Kaimana Hila (Diamond Head) - Words & music by Charles E. King


Click Title to Access Original Melody,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Iwaho mākou i Kaʻalawai lā
ʻIke i ka nani Kaimana Hila lā
Kau mai i luna

Iwaho mākou Kapiʻolani Paka lā
ʻI ka lina poepoe hoʻoluhi kino
Aloha ʻino

Iwaho mākou Waikīkī lā
ʻIke i ka nani hale hoʻonui ʻike lā
Hoʻonui hana

Iwaho mākou Maki ʻAilana lā
Kuʻu pua lilia lana i ka wai lā
Lana mālie

Iwaho mākou i ka Seaside lā
ʻIke i ka nani papa heʻe nalu lā
Heʻe mālie

Iwaho mākou ʻĀinahau lā
ʻIke i ka nani papa hinuhinu lā
Hele mālie

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana lā
ʻIke i ka nani Kaimana Hila lā
Kau mai i luna

We all went there on Kaʻalawai shores
And gazed up at the grandeur of old Diamond Head
So majestic

We all went and saw Kapiʻolani Park
To see a ring that exhausted the body
That is too bad

We all went and saw Waikîkî
To see a house that increased knowledge
And made much work

We all went and saw Maki Island
Beheld the beauty of the floating water lily
Sweet and peaceful

We all went to the Seaside Hotel
And looked with wonder at all the riders of the surf
Gliding swiftly


We all went to ʻĀinahau
And saw the beautiful shining surfboards
Moving gently

This is the end of the song
G
azed up at the grandeur of old Diamond Head
So majestic

Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies - This song relates the adventures of a group of friends on a Hawaiian holiday. Verse 1, stanza 1, Kaʻalawai is the land below Diamond Head. They go to Kapiʻolani Park, dedicated in 1877, by King Kalākaua, and renowned for the beautiful oval horse race track, the ring, in verse 2, stanza 2. The exhaused body is that of the jockey. They watch the races, then meander through Maki (Makee) ʻĀilana, an island in the park. They marvel at the big hotels and stop for refreshments at the Seaside Inn, a favorite of kamaʻāina and malihini in the early 1900's. This hotel, situated on 10 acres of Waiīîkī beach front property, was demolished in 1920, to make way for the new Royal Hawaiian Hotel. They end their holiday with a leisurely stroll thru ʻĀinahau, the lush estate of Princess Miriam Likelike. The melody and lyrics as it is sung today, was popularized by Andy Cummings and is different from the original tune and lyrics. Translation from Hawaiian Melodies. Music clip of original melody by Lani Lee. Music Clip of Newer melody by Gippy Cooke. © 1916,1943, Charles E. King

New lyrics

Iwaho mākou i ka`alawai lā
`Ike i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana Hila kau mai i luna

Iwaho mākou Kapiʻolani Paka
ʻIke i ka nani lina poepoe
Lina poepoe hoʻoluhi kino

Iwaho mākou i Waikīkī lā
ʻIke i ka nani hale hoʻonui
Hale hoʻonui hana lā

Iwaho mākou Makee ʻĀilana lā
ʻIke i ka nani pua lilia
Pua lilia lana i ka wai lā

Iwaho mākou i ka Seaside lā
ʻIke i ka nani papa heʻe nalu
Papa heʻe nalu heʻe mālie

Iwaho mākou ʻĀinahau lā
ʻIke i ka nani papa hinuhinu lā
Papa hinuhinu hele mālie

Iwaho mākou i ka pō nei
ʻIke i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana hila kau mai i luna

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana
ʻIke i ka nani Kaimana Hila
Kaimana Hila kau mai i luna
Click to Access Newer Melody by Gippy Cooke

We were out at Kaʻalawai
And saw the beauty of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, standing above

We were out at Kapiʻolani Park
To see the circular racetrack
Circular racetrack that exhausted the body

We went out to Waikīkī
And saw the beautiful hotels
Hotels where some of us worked

We all went and saw Makee Island
And saw the beauty of the lily
Floating water lily

We all went to the Seaside Inn
And looked with wonder at all
The surf riders gliding calmly 

We all went to ʻĀinahau
And gazed at the splendor
And strolled in the tranquility

We all went out last night
To see the grandeur of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, so majestic

Sing the refrain
See the grandeur of Diamond Head
Diamond Head, so majestic
Seaside Inn