Subject: Bird Songs
Date: Jul 11 10:58:05 2002
From: Ed Schulz - eschulz at gte.net


Tweets,
I have long enjoyed the nature imagery, references, and metaphors in the music of Hawaii. One of my favorite is the song " 'Ulili E ", which is about the Wandering Tattler. The translation to English goes:

Chorus:
The sandpiper
The sandpiper returns
Sandpiper runs along the beach
Where the sea is peaceful and calm
The voice of the sandpiper is soft and sweet
Little bird of the sea foam
Ever watchful on the beaches
Where the sea is calm
The voice of the 'ulili is soft and sweet
How are you, stranger? Very well
You grace our land
Where the sea is always calm

The original Hawaiian lyrics are:

Hui:
'Ulili e (ahahana `ulili ehehene `ulili ahahana)
`Ulili ho`i (ehehene `ulili ahahana `ulili ehehene)
`Ulili holoholo kahakai e
O ia kai ua lana malie
Hone ana ko leo e `ulili e
O kahi manu noho `ae kai
Kia`i ma ka lae a o kekaha
`O ia kai ua lana malie
Hone ana ko leo ko leo e
Pehea `o Kahiki? Maika`i no
O ia `aina `uluwehiwehi
I hui pu `ia me ke onaona

`Ulili E - by George Keahi & Naope

Source: J. Kanoa Martin - This verse is the only extant part of an old mele about birds and their calls that migrate to Hawaii. The ulili, wandering tattler (heteroscelus incanum) or sandpiper breeds in Alaska and the Yukon and migrates to Hawaii in the winter. Copyright Criterion Music Corp Translator unknown.

Two good renditions of this song are done by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole on the ALONE IN IZ WORLD cd and by Dennis and David Kamakahi on the 'OHANA cd.

A great website devoted to connecting nature conservation and Hawaiian culture is: http://hoolono.org/songtabl.html The site also audio clips of much of the music.

Ed Schulz
Everett, WA
-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Yorgason-Quinn <avosetta at hotmail.com>
To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 6:33 PM
Subject: Bird Songs


Ian and Tweeters,

I can't believe no one has responded to your plea for pheasant bird songs:

(1) In "The Seasons" by Loreena McKennett (album "To drive the Cold Winter Away), a hunter "Fetched them a woodcock, a partridge, and a pheasant."
(2) Will a grouse do? "Tufted Grouse" is one of MANY birds mentioned in Johnny Mercer's "Bob White," recorded by dozens, but best done by Johnny Mercer and Bobby Darin in duet on the 1960 album, "Two of a Kind."

Now, Ian, any answers to your chicken song request? I don't know that one, unless it is related to "Chickery Chick" by Sammy Kaye, or Cab Calloway's "A Chicken Ain't Nothing but a Bird" or "Twee-Twee-Tweet."

And by the way, John F., "The Way I Feel" about the Robin is by Gordon Lightfoot.

Thanks to this slow-bird day thread, I am filling in a few holes in my collection.


Diane Yorgason-Quinn
Gig Harbor, WA
Avosetta at hotmail.com