Palisa (Paris) - Traditional

 
Palisa aku nei au
I ka lele pâluna pôniuniu

Nanea i ka lele a ka pâluna
`Alawa iho `oe ani ka makani

`Inia aku nei au
I ke kau `elepani ihu peleleu

`Aikupika aku nei au
I ke kau kâmelo holo kapakahi

I Palisa aku nei au
Kûlanakauhale nani lua `ole
 
`Alawa iho `oe i kahi ki`i kole
Aia ma ka `ao`ao kona ki`i ki `oni

Mai punihei `oe i ka Haole
Ka lima palamino na `aukake

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
Kûlanakauhale nani lua `ole
I'm in Paris
Flying dizzily in a balloon

Fun to fly in a balloon
You look down and the wind blows by

I'm in India
Riding on an elephant with a long nose

I'm in Egypt
Riding a camel running sideways

I'm in Paris
City beautiful without an equal


Look at my dolly on its side
A key to make it move

Do not be fooled by the white man
Whose hands make sausages vanish

Tell the story
Of the city beautiful without an equal

 

Source: Nâ Mele o Hawai`i Nei by Elbert & Mahoe - This hula, popular at the California Fair of 1915, was composed by a youngster in a hospital, who had seen a movie and imagined himself in the exotic places mentioned in the song. The boy may have had Hansen's disease