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Got a favorite island Christmas song? Polls show the No. 1 national yuletide tune is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” which is indisputable.
So I compiled a list of 12 island holiday favorites, many on radio playlists, a few somewhat obsolete but still memorable.
How many of these titles do you have in your collection of CDs and vinyls?
1. “O Holy Night” by Willie K. His version (in English and in Hawaiian) is the Christmas season favorite, hands down. A mesmerizing classic.
2. “It’s Christmas Once More in Hawaii Nei” by Gail Mack. A gentle and sentimental reflection of anticipating the joys of a Hawaiian Christmas.
3. “The Prayer” by Ho‘okena featuring Maila Gibson. This Hawaii reboot of the Celine Dion/Andrea Bocelli hit is a masterful fusion of male chorus with female lead singer.
4. “Song of Christmas” by The Brothers Cazimero. This Kui Lee composition has been a sleeper for decades. Robert Cazimero usually sings lead for the duo, but this features the late Roland Cazimero.
5. “Merry Christmas to You” by Henry Kapono. It’s an everlasting postcard to holiday warmth and memories.
6. “Numbah One Day of Christmas” by Ed Kenney. Vintage but no longer performed and virtually unknown to the young, this is the original pidgin “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” (The Honolulu Boy Choir’s cherubic rendering also is irresistible.)
7. “Po La‘i e (Silent Night)” by Don Ho. This Hawaiian version off his Christmas album is Ho-ho-ho solemn and satisfying.
8. “Christmas Luau” by the Makaha Sons. Makes your Kalikimaka merry and bright; a lasting sound from the original Makaha Sons era.
9. “The Snows of Mauna Kea” by Jay Larrin. OK, this technically is not a Christmas song but is suitable for the season, especially when snow caps the Big Island peak.
10. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Willie K, Lehua Kalima and Kanoa Leahey. This remake is coy and charming — even in warm Hawaii.
11. “Filipino Christmas” by Frank DeLima. This beloved parody, seemingly a knock against Filipinos, is actually a faithful salute that pokes fun of Filipinohood, set to various holiday carols.
12. “Mele Kalikimaka” by Bing Crosby. Not a truly a local release but an iconic yuletide favorite. For the record, it reached a global audience as the flip side of “White Christmas.” (If you don’t know what a flip side of a disc is, ask your kupuna.) …
FRIENDS AND NABORS
“Jim Nabors’ Impossible Dream,” the TV documentary produced by Phil Arnone, will be reshown at 7 p.m. Dec. 26 on KGMB. It’s a revealing, earnest document of the life and times of the “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” star, who died Nov. 30 at age 87. Services will be held Jan. 20 for invitees only. …
SEASONAL NOTES
Robert Cazimero has tapped his holiday cast to provide the merriment at his Blue Note Hawaii gig Wednesday and Moana Surfrider gig Dec. 22. “We’re all on a high as we get to do our show not just once more, but twice,” he said, fresh from a trek to Japan, where he gave a Christmas concert. Seven dancers are aboard: Sky Perkins Gora, Kaohi Yojo Daniels, Nicholas Lum (also performing on bass), Parker Spencer, Cris Pasquil, Ki “Barry” Quilloy and Kyle Atabay. …
Saxophonist Michael Paulo is presenting, via his Apaulo Music Productions, a Christmas concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Hawai‘i Convention Center’s Liliu Theatre. Paulo will be joined by Danny Kaleikini, Rene Paulo, Melveen Leed, Michael Paulo and Nicholas Kaleikini, with special guests Kathy Paulo-Hirai, Al Waterson, Kaylee Shimizu, Rene Paulo Jr. and Bruce Hamada Jr. …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
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