1937 single by Bing Crosby with Lani McIntyre and His Hawaiians
"Sweet Leilani " is a song featured in the 1937 film, Waikiki Wedding . It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song ,[ 2] and Bing Crosby 's record became one of the biggest hits of 1937 .[ 3] [ 4]
Harry Owens wrote the song on October 20, 1934 for his daughter Leilani, who was born the previous day. Leilani is a popular Hawaiian name, meaning "heavenly garland of flowers" (not "heavenly flower"). It also has a figurative meaning: Small Hawaiian children were carried on their parents' shoulders like a lei (garland), so the name took on the meaning "heavenly child."[citation needed ]
Prior to Waikiki Wedding , the song had been recorded by Sol Hoʻopiʻi under the title "Leilani" as the B-side of "Hawaiian Honeymoon" (Brunswick Records 55085).[ 5] [ 6]
Harry Owens and his Royal Hawaiians performed "Sweet Leilani" in the 1938 film Cocoanut Grove starring Fred MacMurray .[ 7]
Other versions
"Sweet Leilani" became a standard of popular and Hawaiian music, easy listening , and to some extent jazz ; and has occasionally been performed by country and rock artists. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive:
Albums
Harry Owens , Hawaii (1945)[ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
Andre Kostelanetz , Motion Picture Favorites (1948)
Rosemary Clooney with Harry James , Hollywood's Best (1952)[ 11]
Bing Crosby recorded the song again in 1954 for his album Bing: A Musical Autobiography .
Eddie Fisher , Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs (1955)[ 12]
Frank Chacksfield , South Sea Island Magic (1957)[ 13]
The King Sisters , Aloha (1957)[ 14] [ 15]
Marty Robbins , Song of the Islands (1957)[ 16]
Arthur Lyman , Hawaiian Sunset: The Sounds of Arthur Lyman (1958)[ 17]
André Kostelanetz , The Lure of Paradise (1959)[ 18] [ 19]
Les Paul and Mary Ford , Lovers' Luau (1959)[ 20] [ 21]
Billy Vaughn , Blue Hawaii (1959)[ 22] [ 23]
Andy Williams , To You Sweetheart, Aloha (1959)[ 24]
George Greeley , The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii (1960) Warner Bros. WS-1366 (LP)
101 Strings , In a Hawaiian Paradise (1961)[ 25] [ 26]
Nelson Riddle , Love Tide (1961)[ 27] [ 28]
Percy Faith , American Serenade (1963)[ 29] [ 30]
Burl Ives , On the Beach at Waikiki (1965)[ 31]
Roberto Delgado , Blue Hawaii (1965)[ 32]
Henry Mancini , The Academy Award Songs (1966)[ 33] [ 34]
Ray Conniff , Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album (1967)[ 35]
The Waikikis , Pearly Shells from Hawaii (1968)[ 36] [deprecated source ]
Don Ho , Hawaii's Greatest Hits (1970)[ 37] [ 38]
Roland Cazimero , Waikiki's Greatest Hits, Now! (1990)[ 39]
Chris Isaak , Baja Sessions (1996)[ 40]
Dennis Pavao , Sweet Leilani (1996)[ 41]
Ray Anthony , Dream Dancing in Hawaii (1997)[ 42]
Daniel Ho , Hawaiian Classics (1998)[ 43]
Sonny Rollins , This Is What I Do (2000)[ 44]
Teresa Bright , Tropic Rhapsody (2008)[ 45]
Selected compilations
See also
References
^ Decca 1000–1500 Numerical Listing 1175
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 134. ISBN 1-904994-10-5 .
^ Songs from the Year 1937
^ Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Bing Crosby with music sample
^ Brunswick 55000 series – The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project 55085
^ Hulapages: The Covers: 1930–39 Archived 2002-10-23 at the Wayback Machine 1936, "Leilani."
^ Internet Movie Database: Cocoanut Grove
^ Capitol Album Discography, Part 1: The 78-rpm Albums: 1 to 149 A-4
^ Capitol Album Discography, Part 2: The 10" Albums: 150 to 299 H-166
^ Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Harry Owens with music sample
^ Allmusic Ring Around Rosie/Hollywood's Best Rosemary Clooney Review with music sample
^ Allmusic Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs/Sings Irving Berlin/Broadway Classics Review with music sample
^ Allmusic South Sea Island Magic/In the Mystic East Frank Chacksfield Review with music sample
^ http://www.bsnpubs.com/capitol/previews/600-2999.pdf Capitol Records Discography, Continued T 808, p. 14.
^ Allmusic Aloha The King Sisters with music sample
^ Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Marty Robbins with music sample
^ Allmusic Hawaiian Sunset: The Sounds of Arthur Lyman with music sample
^ Discogs André Kostelanetz – Lure of Paradise
^ Allmusic The Lure of France/The Lure of Paradise André Kostelanetz with music sample
^ Discogs Les Paul & Mary Ford – Lovers' Luau
^ Allmusic Lover's Luau Les Paul & Mary Ford Review with music sample
^ Discogs Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra – Blue Hawaii
^ Allmusic Sail Along Silv'ry Moon/Blue Hawaii Billy Vaughn Review with music sample
^ Allmusic To You Sweetheart, Aloha Andy Williams Review with music sample
^ Discogs 101 Strings – In a Hawaiian Paradise
^ Allmusic Romantic Songs of the Sea 101 Strings Orchestra Review with music sample
^ Discogs Nelson Riddle – Love Tide
^ Allmusic Sea of Dreams/Love Tide Nelson Riddle with music sample
^ Percy Faith – Original Albums , American Serenade
^ Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Percy Faith with music sample
^ Allmusic A Little Bitty Tear: The Nashville Years 1961–1965 Burl Ives Review with music sample Disc 5, Track 19.
^ Allmusic Blue Hawaii Roberto Delgado Review
^ Allmusic The Academy Award Songs Henry Mancini Review with music sample
^ RCA Victor Discography Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine LSP-6013
^ Allmusic Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album with chart and music sample
^ Albums by The Waikikis: Pearly Shells from Hawaii – Rate Your Music
^ Discogs Don Ho – Hawaii's Greatest Hits
^ Allmusic Hawaii's Greatest Hits Don Ho with music sample
^ Allmusic Waikiki's Greatest Hits, Now! Roland Cazimero with music sample
^ Allmusic Baja Sessions Chris Isaak Review with chart and music sample
^ Allmusic Sweet Leilani Dennis Pavao
^ Allmusic Dream Dancing in Hawaii Ray Anthony with music sample
^ Allmusic Hawaiian Classics Daniel Ho with music sample
^ Allmusic This Is What I Do Sonny Rollins Review with music sample
^ Allmusic Tropic Rhapsody Teresa Bright with music sample
^ Allmusic Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner, Vol. 2 Elton Britt with music sample
^ Allmusic Bachelor in Paradise: The Best of Martin Denny Review with charts
^ Allmusic Singing in the Rain Cliff Edwards with music sample
^ Allmusic The Essential Benny Goodman Review with music sample
^ Allmusic Four Platters and One Lovely Dish The Platters with music sample Disc 7, Track 24.
^ Allmusic 1936–1939 Don Redman Review with music sample
External links
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