Post #135739 by Kaiwaza on Sat, Jan 15, 2005 3:46 PM

Between the budget labels there were four different groups, three small combos and one full blown orchestra.
Group #1 (whoEVER they were) recorded Luau Lei, Red Sails In The Sunset, Harbor Lights, Kula Ha (Bali Lei on Montgomery Ward LP), Drowsy Waters, etc. 13 songs in all released under many different names.
Group #2: The only "standard" they recorded was Hawaiian Sunset, but always released under a different title. These are the guys that did Waikiki Shores on the Montgomery Ward LP. 13 songs in all.
Group # 3: Really hoppin' steel guitar group. Recorded somewhat "standards" always released under different titles. The real titles would be My Little Grass Shack, Steel Guitar Blues, it Happened In Kaloha, Hawaiian War Chant, Lovely Hula Hands, etc..but NEVER released under actual titles...usually really waxky titles like "Dancing Surf","Swinging Surfboards", etc. Great stuff.
Group #4: A full blown orchestra, with rather dark arrangements and very, very little steel guitar..."Dark Dawn" seems to be the track most often picked up, but they also did a version of "Drowsy Waters","Aloha Oe (where they sing "Aloha O", rather than the correct pronounciation), "Now is The Hour" (usually retitled "Maori's Farewell" on the budget labels.
So you can pick out any number of Hawaiian LPs on labels like Crown, Spin O Rama, Promenade, Premier, Diplomat, and countless others and they will usually be some combination of these four different groups.
Also, there's a REALLY trippy kiddie record by "Mookleani & His Group"..4 tracks from Group #1 with corny vocals recorded over it...their "Hawaiian War Chant" simply has the guys singing "Wiki wiki wiki wiki wiki whack" over the tune..crazy.
I'd love to see you list.
Cheers,
John