The sound of the islands, a melody,
Filled with harmony
The sound of the islands,
The surf and sea,
A beautiful memory.

The wind in the palm trees from high above,
The sound of a steel guitar,

I hear ukuleles, a song of love,
I long to be where you are.

The sound of the islands is in the air,
Calling me everywhere
The sound of the islands will always be
Love and aloha to me.
A beautiful memory!

Ke kani mai Hawaiʻi, he mele e,
Piha me ka hauʻoli,
Ke kani mai Hawaiʻi,
Na nalu o ke kai,
Na nani hoʻomanaʻo mau ia.

ʻOwe kamakani i nā lau niu,
Ke kani a na kikakila,

Lohea nā ʻukulele, ka mele aloha,
ʻIʻini au e hoʻi me ʻoe.

Ke kani mai Hawaiʻi

Ke kani mai Hawai`i e mau ana `ia,
Aloha mau au `ia `oe.
Na nani ho`omana`o mau ia!

Source: Kokua Records, PO Box 8100, Honolulu, HI 96830  The mele was originlly written with English lyrics and later transcribed into Hawaiian. Recorded internationally in 8 languages and probably the composer's best-known piece, this song was written for and dedicated to the Reverend Abraham Akaka. The composer was inspired by his well-known sermon, in which he compares the four major ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi to the four strings of the ukulele. He explained how these strings must be " kept in tune" in order to produce the harmony of beautiful music, and so must the brown, black, yellow and white races keep their own harmony with one another. That is why the song begins with the playing of the four open strings of the ukulele: G - C - E - A. This mele won a prize in the Search for Songs contest in 1975. © 1975, Nancy M. Gustafsson.