Tropical Hawaiian Day (1991)
Valley Style (1993)
On Fire (1995)
Making Waves (1996)
The Best Of Ka'au Crater Boys (1998)
Their work garnered them three Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards, (Nā Hōkū Hanohano means "The Distinguished/Glorious Stars", Hawaii's version of the Grammy Awards) from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts.
The Kaʻau Crater Boys were formed in the early 1990s by Ernie Cruz Jr. (the son of Ernie Cruz Sr. and brother of Guy and John Cruz who are also local entertainers) and Troy Fernandez.
Their first album, “Tropical Hawaiian Day,” released in 1991, marked the official beginning of Troy and Ernie’s 7-year partnership as one of the most successful groups in contemporary island music.
Cruz played bass, acoustic guitar and handled main vocals for the majority of songs they recorded. Fernandez also played bass, contributed to vocals (mainly as a backing vocalist), but was mostly renowned for his musicianship with the ukulele.
The creation of the Kaʻau Crater Boys also coincided with the resurgence in local Hawaiian customs and tradition, as well as promoting the renaissance of Hawaiian culture, especially among the local youth.
As part of a collective of artists from the Palolo Housing area of Oahu, Hawaii Cruz and Fernandez earned a steady gig at the Elks Lodge which also opened the door for Troy and Ernie to tour Japan for 6 months.
A last minute appearance a few years later at Moose McGillycuddy’s Pub became a regular gig - this time as “E.T.,” “Ernie/Troy” (a play on names after the popular film, “ET – The Extra-Terrestrial”).
Ernie Cruz died in September 2016.
The name Kaʻau Crater Boys refers to Kaʻau Crater, an extinct volcano above the Palolo Valley of Oahu, near to the Palolo housing community in which Cruz and Fernandez were raised.
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From the vibrantly produced debut album, Tropical Hawaiian Day, to the magical sounds of their fourth release, "Making Waves", the Ka'au Crater Boys have become one of Hawaii's hottest duos in contemporary Hawaiian music.
The Ka'au Crater Boys distinctive and appealing sound reflects their love of Hawaii and of their favorite non-musical activity, surfing -- creating a new breed of Hawaiian music. They've formed a fresh blend of guitar and ukulele completely different from other contemporary local artists, sparking a new artistic style where the original material is insightful and more reflective of the Hawaiian lifestyle. Cruz's powerful easy rhythms and Fernandez' distinctive ukulele technique, make for a truly magical sound. Their songs are a mixture of Hawaiian standards, country oldies, pop, reggae and their own originals.
Their debut album, Tropical Hawaiian Day, garnered a strong local following. Their second album, Valley Style, served notice that Cruz and Fernandez were outstanding artists as they were honored with the 1994 Hoku for Contemporary Album of the Year (Hawaii's Grammy equivalent). Fernandez' "Surf" was a highlight on this album and is still a favorite among their fans. Their third album, On Fire!, won them the Contemporary Album Hoku for the second year in a row. Their recording of "Opihi Man" a catchy ode to challenging and sometimes life-threatening work of the opihi pickers, earned Big Island composer Craig Kamahele "Song of the Year" honors as well. Their fourth release, Making Waves brings their two loves together, music and surfing. It offers two renditions of "Makaha", one representing the Ka'au sound, while the other hints of rock that could be called Hawaiian Rock.
Skilled at playing bass and acoustic guitar, Cruz is the son of famous Hawaiian musician Ernie Cruz, Sr. and brother to popular solo entertainer, John Cruz. Fernandez, a master on his ukulele and bass, performs with wizardry and vitality. He has become a key figure in the resurgence of interest in the ukulele, causing such a stir among young kids that like the old days way back when, it's not uncommon to see kids playing ukulele as they stroll down the street or make their way between classes at school.
Raised in the verdant valley of Palolo on Oahu, the Ka'au Crater Boys began their musical roots in Palolo Housing. The Boys are an inspiration to local kids hanging out with idle time and uncertain futures. The Boys drive home the lesson that an inexpensive guitar or ukulele can be the key to a positive and productive life. A new generation of aspiring musicians now turn up at Ka'au Crater Boys concerts to watch and learn from them. "Most of our songs, anybody can do 'em" We tell the kids that," says Fernandez. Cruz emphasizes simplicity: "People like simple things if they're done right."
