Hailing from the isle of O’ahu, Makana—whose name means “a gift given freely”—began singing when he was 7 years old, took up ‘ukulele at 9 and began learning the ancient art of slack key at 11. By 14, he was already performing professionally, and before long playing four nights a week. His reputation as the youngest master of slack key spread like molten volcanic lava throughout the islands. With each successive year, more and more music fans—both on and outside of the islands—are experiencing the Makana phenomenon. In addition to his own headlining tours, Makana has opened shows for the likes of Sting, Santana, Elvis Costello, Paul Rodgers, Chris Isaak, No Doubt, Jason Mraz, and Jack Johnson, and in 2008 he won 2nd runner-up in Guitar Player Magazine’s National "Guitar Superstar" Competition.
Song For Sonny
Makana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Songs that told the stories of our land
Sittin' on the lanai in a leeward town
Sounds of Ki Ho'alu would be found
Oh my friend, how I miss those days
How I long for the older ways
Those who shared with us their song
Those who seemed to know nothing of this land
But learned with an open ear and a helping hand
Oh my friend, how I miss your smile
Can you stay for a little while?
'Auhea wale 'oe e ku'u kumu
A he hoa hiwahiwa
He hiwahiwa paha 'oe ma ka lewa
Ha'o nui 'ia 'oe me ka poina 'ole
E ola mau ana kau mele kaulana
Oh my friend, how I miss your face
And I do believe you're a gift to this place
Yes I do believe you're in a better place
In Makana's song "Song For Sonny," the lyrics reflect on a time when the singer and their friend would come together to play music that told the stories of their homeland. The song speaks to nostalgia for a time when Hawaiian culture was more present in everyday life, and ki ho'alu (slack-key guitar) was a common sound. The lyrics also mention friends who have come and gone, some of whom were not initially familiar with Hawaiian culture but learned to appreciate it through listening and helping. The song ends with the singer acknowledging the loss of their friend but also believing that they are in a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember days when we would jam
I recall the moments when we would play music together
Songs that told the stories of our land
The music we played expressed the history and culture of our homeland
Sittin' on the lanai in a leeward town
We would spend time relaxing on the porch in a town that was protected from the wind
Sounds of Ki Ho'alu would be found
The music style of Ki Ho'alu could be heard everywhere
Oh my friend, how I miss those days
I deeply long for the experiences that I shared with you
How I long for the older ways
I wish we could go back to the traditional practices and customs of our culture
I remember friends who've come and gone
I recollect the people who were once here and then left
Those who shared with us their song
They brought their music to us and we played together
Those who seemed to know nothing of this land
Some of the people were unfamiliar with our homeland and its culture
But learned with an open ear and a helping hand
They were open to learning and we helped them understand our culture
Oh my friend, how I miss your smile
I deeply cherish the memory of your smile
Can you stay for a little while?
I wish you could stay longer and spend more time with me
'Auhea wale 'oe e ku'u kumu
I am asking where you are, my teacher
A he hoa hiwahiwa
You are a cherished friend
He hiwahiwa paha 'oe ma ka lewa
You may also be a treasure in heaven
Ha'o nui 'ia 'oe me ka poina 'ole
You are greatly missed and always remembered
E ola mau ana kau mele kaulana
My famous songs shall live on forever
Oh my friend, how I miss your face
I deeply long for the memory of your face
And I do believe you're a gift to this place
I am certain that you are a special and valuable addition to this world
Yes I do believe you're in a better place
I believe that you are in a happier and more peaceful world now
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: MATTHEW SWALINKAVICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Анна Гончарова
О, боже это просто как будто кадры из придуманного мира 😍 Душевная песня, шикарное исполнение , серфингисты прогулочным шагом идут к морю на заднем плане 🤗
sciencebabe
Love this song. Beautiful guitar playing, beautiful voice and beautiful words.
Rebecca Swilling
Love the song, such a beautiful wonderful voice
karen johnstone
This song reminds me of my god-daughter’s father who passed a few years ago: my dear friend and mentor, so kind, wise and generous. 💗🙏
Happy Lee
Makana, please do "Comes And Goes" or "Hearts And Crafts" by Dan Fogelberg. I'm somewhat of a secret admirer of your music for sometime now and would love to here your touch on the song, ..Much mahalos!!🤙🎶😊
Lucile Ao
Omg I found you via a cat vidéo on Facebook, I shazamed and now I'm a subscriber
You make me go away in my imagination, thank you for your beautiful music 😍💫
すまいる まいる
Hi Makana, I like your guitar and voice very much. I also like Hawaiian songs.☆彡
ハイパー警備員
いい声、風が吹く優しい風。
Anne Sewell
Beautiful dedication <3
TheBuffalo22
Amazing