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This is a song to honor the royal chief Honoring the heavenly ruler above the clouds He governs with love From the Chrysanthemum Throne Born in the Showa era In the Land of the Rising Sun The heir apparent He ascended to the throne His majesty the emperor lives in the Imperial Palace With his lovely Empress They compose a classical form of poetry And he plays the cello He rules in the era called universal peace Cherished with pride By all the Japanese people From Hokkaido to Okinawa Placed in a position of great honor He is the only Emperor Anywhere There are no other emperors in the world This is an expression of great aloha A song for His Majesty, the Emperor The chief of the Island nation The benevolent chief of Japan The story is told Honoring the heavenly ruler He governs with love From the Chrysanthemum Throne |
Source: Keith Haugen: hakumele@aol.com - Believed to be the first song or musicial tribute written to honor a specific Japanese emperor, Keith Haugen composed the mele after he returned from a Sept. 2007, concert performance in Japan, to honor Japan's emperor in the typical Hawaiian tradition. Released to coincide with the emperor's arrival in Hawai`i on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, Haugen wrote the melody for the new song in a pentatonic (5-tone) scale to give it a more Japanese "sound, blending `ukulele and shamisen, art forms from two genre and two distinctive ancient cultures, Hawaiian and Japanese. It was also recorded as a chant featuring Kumu Hula Kaha`i Topolinski with kakegoe, ( Noh drama vocalization) and the traditional sounds of Japanese taiko drumming (kozutsumi and odaiko) added by Taiko Master Kenny Endo. For more information see Keith Haugen's website: hakumele@aol.com |
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