I Think I Need A Lilo And Stitch Icon

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Are we all sick of "Let It Go" yet? Hah! Trick question! I'm not. But I realize a lot of you might be. So, if you'd like something different, I've got it for you: please enjoy the last time Disney produced a song that I couldn't stop listening to for years.

It might help to start at 00:15 if you want to skip the little lead-in scene with the aliens.

"He Mele No Lilo" is not really a Disney song; as best as I can make out, Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu arranged a couple of traditional Hawaiian mele for the hula dance at the beginning of the movie. But hot damn, those are some lovely mele, and JESUS what an arrangement, with the Kamehameha Schools Children's Choir. I actually love this song so much that when it first came out I tracked down the lyrics--yes, the Hawaiian lyrics--and learned them. (It's one of the things that inspired me to study Hawaiian.)

It doesn't seem to carry the same clout as "Let It Go," but it got a similar religious experience reaction out of me. And since I've noticed that a few people are starting to catch up on the Lilo & Stitch love (another movie about sisters! And this one has aliens as well!), well, I figured I'd help y'all along.

Comments

[daiq.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I still haven't seen Lilo and Stitch, but this just made me tear up! I have no connection with Hawaiian culture whatsoever so there was no real reason from an onion cutting ninja response, but there it was!

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

It's a great movie. Offbeat and very sweet, and the animation is gorgeous.

[kt-n-dd.livejournal.com]

I love that you love this song! My friend was in the choir that sang it. We were so proud. And Lilo & Stitch got quite a few things right in its portrayal of Hawai'i. Not everything, mind you, and there were generalizations and places where they mixed and matched as they saw fit (as happens in, I think, every Disney movie). Still, it's nice to see one's own home on the national stage.

How is your Hawaiian learning going? It's a beautiful and circuitous language. (Not that I know it, really, but I love listening to it).

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I know they worked hard to get it close to accurate, but sometimes things still slip by, I guess. Points for effort, Disney.

That's so cool that your friend was in the choir! Tell her that it's still one of my favorite songs!

My Hawaiian learning goes in fits and starts. I'm pretty good with basic sentences, but as with any language it's getting all the vocabulary together that trips me up. But yeah, it's one of my favorite languages for the way it sounds (and for some of the syntax, too!).

[kt-n-dd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not faulting them for it at all. It's a delightful movie.

I'll tell her! She'll be happy, I'm sure.

That's very neat that you're learning it. I haven't heard of anyone off the island trying to. How different is the syntax? I've never taken a class, so I basically just know some words as they get sprinkled into people's conversations.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Let's see ... I have a thing for zero-copula languages, so I really dig the equational sentences--that is, sentences that in English would use some form of "to be." ("The cat is black"; "I'm a teacher"; that sort of thing.) I also like the very specific pronouns--there are singular/dual/plural distinctions, as well as inclusive/exclusive "we," all of which are mostly pretty regular. Plus, the VSO word order is fun.

Yeah, I know, linguistics nerd, but hey, go with what you love!

[moonchylde.livejournal.com]

I love Lilo and Stitch! It is one of my favorite Disney movies ever.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Mine, too!