Choosing Hula Dance Songs: Timeless Classics that Evoke Hawaii’s Healing Spirit and Culture

Pearly ShellsConnie Francis

Pearly Shells ( with lyrics ) – Connie Francis

Pearly Shells is a Hawaiian pop song that was widely listened to in the 1960s.

It is sung by Connie Francis.

Connie Francis is an Italian American from the state of New Jersey.

Her husky voice matches Hawaiian music very well.

akaka fallsDarlene Ahuna

Akaka Falls

This is the version sung by DARLENE AHUNA, who won Female Vocalist at the 1997 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

Her voice turns it into a refined hula song.

Akaka Falls is also famous as the tallest waterfall in the state of Hawaii.

Blue Hawai‘iHaunani Kahalewai & Chorus

Blue Hawai’i – Haunani Kahalewai & Chorus (Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger) – Hawaii’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2

The 1961 film Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley.

In addition to being used as the movie’s title, Blue Hawai‘i was also used as the theme song, which boosted its worldwide fame.

The song itself is quite old: it was composed by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger as the theme for the 1937 Paramount film Waikiki Wedding.

With its very relaxed tempo, it’s a must-listen for anyone seeking a soothing experience!

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Po La’ila’iUluwehi Guerrero

Uluwehi Guerrero – Po La’ila’i

A beautiful falsetto, unimaginable from Uluwehi’s large frame, enhances the charm of this song even more.

The ukulele he plays so lightly is also very soothing.

Po La’ila’i means a calm night, and it evokes the stars in Hawaii’s beautiful night sky and the whiteness of the moonlight.

Blue HawaiiElvis Presley

Blue Hawaii by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley, known as the King of Rock and Roll.

With over 600 million records sold across formats like vinyl and CDs, he’s a legendary artist known to everyone.

Although he was from Mississippi, he had a deep love for Hawaii and covered many Hawaiian songs.

Among them, the most famous is “Blue Hawaii.” It was used as the theme song for the film of the same name, and this event helped bring Hawaiian music to worldwide recognition.

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Pate PateTe Vaka

Pate Pate

Te Vaka is a representative group of the genre often featuring tropical melodies known as South Pacific fusion.

If you’re not used to South Pacific fusion, you might hear it as Hawaiian music, similar to the songs we’ve introduced so far.

Since it’s influenced by the music of Tuvalu and Samoa, the sound may end up similar due to geography.

Their track “Pate Pate” is an up-tempo piece that blends tropical-leaning genres such as Hawaiian music and samba.

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Royal Hawaiian HotelNa Leo

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

The title Royal Hawaiian Hotel comes from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, nicknamed the Pink Palace, which opened in 1927.

As that suggests, the song was created as a commercial jingle for the hotel.