but compared with a Gershwin song which came in 2nd, yes, it certainly was. Somebody paid somebody something, is my guess. Never mind, Gershwin's music prevailed as far superior in every way, eventually, and rightly so.
Bill Forrest you are wrong about what "history has proven". Sweet Leilani "sold a million records in a few weeks ... was on the Hit Parade for 28 consecutive weeks---a record that has never been equaled ... sales of recordings and sheet music have exceeded 26 million copies ... Oscar for the best song in 1938---one of only three songs that have won Oscars for best song presented by an individual". See George Kanahele 1979 pages 380--381.
NOW- go look at Scott Walker's recent video for his song Epizootics!.. Holy shit, video. Plus--- last line of the song..?
Lovely song but they couldn't get real Hawaiian women to dance? lol