"Sweet Leilani" is a song featured in the 1937 film, Waikiki Wedding. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and Bing Crosby's record became one of the biggest hits of 1937.Songs from the Year 1937Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Bing Crosby with music sample
Harry Owens wrote the song on October 20, 1934 for his daughter Leilani, who was born the previous day. Leilani is a popular Hawaiian name, meaning "heavenly garland of flowers" (not "heavenly flower"). It also has a figurative meaning: Small Hawaiian children were carried on their parents' shoulders like a lei (garland), so the name took on the meaning "heavenly child."
Prior to Waikiki Wedding, the song had been recorded by Sol Hoʻopiʻi under the title "Leilani" as the B-side of "Hawaiian Honeymoon" (Brunswick Records 55085).Brunswick 55000 series – The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project 55085Hulapages: The Covers: 1930–39 1936, "Leilani."
Harry Owens and his Royal Hawaiians performed "Sweet Leilani" in the 1938 film Cocoanut Grove starring Fred MacMurray.Internet Movie Database: Cocoanut Grove
Other versions "Sweet Leilani" became a standard of popular and Hawaiian music, easy listening, and to some extent jazz; and has occasionally been performed by country and rock artists. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive:
Albums
Harry Owens, Hawaii (1945)Capitol Album Discography, Part 1: The 78-rpm Albums: 1 to 149 A-4Capitol Album Discography, Part 2: The 10" Albums: 150 to 299 H-166Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Harry Owens with music sample Andre Kostelanetz, Motion Picture Favorites (1948) Rosemary Clooney with Harry James, Hollywood's Best (1952)Allmusic Ring Around Rosie/Hollywood's Best Rosemary Clooney Review with music sample Bing Crosby recorded the song again in 1954 for his album Bing: A Musical Autobiography. Eddie Fisher, Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs (1955)Allmusic Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs/Sings Irving Berlin/Broadway Classics Review with music sample Frank Chacksfield, South Sea Island Magic (1957)Allmusic South Sea Island Magic/In the Mystic East Frank Chacksfield Review with music sample The King Sisters, Aloha (1957)http://www.bsnpubs.com/capitol/previews/600-2999.pdf Capitol Records Discography, Continued T 808, p. 14.Allmusic Aloha The King Sisters with music sample Marty Robbins, Song of the Islands (1957)Allmusic "Sweet Leilani" Marty Robbins with music sample Arthur Lyman, Hawaiian Sunset: The Sounds of Arthur Lyman (1958)Allmusic Hawaiian Sunset: The Sounds of Arthur Lyman with music sample André Kostelanetz, The Lure of Paradise (1959)Discogs André Kostelanetz – Lure of ParadiseAllmusic The Lure of France/The Lure of Paradise André Kostelanetz with music sample Les Paul and Mary Ford, Lovers' Luau (1959)Discogs Les Paul & Mary Ford – Lovers' LuauAllmusic Lover's Luau Les Paul & Mary Ford Review with music sample Billy Vaughn, Blue Hawaii (1959)Discogs Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra – Blue HawaiiAllmusic Sail Along Silv'ry Moon/Blue Hawaii Billy Vaughn Review with music sample Andy Williams, To You Sweetheart, Aloha (1959)Allmusic To You Sweetheart, Aloha Andy Williams Review with music sample George Greeley, The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii (1960) Warner Bros. WS-1366 (LP) 101 Strings, In a Hawaiian Paradise (1961)Discogs 101 Strings – In a Hawaiian ParadiseAllmusic Romantic Songs of the Sea 101 Strings Orchestra Review with music sample Nelson Riddle, Love Tide (1961)Discogs Nelson Riddle – Love TideAllmusic Sea of Dreams/Love Tide Nelson Riddle with music sample Percy Faith, American Serenade (1963)Percy Faith – Original Albums, American SerenadeAllmusic "Sweet Leilani" Percy Faith with music sample Burl Ives, On the Beach at Waikiki (1965)Allmusic A Little Bitty Tear: The Nashville Years 1961–1965 Burl Ives Review with music sample Disc 5, Track 19. Roberto Delgado, Blue Hawaii (1965)Allmusic Blue Hawaii Roberto Delgado Review Henry Mancini, The Academy Award Songs (1966)Allmusic The Academy Award Songs Henry Mancini Review with music sampleRCA Victor Discography LSP-6013 Ray Conniff, Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album (1967)Allmusic Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album with chart and music sample The Waikikis, Pearly Shells from Hawaii (1968)Albums by The Waikikis: Pearly Shells from Hawaii – Rate Your Music Don Ho, Hawaii's Greatest Hits (1970)Discogs Don Ho – Hawaii's Greatest HitsAllmusic Hawaii's Greatest Hits Don Ho with music sample Roland Cazimero, Waikiki's Greatest Hits, Now! (1990)Allmusic Waikiki's Greatest Hits, Now! Roland Cazimero with music sample Chris Isaak, Baja Sessions (1996)Allmusic Baja Sessions Chris Isaak Review with chart and music sample Dennis Pavao, Sweet Leilani (1996)Allmusic Sweet Leilani Dennis Pavao Ray Anthony, Dream Dancing in Hawaii (1997)Allmusic Dream Dancing in Hawaii Ray Anthony with music sample Daniel Ho, Hawaiian Classics (1998)Allmusic Hawaiian Classics Daniel Ho with music sample Sonny Rollins, This Is What I Do (2000)Allmusic This Is What I Do Sonny Rollins Review with music sample Teresa Bright, Tropic Rhapsody (2008)Allmusic Tropic Rhapsody Teresa Bright with music sample
Selected compilations Elton Britt, Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner, Vol. 2 (2007)Allmusic Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner, Vol. 2 Elton Britt with music sample Martin Denny, Bachelor in Paradise: The Best of Martin Denny (1996)Allmusic Bachelor in Paradise: The Best of Martin Denny Review with charts Cliff Edwards ("Ukulele Ike"), Singing in the Rain (1995)Allmusic Singing in the Rain Cliff Edwards with music sample Benny Goodman, The Essential Benny Goodman (2007)Allmusic The Essential Benny Goodman Review with music sample The Platters, Four Platters and One Lovely Dish (1994)Allmusic Four Platters and One Lovely Dish The Platters with music sample Disc 7, Track 24. Don Redman, 1936–1939 (1991)Allmusic 1936–1939 Don Redman Review with music sample
See also List of best-selling sheet music
References
External links About the song