My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaiʻi was a popular song written for the July 4th canoe races in Kona in 1933. Tommy Harrison gave the song to Johnny Noble to publish, who revised the music to give it a new melody without changing Bill Cogswell's words. Once published, the song became a major hit, and has since been recorded many times. Noble turned over the royalties to the Sherman Clay in San Francisco for $500.00 advance royalty, giving the credit to Cogswell and Harrison.[1]
The title refers to Kealakekua Bay where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779. The song mentions Hōnaunau, site of Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, also located in the Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. The lyrics also refer to the Reef triggerfish by its name in the Hawaiian Language, the Humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa.
In an episode of the television series The Odd Couple, Myrna sang it in an audition for a talent scout. June Christy included the song on her 1995 Day Dreams album. A recording by Leon Redbone & Ringo Starr featured in the film "50 First Dates" (2004). It became a hit in 1938 by "The Debutantes", a trio of three young women in the Ted Fio Rito big band.
Krusty the Clown (Dan Castellaneta) tried to cheer up his estranged daughter Sophie (Drew Barrymore) by singing and playing the song on ukulele.
External links
References
- ↑ "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua Hawai`i; Noble's "Hawaiian Favorites"". Hawaiian Music and Hula Archives. Miller Music Corp. 1933. Retrieved 2009-11-23.