Sol Hoopii - Kauoha Mai (Keyhole Hula)

Details

Description

Sol Hoopii switched to electric lap steel around 1935 and developed a C# minor tuning (B D E G# C# E, bass to treble) which allowed more sophisticated chord and melody work than the open A or open G tunings in use at the time.

Lyrics

Uneune aku au
I ka pani puka -- 'ea
Ua pa'a mai loko
I ka läka 'ia -- 'ea

Kî'ei aku au
Ma ka puka kï -- 'ea
E honihoni 'ia ana
Kou ihu kapu -- 'ea

He aha nei hana
I ka waimaka -- 'ea
E ho'opulu a'e nei
I ku'u lihilihi -- 'ea

Ha'ina käu hana
Ke aloha 'ole -- 'ea
I ka läka a pa'a
Kauoha mai -- 'ea

It's sad. It's about finding a door locked shut, peeking through the keyhole, and seeing your honey being kissed.... what is this... tears are dampening my eyelashes... Tell again, what you're doing, without love, locked up tight ...