Check out Putumayo’s Hawaiian Playground
Alfred Apakais maybe the most recognizable of the classic Hawaiian pop artists. Anything by him (although his stuff tends to be rather slow…this oneis a bit less so)
Some Hawaiian-themed pop songs include:
The Hukilau Song
My Little Grass Shack(here performed by Leon Redbone)
Aloha Oe (The Hawaiian “national anthem”, written by Hawaii’s last Queen)
Also check out the Original Hilo Hawaiians (example)
Also here’s a bunch of old Hawaiiansteel guitar songs.
There are at least two vocal versions of the Five-O theme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnCEVOSarqwOh yeah – and for a really ridiculous novelty song, I give you “Luau Cha Cha Cha” by Annette. (And if you have to ask “Annette who?”, get off of my lawn.) Two late 60s fads rolled into one gloriously cheesy package.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so old as when I told my teenage daughter “Oh, no! Annette Funicello’s died!” and she replied “Who’s Annette Funicello?”
Here are a couple of other Golden Oldies submitted for your approval:
I have a similar playlist that I bust out every time I visit Hawaii, and it leads with Bing Crosby’s Mele Kalikimaka. Even though it’s a Christmas song. I don’t care
I knew those were the Andrews Sisters in the background!
Then there’s Jan & Dean’s “Honolulu Lulu”, but it might clash with some of the other stuff.
If you need atmospheric material to play in the background while people eat, there’s plenty of exotica, starting with Martin Denny…
Hanalei is on the North Shore of the island of Kauai, and I’ve seen Puff the Magic Dragon-themed T-shirts there.
Also from Lilo and Stitch - “He Mele No Lilo” by the same guy and children’s chorus.
I know it’s too late to un-do the edit, but consensus is nice!
Schweeeeet!
There’s also this version.