Hawai'i Calls
Words & Music by Harry Owens (1937)
“Hawaii Calls” is more than just a song—it is a sonic postcard from paradise, composed by Harry Owens as the theme for the iconic radio program Hawaii Calls, which first aired across the Pacific on October 14, 1935. This tender ballad became an enduring anthem of longing, connection, and the warm spirit of aloha that transcends distance.
Crafted in 1937, the song evokes the tranquil beauty of the Hawaiian evening: the rhythm of the surf at Waikīkī, the soft fall of twilight, and the powerful emotions stirred by memory and place. Owens pairs these images with a gentle melody that calls not only across the sea but deep into the listener’s heart.
The lyrics speak directly to a loved one far away, blending personal yearning with a universal sentiment of homesickness and hope. “Hawaii calls, with a melody of love” sets the tone for a message both intimate and expansive—reminding us that aloha is not just a greeting, but a bond that endures across time and space.
As the theme song for Hawaii Calls, the beloved radio broadcast that carried the music of the islands to audiences worldwide for nearly 40 years, this track helped define Hawai‘i’s musical identity on the global stage. With its graceful simplicity and heartfelt message, “Hawaii Calls” continues to resonate as a gentle yet powerful reminder of love, memory, and the islands’ timeless allure.
Words & Music by Harry Owens (1937)
“Hawaii Calls” is more than just a song—it is a sonic postcard from paradise, composed by Harry Owens as the theme for the iconic radio program Hawaii Calls, which first aired across the Pacific on October 14, 1935. This tender ballad became an enduring anthem of longing, connection, and the warm spirit of aloha that transcends distance.
Crafted in 1937, the song evokes the tranquil beauty of the Hawaiian evening: the rhythm of the surf at Waikīkī, the soft fall of twilight, and the powerful emotions stirred by memory and place. Owens pairs these images with a gentle melody that calls not only across the sea but deep into the listener’s heart.
The lyrics speak directly to a loved one far away, blending personal yearning with a universal sentiment of homesickness and hope. “Hawaii calls, with a melody of love” sets the tone for a message both intimate and expansive—reminding us that aloha is not just a greeting, but a bond that endures across time and space.
As the theme song for Hawaii Calls, the beloved radio broadcast that carried the music of the islands to audiences worldwide for nearly 40 years, this track helped define Hawai‘i’s musical identity on the global stage. With its graceful simplicity and heartfelt message, “Hawaii Calls” continues to resonate as a gentle yet powerful reminder of love, memory, and the islands’ timeless allure.
Words & Music by Harry Owens (1937)
“Hawaii Calls” is more than just a song—it is a sonic postcard from paradise, composed by Harry Owens as the theme for the iconic radio program Hawaii Calls, which first aired across the Pacific on October 14, 1935. This tender ballad became an enduring anthem of longing, connection, and the warm spirit of aloha that transcends distance.
Crafted in 1937, the song evokes the tranquil beauty of the Hawaiian evening: the rhythm of the surf at Waikīkī, the soft fall of twilight, and the powerful emotions stirred by memory and place. Owens pairs these images with a gentle melody that calls not only across the sea but deep into the listener’s heart.
The lyrics speak directly to a loved one far away, blending personal yearning with a universal sentiment of homesickness and hope. “Hawaii calls, with a melody of love” sets the tone for a message both intimate and expansive—reminding us that aloha is not just a greeting, but a bond that endures across time and space.
As the theme song for Hawaii Calls, the beloved radio broadcast that carried the music of the islands to audiences worldwide for nearly 40 years, this track helped define Hawai‘i’s musical identity on the global stage. With its graceful simplicity and heartfelt message, “Hawaii Calls” continues to resonate as a gentle yet powerful reminder of love, memory, and the islands’ timeless allure.