Hawaiian Melodies Reference Collection: He Mele Aloha List
(2003, 2004)
These lists are a gift to all who love to sing Hawaiian songs.  Most of our personal and published song-collections include only text and chords, and all we need to launch into singing a song is get the first few notes or the first musical phrase. All too often the lament, "Eh, how does this song go...?" can dampen an otherwise enthusiastic family kanikapila ("domestic music making") session. This reference website exists solely to help keep alive our kanikapila tradition.
Please support the continued growth of Hawaiian music in our community by purchasing composers' published song books and other song collections, as well as recordings of Hawaiian music. Many books may be out of print but available at public libraries; please mälama these old and venerable books, and do return them. 
These web pages are for home/school study purposes only. Karaoke-style use of  soundclips is kapu; legally forbidden.  There is no claim of definitive rendition of these songs, just approximations of current (sometimes former) usage - Different performers and island locales and venues provide a variety of interpretations. This is an on-going project that will take time to complete. Your suggestions, corrections and insights (and historical data)  may prove helpful; do keep in touch. Mahalo.
Please note that  many of the individual songs are still the copyrighted © property of song owners/publishers. Please contact those song owners for legitimate recording permissions. I do not have a list of song owners/publishers; sorry.
Go fetch your instruments and He Mele Aloha songbook and enjoy your kanikapila!
 Created Feb 2004  ©2004 Mondoy Music |  Last updated: 02/08/2020

Sample:
^*1 ʻĀ ʻOia!                         HMA 001 sms, smssffmmrmrd,lsls           Almeida, John; 1940's                         Key of C

*1  Link to song-page with soundclips and song information. These are midi (.mid)  and MP3 soundclips.  If your computer sound-card is configured properly, you can listen to these. The song-page also lists available sheet music, and in most instances, a chance to request for sheet music from Mondoy Music. List of publications with Hawaiian songs notated below.
*2 He Mele Aloha number:   He Mele Aloha A Hawaiian Songbook (‘Oli‘Oli Productions, LLC, Honolulu; 2003)
*3 This is "Solfege."  Musicologists have long used  "solfege" as non-notational recalling device. Solfege explanation.

On-line only; jump to:
 [A]  [B C E F G]  [Ha] [Hi-I] [Ka]  [Ke-Kuu]  [L-Ma]  [Me-My]  [Na-O]  [P]  [Q R S ]  [T U W Y]  

List of Hawaiian Song Notation Publications  (revised February 6, 2020)

Oldest
KBM Ka Buke Mele Holstein 1897
ACHS Aloha Collection of Hawaiian Songs Wall, Nichols Co. 1899
FCHS Franklin Edition No. 1 Collection of Native Hawaiian Songs and Hulas Kapule Kenoa 1912, 1916
FHS Famous Hawaiian Songs A.R. Cunha Bergstrom 1914
K1 King's Book of Hawaiian Melodies King 1916, ....1948
K2 King's Song's of Hawaii 1942, 1952
CPHM A Collection of Popular Hawaiian Melodies Kamaumu 1929

Johnny Noble
BSF Bronson’s Song Folio for Hawaiian and Spanish Guitars Johnny Noble Bronson Music Corp 1936
RC Johnny Noble's Royal Collection of Hawaiian Songs 1929 | 1957 Miller
HH Hawaiian Hulas Noble Miller 1935, 1960 (a.k.a. Collection of Hulas Ancient and Modern
MH Musical Hawaii Noble and George 1944

Criterion
CSSS Authentic South Sea Songs | Criterion Book No. 1 1955
CISB Criterion's Island Song Book | Criterion Book No. 2
CSOP Authentic Songs of Polynesia | Criterion 1960
CISFH Authentic Island Songs from Hawaii and Tahiti | Criterion 1961
CSP Authentic Songs of Paradise | Criterion Book No. 5 1963
CSPI Authentic Songs from the Pacific Isles | Criterion Book No. 6 1 963
CRI Authentic Songs from the Romantic Isles | Criterion Book No. 7 1 965
CHSB Criterion's Hawaiian Song Book |Criterion 1965
CHSBO Criterion's Authentic Hawaiian Song Book for Organs |Criterion 1966
CISBFH Criterion's Island Song Book from Hawaii and Tahiti | Criterion 1967
CTT Authentic Tunes from the Tropics | Criterion Book No. 8 1967

Japan
HIRO2 (Hawaiian Song Book) Vol 2 Hirose 1959
HAYAT1 Hawaiian Song Book Hayatsu 1974
HAYAT2 Hawaiian Music Album Hayatsu 1982
SHIR Best 100 Hawaiian Makoto Shiraishi 1998

More Mainland
SOH Songs of Hawaii Miller 1950
HHU Hits from Hawaii for the Ukulele Miller 1950
MOH Music of Hawaii | Henderson Boston 1960
FHS Favorite Hawaiian Songs Hal Leonard 1985
GHS The Book of Golden Hawaiian Songs Warner Bros 1991 HSB
CHMC The Complete Hawaiian Music Collection Cuellar Warner Bros 2000
HSMC The Hawaiian Sheet Music Collection Alfred 2008

Local
NMA Na Mele Aloha John Kameaaloha Almeida 1945 Text only
HO Harry Owens 1964 Royal Music Publisher
FSHS Folk Songs Hawaii Sings Kelly 1963
FMF Folk Music Festival Kelly 1956
AFSH Famous Songs of Hawaii R. Alex Anderson, Alex Anderson Music Inc 1971
EHHK E Himeni Hawaii Kakou Mahoe/Yasui 1973
NMH Na Mele Ho'ona'auao DOE 1985
HSP Hawaiian Songbook Project (not printed) 1989 (formerhy HSB, also “He Mele ‘Ohina)
QS The Queen's Songbook Hui Hanai 1999
HMA He Mele Aloha 2003
LM Lena Machado Songbird of Hawaii Kamehameha 2006