ʻĀ ʻoia! Ukulele Chords – John K. Almeida. This song uses the chords: C, G7, C7, F, Min, D7, A7. You can change the key for free, as needed.
ʻĀ ʻoia! Ukulele Chords – John Kameaaloha Almeida
ʻCĀ ʻoia a e G7lilo ana ʻoe iCaʻu, ahahana
Onaona kō G7maka i ʻaneʻi e ka Cipo wahine C7uʻi
He Fuʻi ʻiʻo nō ka waFminhine leo hone
He Cmanu leo leʻa ia A7o ke kuahiwi
D7Naʻu ʻoe, naʻu nō e leG7i haʻaheo
CLiʻa wale aku nō G7ka manaʻo lā i laCila hoʻohihC7i
FUa noa kō nui kino naʻu hoʻoE7kahi wale nō
A7Me ʻoe au pumehana kāua
D7Me aʻu ʻoe ʻolu nei puʻuwai
Aia Clā liloG7a na lilo ʻoe iCaʻu
Check out more ukulele songs here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“ʻĀ ʻoia!” History:
🎵 Basic facts
- Song: ʻĀ ʻoia!
- Writer/Performer: John Kameaaloha Almeida
- Release (recorded version): 2003 compilation album (Hana Ola Records)
- Style: Traditional Hawaiian song (mele), often performed in a hula context
- Tempo: Fairly brisk (around 171 BPM)
Even though the recording you’ll find is modern, the song itself is much older—Almeida composed hundreds of songs in the early–mid 20th century, many of which became Hawaiian standards.
🌺 Meaning and lyrical theme
“ʻĀ ʻoia!” is a love song, and like many Hawaiian mele, it expresses affection in poetic, metaphor-rich language.
A representative translation (condensed from traditional sources) conveys:
- Admiration of a beloved’s beauty and voice
- Comparison to nature (a sweet-voiced bird in the mountains)
- A sense of romantic devotion and possession
- Emotional warmth and comfort in being together
For example, one translated line expresses:
“You are mine… to cherish with pride”
And another idea:
“With you I find the warmth of love”
So at its core, the song is about falling deeply in love and claiming that bond with joy and certainty.
🪕 Musical and cultural context
Almeida’s music sits at the heart of what’s often called the “golden age” of Hawaiian music:
- He was known as “The Dean of Hawaiian Music”
- Wrote 300+ songs, many still performed today
- Blended traditional Hawaiian language poetry with Western instruments like ukulele and steel guitar
“ʻĀ ʻoia!” reflects that style:
- Simple, singable melody
- Strong rhythmic feel (ideal for hula)
- Lyrics rooted in Hawaiian poetic imagery and emotional directness
🧠 A subtle linguistic note
The phrase “ʻā ʻoia” roughly conveys a sense of affirmation or insistence—something like “indeed,” “that’s right,” or “it is so.”
In the song, it reinforces the singer’s emotional certainty:
👉 “Yes—this love is real, and you are mine.”
🎧 How to listen to it
When you hear it, listen for:
- The gentle swing typical of Hawaiian rhythm
- The lyrical phrasing, almost like spoken poetry
- The way the melody supports the intimacy of the lyrics
