Mahalo

Aloha’s what they always say
when you’re in Waikiki.
And you will hear mahalo too.
Yeah, you just wait and see.

Aloha means ‘Hello’, you know.
It also means ‘Goodbye.’
Hey, I’m not making this stuff up,
so I can’t tell you why.

Hawaiian people are real nice
and they have manners too.
You’ll hear mahalo quite a lot.
That’s how they say ‘Thank you.’

Their alphabet seems pretty strange
compared to what we know.
There’s only seven consonants.
Hey, doesn’t that seem low?

I guess they threw the extras out.
That’s not a bad idea.
Although it may sound foreign to
the non-Hawaiian ear.

Oh, they communicate just fine,
so who am I to say?
Their language has a melody
you won’t find every day.

And they will use some English words,
just for the tourist trade.
But say Aloha with a smile
and you will have it made.

And don’t forget the magic word,
so say mahalo too.
Just have respect and be polite.
You’ll get lei’d if you do.

Hey, don’t get too excited now.
No need for you to wink.
It isn’t what it sounded like.
No, not what you might think.

A lei necklace is beautiful,
with flowers, beads or shells.
A welcome gift to all who come,
a way to wish you well.

Hawaii is a special place.
It’s not hard to believe.
No, once you spend a day or two,
you’ll never want to leave.