Ka'au Crater Boys . . . local boys who love music, surfing and Hawaii. A simple combination, done right!
All I Have to Offer You Is Me
Ka'au Crater Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About the years ahead, and how¹ll they¹ll be
We¹ll be living in a world where roses hardly ever grow,
Cause all I have to offer you is me
There¹ll be no mansions waiting on a hill, no crystal
chandeliers,
Everything I own is standing here in front for you to see,
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
You know I¹ll give you all my love in every way I can,
But make sure that¹s what you want while you¹re still free.
All the gold I have to offer you is in this wedding band,
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
There¹ll be no mansions waiting on a hill, no crystal
chandeliers,
And there¹ll be no fancy clothes for you to wear.
Everything I own is standing here in front for you to see,
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
Instrumental:
You know I¹ll give you all my love in every way I can,
But make sure that¹s what you want while you¹re still free.
All the gold I have to offer you is in this wedding band,
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
There¹ll be no mansions waiting on a hill, no crystal
chandeliers,
And there¹ll be no fancy clothes for you to wear.
Everything I own is standing here in front for you to see,
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
The lyrics to Ka'au Crater Boys' song "All I Have To Offer You Is Me" are about honesty and humility. The singer is letting their partner know that they are not rich or able to provide a lavish lifestyle. They are living in a world where even the simplest things like roses are hard to come by, but the one thing they can offer is unconditional love.
The lyrics speak to the idea that material possessions do not equate to happiness or a successful relationship. The singer acknowledges that there will be no mansions, no fancy clothes or crystal chandeliers. All they have is themselves and the love they are willing to give. The line "make sure that's what you want while you're still free" suggests that the singer wants their partner to know what they are getting into before committing to a life together.
The instrumental break in the middle of the song allows the listener to reflect on the message of the lyrics. The song emphasizes that love is the most important thing in a relationship and that it can overcome any material lack or obstacle. The repeated mantra of "Cause all I have to offer you is me" reinforces this message.
Line by Line Meaning
Before you take another step, there’s something you should know.
Before we take things further, I have something important to tell you.
About the years ahead, and how’ll they’ll be
Let me give you an idea of what our future will look like.
We’ll be living in a world where roses hardly ever grow,
Our life may not be perfect and there will be challenges ahead.
Cause all I have to offer you is me
But I promise to be sincere and genuine, there are no illusions or false pretenses in our future together.
There’ll be no mansions waiting on a hill, no crystal chandeliers,
I may not have a lot of material wealth to give you.
And there’ll be no fancy clothes for you to wear.
You may not have the latest fashion, but you will have my love and commitment.
Everything I own is standing here in front for you to see,
I have nothing to hide, what you see is what you get.
You know I’ll give you all my love in every way I can,
I promise to love and cherish you with all my heart.
But make sure that’s what you want while you’re still free.
But before we commit, make sure this is truly what you want.
All the gold I have to offer you is in this wedding band,
The only material thing of value that I have to offer you is this ring.
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
At the end of the day, all I have to offer you is myself, my love, and my commitment.
Cause all I have to offer you is me.
All I have to offer is my genuine self, with no illusions or false pretenses.
Contributed by Nicholas O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MiddleSchoolGraduate
one of my fav hawaiian groups ever for sure gotta love their music
@trizdizzle808
This is one of my Mom & Dad's songs. Never gets old ♥
@maranatha1281
NEVER GET'S OLD!!!!
@jacqueline9065
Love this song...All I Have To Offer You Is Me and the Love from my heart...❤
@caseybc6342
Never heard this song until now. Sitting poolside in sunny Maui and they played it and I fell in love 😍
@teakootia6668
This is like my favorite version of the song... Ka'au Crater boys.. LEGENDS!
@MrRefractorman
This is by far my favorite cover of the old Charlie Pride classic, I like it better than the original. Mahalo !
@TasteSour
LOVE THIS SONG
@trizdizzle808
Love this song always and forever. This is one of my mom and dad's songs and it's ours too now ♥
@jeanniedestasio7956
Awesome music my friends! Jeannie loves your music.