Rufus Wainwright - Kaulana Nā Pua feat. Nicole Scherzinger 

Only an Hawaiian could write a protest song this beautiful 131 years ago as their kingdom was stolen from them.

I can’t stop listening to this. It’s serenity incarnate. 🌺

Rufus, this one of the best albums to drop in some time. Congrats on your accomplishments.

The right song to have chosen Rufus-power to Na poʻe o Hawaiʻi

Kaulana Nā Pua (Famous Are The Flowers) - Ellen Kehoʻohiwaokalani Wright Prendergast Source: Na Mele o Hawaiʻi Nei by Elbert & Mahoe - Written Jan. 1893, published in 1895, this himeni opposed the annexation of Hawaiʻi to the United States. The original title was Mele ʻAi Pohaku or The Stone-eating Song, and was also known as Mele Aloha ʻĀina or the Patriot's Song. This song was composed as Ellen Wright Prendergast was sitting in the garden of her father's house in Kapālama. Members of the Royal Hawaiian Band visited her and voiced their unhappiness at the takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom. They begged her to put their feelings of rebellion to music. Basically, this song says "We would rather eat rocks than accept your money and papers in exchange for our land and freedoms." Kaulana nā pua aʻo Hawaiʻi Kūpaʻa ma hope o ka ʻāina Hiki mai ka ʻelele o ka loko ʻino Palapala ʻānunu me ka pākaha Pane mai Hawaiʻi moku o Keawe Kōkua nā Hono aʻo Piʻilani Kākoʻo mai Kauaʻi o Mano Paʻapū me ke one Kākuhihewa ʻAʻole aʻe kau i ka pūlima Ma luna o ka pepa o ka ʻēnemi Hoʻohui ʻāina kūʻai hewa I ka pono sivila aʻo ke kanaka ʻAʻole mākou aʻe minamina I ka puʻu kālā o ke aupuni Ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku I ka ʻai kamahaʻo o ka āina Ma hope mākou o Liliʻulani A loaʻa ē ka pono o ka ʻāina *(A kau hou ʻia e ke kalaunu) Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāina Famous are the children of Hawai`i Ever loyal to the land When the evil-hearted messenger comes With his greedy document of extortion Hawaiʻi, land of Keawe answers Piʻilani's bays help Mano's Kauaʻi lends support And so do the sands of Kākuhihewa No one will fix a signature To the paper of the enemy With its sin of annexation And sale of native civil rights We do not value The government's sums of money We are satisfied with the stones Astonishing food of the land We back Liliʻulani Who has won the rights of the land *(She will be crowned again) Tell the story Of the people who love their land

oh wow now that's different, such a silky voice, well done 🥰

Absolutely GORGEOUS Rufus 🙌👑🌟✨❤️😘

Perfection in every way

Gorgeous and warm and tasteful! Lovely

He does a fantastic job

Your voice sounds sweeter in Hawaiian (if it's even possible!)

I can see those palm trees swaying on the beach 🌴

Goodnight

Good

what cant he do?

Ummm. 😢

Only rufus could make this silly language sound good

Maika'i nō ho'i (very very good). I expected some slips in the pronunciation and i felt close at times but overall, i feel this was done very well for someone who wasnt born and raised here. Quick question though, am i crazy or did i not hear nicole on this song at all? I was waiting but i never heard her voice. Oh and p.s. the opening has a nice kahiko (original Hawaiian beat). The beat of the ipu is supposed to represent the raindrops and how the rain falls in a beat like fashion