The First Paniolo

Story Behind The Song

Being the daughter of a cowboy, and rodeo champion, I was taken by the history of how the first cowboys came to Hawaii. I visit the islands regularly and thought how fun it would be to write a song about the first paniolo.

Song Description

When George Vancouver came to the Hawaiian Islands back in the late 1700s he was so moved by the wonder of the islands that he gifted the King Kamehameha with a small herd of longhorn cattle. The king was delighted with the gift but soon found after the cows had multiplied to a large degree that he needed help on how to handle them. He sent for the famous cowboys of Mexico (the Vaquero) to come and help. And they did! Bringing horses and gear, the Vaquero crossed the ocean to help. Soon the Hawaiian people learned how to ride horses, rope the cows and even bring them out into the ocean where the big ships were waiting to lift them aboard. Some of the most famous cowboys ever came from Hawaii!

Song Length 3:57 Genre Folk - General, Unique - Children
Tempo Medium (111 - 130) Lead Vocal Duet Male/Female
Mood Relaxed, Enchanting Subject Cowboy, History, Past
Similar Artists Joan Baez, Shawn Colvin Language English

Lyrics

1.A long time ago, there came an explorer to the beautiful isles of Hawaii
And he gifted the king with a wonderful thing, a herd of long horned cattle
Around forty.

chorus:

Paniolo o Hawaii, Panilo o Hawaii, Paniolo o Hawaii, Paniolo o Hawaii

2. Then in 1823, the King of Hawaii summoned the famous Vaquero
To help manage the cows, and show the people how, to be real paniolo.

Chorus:

3. So all those years ago, there came from Mexico, the first cowboys to Hawaii
And they taught the folks to ride and they taught em how to rope,
All it takes to be a paniolo.

Chorus:

4. Must have been a sight to see, all those men on their steeds
pulling cows through the waves crashing
And then riding along side them, out into the ocean
To be lifted onto ships on the sea.

Chorus:

5. Now they wear flowers in their hats, sometimes spurs and chaps
as they ride the green hills of Hawaii.
And their songs tell the stories of the love and the glory
of being a paniolo o Hawaii.

Chorus

Lyrics Linda Yapp Music Linda Yapp
Producer Linda Yapp Publisher Linda Yapp
Performance Linda Yapp Label Linda Yapp

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