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Welcome In, Hawaii

Bob Connelly
Language: English



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[1975]
Album “Yankee Go Home: Songs of Protest Against American Imperialism”, Folkways Records.

FW05282

Hawaii, 1893. Soldati statunitensi presidiano il Iolani Palace, il palazzo reale hawaiano ad Honolulu.
Hawaii, 1893. Soldati statunitensi presidiano il Iolani Palace, il palazzo reale hawaiano ad Honolulu.


American missionaries, in their zeal to bring the benefits of Christianity to the entire world, first
arrived in Hawaii in the 1830's. They had been preceeded for a number of years by New England whalers, and followed shortly by many businessmen. By 1849, when France appeared on the verge of annexing the Islands, American involvement in Hawaii was so strong that the government of the United States informed the French that it would "Never with indifference allow them to pass under dominion or exclusive control of any other power." By 1854 Secretary of State Marcy negotiated a treaty of annexation with the Hawaiian government, but it was aborted by fierce British opposition.

By 1892, the situation had changed. American investments in the Islands had increased and the price of sugar, Hawail'a major crop, was down. In January of 1893, the native Hawaiians revolted against the foreigners in their land and the Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to Hawaii, John L. Stevens, requested from President Harrison and received ships and marines to put down the rebellion. For the next four years President Grover Cleveland resisted all attempts by Congress and American businessmen to annex the Islands. After the Spanish-American War, however, when it became clear to Congress that the safest way of controlling the Phillippine Islands (just won from Spain) was by making the Hawaiian Islands secure American property, the Hawaiian Islands were annexed.

On July 6, 1898, Hawaii was welcomed in.”

(dalla nota introduttiva al brano dal libretto che accompagna l’album)
Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Although you may not want us,
By God you know you got us,
So, welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in.

Cleveland is a spineless man, is he,
Cleveland is a spineless man, is he,
He says that we were wrong,
But he won't be with us long,
So, welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in.

Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Now Stevens helped big business steal your land,
Stevens helped big business steal your land,
For he brought in the Marines,
And they overthrew your Queen, (*)
So, welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in.

Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Ain't you glad our missionaries came to you?
New England missionaries came to you?
For these missionaries sons,
With their bibles and their guns,
Have welcomed in Hawaii, welcomed in.

Welcome in Hawaii, welcome in.
When Cleveland is no longer at the helm,
When Cleveland is no longer at the helm,
They'll be no hesitation,
when it comes to annexation
So, welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in.

Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in,
Although you may not want us,
By God you know you got us,
So, welcome in, Hawaii, welcome in.
(*) La regina Lili’uokalani, deposta proprio nel 1893 quando gli USA si presero le Hawaii e ne fecero un protettorato affidato ai propri uomini d’affari. La regina, condannata agli arresti domiciliari presso la propria residenza, si consolò cantando, visto che è stata l’autrice di quasi tutte le più famose canzoni hawaiane ancora oggi universalmente note, come “Aloha ‘Oe” o “He Mele Lahui Hawaii”

Contributed by Alessandro - 2010/3/31 - 11:53




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