# What are the lyrics to Hawaiian War Chant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303 "2002-04-18T13:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/1 "2002-04-18T13:18:34Z")
What are the lyrics to **Hawaiian War Chant**? They start “Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai”. (Not looking for _The Lion King_ or Spike Jones lyrics.) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/2 "2002-04-18T13:34:16Z")
Hmmm . . . A Google search only turned up lots of CDs of it for sale, and the fact that it was written in 1929 by John Noble. Sorry—I can give you the naughty Bette Midler lyrics to it, if that’s any help . . . ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/3 "2002-04-18T13:53:19Z")
[http://www.spaceagepop.com/hawaiian.htm](http://www.spaceagepop.com/hawaiian.htm) [Kaua I Ka Huahua’i - by Prince Leleiohoku](http://www.huapala.org/Kaua_I_Ka_Huahuai.html) > [@](#): > > Kaua I Ka Huahua’i - by Prince Leleiohoku > > Kaua i ka huahua’i > E `uhene la'i pili ko'olua Pukuku`i lua i ke ko`eko`e > Hanu lipo o ka pa lai > > Hui: > Auwe ka hua`i la > > `Auhea wale ana `oe > E ka`u mea e li`a nei > Mai ho`apa`apa mai `oe O loa`a pono kaua > > I aloha wau ia `oe I kau hanahana pono La`i a`e ke kaunu me ia la Ho`apa`apa i ka mana`o > > English translation > > ]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 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/4 "2002-04-18T13:56:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*[http://www.spaceagepop.com/hawaiian.htm](http://www.spaceagepop.com/hawaiian.htm) > > [Kaua I Ka Huahua’i - by Prince Leleiohoku](http://www.huapala.org/Kaua_I_Ka_Huahuai.html) > > \*\* Forgot the liner notes- > [@](#): > > Source: Hawaii Music In Its History by Ruth L. Hausman, Na Mele O Hawai`i Nei by Sam Elbert & Noelani Mahoe - Known as the Hawaiian War Chant, this is really a love ballad. Prince William Pitt Leleiohokukalaho`olewa (1854-1877) was the brother of King David Kalakaua, 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. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/5 "2002-04-18T14:33:06Z")
Hmmm . . . I wonder which version the '29 John Noble one was? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/6 "2002-04-18T15:14:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Hmmm . . . I wonder which version the '29 John Noble one was? \*\* [http://home.swipnet.se/bigtony/slide/HawSongs.htm](http://home.swipnet.se/bigtony/slide/HawSongs.htm) > [@](#): > > Hawaiian War Chant - Hawaiian War Chant > > This song has had a very checkered history, having started life as a love song - “Kaua I Ka Huahua’i” (We two in the spray). It was written by Prince Leleiohuko, brother of Princess Liliuokalani, in the 1860s, and has, in fact, been recorded as originally concieved, in a slow and romantic mood. It was Johnny Noble who completely changed the tempo, although, strangely enough, not the words! Andy Iona and Ray Kinney later featured it at the Lexington Hawaiian Room as a “war chant”, and over the years it has been recorded hundereds of times in as many different ways. Perhaps the most famous version is Spike Jones’s hilarious “murder” of the song. It has also been recorded with the title “Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-lyrics-to-hawaiian-war-chant/104303/7 "2002-04-18T15:24:19Z")
Thanks, **astro**!