Source: Gilbert Belmudez - The composer first went to Hana, Maui, on a small Royal Hawaiian passenger plane in the spring of 1980. His first nights were spent at Wai`ânapanapa and by the waters of `Ohe`o gulch, now called Seven Sacred Pools. It was this uncommon introduction to Maui that gave him a sense of what the real Hawai`i was. He eventually settled in the Lahaina area but time and time again, would return to Hana. It was there, under the light of a campfire, that he began to write a sizeable collection of poems, lyrics and prose in an attempt to express the beauty of what he experienced. Part of this collection was issued a copyright in 1990, under the title "Maui Magic. The first drafts to You Ku`uipo were created as an ode to Hawai`i. Ku`u ipo being his name for the island itself. The final drafts to You Ku`uipo were completed in San Diego after he moved there in 1988. He completed the lyrics and in 1990, shared his creation with Willie Kahaialii, a musician he had come to know on Maui several years before. He approached Willie for collaboration and in one week's time Willie was able to musically translate what was in the composer's heart into the song, "You Ku`uipo". More background information available at: www.skywords.net
Lyrics ® © Gilbert Belmudez 1990, Music © Willie Kahaialii