RAY CONNIFF - HAWAII HEAVENLY FLOWERS - SWEET LEILANI

SWEET LEILANI

HAWAII HEAVENLY FLOWERS

RAY CONNIFF

COMPOSER: HARRY OWENS WITH LANI MCINTYRE AND HIS HAWAIIANS(1937)

COUNTRY: U.S.A.

ALBUM: HAWAIIANA ALBUM

LABEL: DECCA RECORDS

GENRE: HAWAIIAN MUSIC

YEAR: 1967

"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.

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).

Harry Owens and his Royal Hawaiians performed "Sweet Leilani" in the 1938 film Cocoanut Grove starring Fred MacMurray.

Joseph Raymond "Ray" Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.

Sweet Leilani, heavenly flower

Nature fashioned roses kissed with dew - oh sweet leilani, yeah!

And then she placed them in a bower - oh, lovely leilani, yeah!

It was the start of you.

Sweet Leilani, heavenly flower

I dreamed of paradise for two - oh, sweet leilani, yeah

You are my paradise completed - oh, lovely leilani, yeah

You are my dream come true.

Sweet Leilani, heavenly flower

Tropic skies are jealous as they shine - oh, sweet leilani, yeah

I think they're jealous of your blue eyes - oh, lovely leilani, yeah

Jealous because you're mine.

Sweet Leilani, heavenly flower

I dreamed of paradise for two - oh, sweet leilani, yeah

You are my paradise completed - oh, lovely leilani, yeah

You are my dream come true.

You are my dream come true!

Sweet leilani, yeah!