Source: Jonathan
Wong - This song of
farewell between two
lovers is the most
famous of the
Queen's
compositions,
written in 1878. The
tune of the verse
resembles "The Rock
Beside the Sea",
composed by Charles
Crozat Converse and
published in
Philadephia, 1857.
The melody of the
chorus is remarkably
close to the chorus
of George Frederick
Root's composition,
"There's Music In
The Air", published
in 1854. There is a
manuscript of "Aloha
Oe" in Queen
Lili'uokalani's
handwriting in the
Bishop Museum.
Lahilahi Webb and
Virginia Dominis
Koch tell of a visit
by the queen and her
attendants to
Maunawili Ranch, the
home of Edwin Boyd
on windward Oahu. As
they started their
return trip to
Honolulu on
horseback up the
steep Pali trail,
the queen turned to
admire the view of
Kaneohe Bay. She
witnessed a
particularly
affectionate
farewell between
Colonel James Boyd
of her party and a
lovely young girl
from Maunawili. As
they rode up the
steep cliff and into
the swirling winds,
she started to hum
this melody weaving
words into a
romantic song. At
the top of the pali,
a cloud hung over
the mountain peak
and slowly floated
down Nu`uanu Valley.
The queen continued
to hum and completed
her song as they
rode the winding
trail down the
valley back to
Honolulu.
Translation by
Lili`uokalani
Queen Lili`uokalani,
age 53
( Final Arrangement By
Ray Pfob )
Sung By
Ray Pfob
Recorded By
Ray Pfob
On September 14th. 2007. - 2.06
P.M.
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