Mele Kalikimaka
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Mele Kalikimaka is a Christmas song sung as a warm greeting from the island of Hawaii. The song takes its title from the Hawaiian language phrase "Mele Kalikimaka," the translation of "Merry Christmas." The Hawaiian language does not have as many sounds as the standard English Language (notably the letter R), and when Hawaiians heard the phrase "Merry Christmas", they tried to say it in their native tongue, thus was born "Mele Kalikimaka".
The song was written by Robert Alex Anderson who is better known to fans of Hawaiian and hapa haole music as R. Alex Anderson. One of the earliest recordings of this song was by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters in 1950 on Decca 27228(78rpm) / 9-27228(45rpm) and has been covered by several artists.
[edit] Notable versions
- Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
- Arthur Lyman
- KT Tunstall
- Chris Isaak
- Jimmy Buffett
- Reel Big Fish
- One Eighty
- Nick Hexum
- Bette Midler, from Cool Yule
- Blue Hawaiians, from Christmas On Big Island
- Willie K., from Willie Kalikimaka
- Orbie Custinger, from Mele Kalikimaka
- Kanilau, from Mele Kalikimaka From Kanilau
- Genoa Keawe & her hula maids, on the compilation album Vintage Hawaiian Treasures, Vol. 8: Santa's Gone Hawaiian!
- on the compilation Aloha Christmas 2004: Mele Kalikimaka
- as "Mele Kalikimaka Ia 'Oe" on Hawaiian Style Christmas
Jimmy Buffett, Christmas Island
[edit] Trivia
- It was famously used in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation during the scene where Clark Griswold dreams about having a pool in the backyard.
- It was played on one episode of "That 70's Show" called "The Best Christmas Ever" with Kitty Forman playing it on the organ until the sheriff stands by the Forman's Door and tries to take the tree away.
- In a Christmas episode of Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Lilo tries to teach Stitch how to say the song title.
