There are two artists with this name: (1) a German composer, (2) a British … Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists with this name: (1) a German composer, (2) a British singer and band leader.

(1) Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period.

Mendelssohn was born on 3rd February 1809 in Hamburg, Germany into a notable Jewish family (his grandfather was the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn). He was a child prodigy, though his family were careful not to allow this to distort his upbringing, and only approved of his following a musical career when it was clear that he was serious about music.

Early success in Germany was followed by travel throughout Europe; Mendelssohn was particularly well received in Britain as a composer, conductor and soloist, and his ten visits there (during which many of his major works were premiered) form an important part of his adult career. His essentially conservative musical tastes however set him apart from many of his more adventurous musical contemporaries such as Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz. The Conservatory he founded at Leipzig became a bastion of this anti-radical outlook.

Mendelssohn’s work includes symphonies, concertos, oratorios, piano works, and chamber music. He also had an important role in the revival of interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. After a long period of relative denigration due to changing musical tastes and antisemitism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, his creative originality has again been recognised, and re-evaluated. He is now among the most popular composers of the Romantic era. He died on 4th November 1847 in Leipzig.

(2) The other Felix Mendelssohn was a popular British crooner of the 1930s and 1940s. He became fascinated with Hawaiian music and became best known performing as Felix Mendelssohn & His Hawaiian Serenaders. See the Wikipedia article about this band and their Last.fm artist profile.

Hawaiian War Chant
Felix Mendelssohn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a sunny little funny little melody
That was started by a native down in Waikiki
He would gather a crowd down beside the sea
And they'd play his gay Hawaiian chant
Soon the other little natives started singin' it
And the hula hula maidens started swingin' it
Like a tropical storm that's the way it hit
Funny little gay Hawaiian Chant

Ow way tah tualan Me big bad fightin' man
Tho it started on an island down Hawaii way
It's as popular in Tennessee or Ioway

If you wander into any cabaret
You will hear this gay Hawaiian Chant

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Felix Mendelssohn's "Hawaiian War Chant" describe the history behind the popular melody. The song was started by a native down in Waikiki who would gather a crowd by the sea to play a gay Hawaiian chant. As other little natives started joining in, the hula hula maidens also began dancing to the tune. The song became so popular that it hit like a tropical storm, spreading across the island.

The Hawaiian War Chant is more than just a melody, it is a part of Hawaiian culture. The song became a popular dance tune and was played during festivals, hula competitions, and celebrations. The chant is known in Hawaiian as the "ʻUlili E" and is often accompanied by birds' calls and hula dance movements. The song and dance continued to be enjoyed in Hawaii for a long time before it was popularized in other states such as Tennessee or Ioway.

The lyrics of the song describe the story behind a cheerful and upbeat tune that has become an iconic piece of Hawaiian culture. The melody has been enjoyed by people across the world and has become a popular symbol of Hawaii. The tune has been used in movies, commercials, and advertisements and has become a favorite among musicians of different genres, including jazz and swing bands.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a sunny little funny little melody
A bright and amusing tune exists

That was started by a native down in Waikiki
Created by a local resident of Waikiki

He would gather a crowd down beside the sea
He used to attract people near the seashore

And they'd play his gay Hawaiian chant
The group played his joyful Hawaiian song

Soon the other little natives started singin' it
Gradually, other small islanders joined in singing

And the hula hula maidens started swingin' it
Also, the dancing hula ladies began to move to the rhythm

Like a tropical storm that's the way it hit
It spread like a sudden and powerful natural event

Funny little gay Hawaiian Chant
This vivacious and unconventional song

Ow way tah tualan Me big bad fightin' man
An indecipherable phrase, possibly meaningless

Tho it started on an island down Hawaii way
While it originated on a Hawaiian island

It's as popular in Tennessee or Ioway
The song is equally famous in Tennessee or Iowa