Kāua I Ka Huahuaʻi - by Prince William Pitt Leleiōhoku

 
Kāua i ka huahuaʻi
E ʻuhene lā i pili koʻolua
Pukukuʻi lua i ke koʻekoʻe
Hanu lipo o ka palai
 
Hui:
Auwē ka huaʻi lā
 
ʻAuhea wale ana ʻoe
E kaʻu mea e liʻa nei
Mai hōʻapaʻapa maiʻ`oe
O loaʻa pono kāua
 
I aloha wau iā ʻoe
I kāu hanahana pono
Laʻi aʻe ke kaunu me ia la
Hōʻapaʻapai ka manaʻo

 


Prince Leleiōhoku

You and I in the spray
Such joy, the two of us together
Embracing tightly in the coolness
Breathing deep of the palai fern
 
Chorus:
Oh, such spray
 
Listen
My desire
Don't linger
Lest we be found
 
I loved you
Your warmth
Calmed passion
Preventing thought


Source: Na Mele O Hawaiʻi Nei by Sam Elbert & Noelani Mahoe - This is a love ballad by Prince William Pitt Leleiōhokukalahoʻolewa (1854-1877), the brother of King David Kalākaua, Queen Liliuokalani and Princess Miriam Likelike. His name, "flight on the day of the full moon", commemorates the funeral of Kamehameha III. A gifted composer, it was believed he would have been a wise king had he not died prematurely of rheumatic fever, at age 22.
In the 1940ʻs, there was a parody based on this mele titled "Ta Ha Ua La". It was given English lyrics, an upbeat tempo and popularized by Spike Jones singing the lyrics in a guttural tone. It became known as the Hawaiian War Chant" and is often confused with "Kāua I Ka Huahuaʻi. the original song.