Kaimana Hila (Diamond Head) - Words & music by Charles E. King


Click Title to Access Original Melody by Lani Lee ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Iwaho mâkou i Ka`alawai lâ
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila lâ
Kau mai i luna

Iwaho mâkou Kapi`olani Paka lâ
`I ka lina poepoe ho`oluhi kino
Aloha `ino

Iwaho mâkou Waikîkî lâ
`Ike i ka nani hale ho`onui `ike lâ
Ho`onui hana

Iwaho mâkou Maki `Ailana lâ
Ku`u pua lilia lana i ka wai lâ
Lana mâlie

Iwaho mâkou i ka Seaside lâ
`Ike i ka nani papa he`e nalu lâ
He`e mâlie

Iwaho mâkou `Âinahau lâ
`Ike i ka nani papa hinuhinu lâ
Hele mâlie

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana lâ
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila lâ
Kau mai i luna

We all went there on Ka`alawai shores
And gazed up at the grandeur of old Diamond Head
So majestic

We all went and saw Kapi`olani Park
To see a ring that exhausted the body
That is too bad

We all went and saw Waikîkî
To see a house that increased knowledge
And made much work

We all went and saw Makee Island
Beheld the beauty of the floating water lily
Sweet and peaceful

We all went to the Seaside Hotel
And looked with wonder at all the riders of the surf
Gliding swiftly


We all went to `Âinahau
And saw the beautiful shining surfboards
Moving gently

This is the end of the song
G
azed up at the grandeur of old Diamond Head
So majestic

Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies - This song relates the adventures of a group of friends on a Hawaiian holiday. Verse 1, stanza 1, Ka`alawai is the land below Diamond Head. They go to Kapiolani Park, dedicated in 1877, by King Kalakaua, and renowned for the beautiful oval horse race track, the ring, in verse 2, stanza 2. The exhaused body is that of the jockey. They watch the races, then meander through Maki (Makee) `Ailana, an island in the park. They marvel at the big hotels and stop for refreshments at the Seaside Inn, a favorite of kama`âina and malihini in the early 1900's. This hotel, situated on 10 acres of Waikîkî beachfront property, was demolished in 1920, to make way for the new Royal Hawaiian Hotel. They end their holiday with a leisurely stroll thru `Âinahau, the lush estate of Princess Miriam Likelike. The melody and lyrics as it is sung today, was popularized by Andy Cummings and is different from the original tune and lyrics. Translation from Hawaiian Melodies. Copyright 1916,1943, Charles E. King

 
New lyrics

Iwaho mâkou i ka`alawai lâ
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana Hila kau mai i luna

Iwaho mâkou Kapi`olani Paka
`Ike i ka nani lina poepoe
Lina poepoe ho`oluhi kino

Iwaho mâkou i Waikîkî lâ
`Ike i ka nani hale ho`onui
Hale ho`onui hana lâ

Iwaho mâkou Makee `Ailana lâ
`Ike i ka nani pua lilia
Pua lilia lana i ka wai lâ

Iwaho mâkou i ka Seaside lâ
`Ike i ka nani papa he`e nalu
Papa he`e nalu he`e mâlie

Iwaho mâkou `Ainahau lâ
`Ike i ka nani papa hinuhinu lâ
Papa hinuhinu hele mälie

Iwaho mâkou i ka pô nei
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana hila kau mai i luna

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana Hila kau mai i luna
Click Here to Access Newer Melody by Gippy Cooke

We were out at Ka`alawai
And saw the beauty of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, standing above

We were out at Kapi`olani Park
To see the circular racetrack
Circular racetrack that exhausted the body

We went out to Waikîkî
And saw the beautiful hotels
Hotels where some of us worked

We all went and saw Makee Island
And saw the beauty of the lily
Floating water lily

We all went to the Seaside Inn
And looked with wonder at all
The surf riders gliding calmly 

We all went to Ainahau
And gazed at the splendor
And strolled in the tranquility

We all went out last night
To see the grandeur of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, so majestic

Sing the refrain
See the grandeur of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, so majestic
 
 
 
Seaside Inn