My Yellow Ginger Lei

My Yellow Ginger Lei - Through the Decades

The classic hapa haole song, "My Yellow Ginger Lei" was written by John Keawehawaii and copyrighted by him on January 29, 1948.

John Kameaaloha Almeida oversaw the 1st recording of the song on the 49th State Record label in 1948, and apparently contributed the Hawaiian language introduction verse.

Almeida voiced the intro himself on the recording, while Keawehawaii sang the now familiar melody line in English and falsetto.
It subsequently became a favorite for falsetto and hula.
(Karen Keawehawaii is John Keawehawaii's daughter.)

Follow along through the decades as the song evolves:
[(1948) John Keawehawaii & John Almeida,
(1949) Joe Keawe,
(1962) Charles Kaipo Miller, and
(1998) Dennis Pavao.]

Here is a beautiful contemporary version of

My Yellow Ginger Lei- Dennis Pavao

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"Tapiri Mai Na"

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Aloha Allure

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