Fantasy Hawaiʻi
This song was written in 2012 after having several encounters with people who had immigrated to Hawaii from the continental United States. Some of these encounters occurred at public hearings in Kona while others involved these people advising me on how to rig my Hawaiian canoe, on how to paddle my canoe or how to improve the construction of my canoe paddle. The vast majority of these people would open their remarks by saying , " I have lived in Hawaii for 29 years or 10 years or 15 years" in a tone and manner that seemed to claim these years in residence as some form of credibility or authority in the subject being addressed. But the person that really sparked me to write this song had given me advice on the method of lashing I was using on my canoe and citing their qualifications as being a steersman for Keauhou Canoe club for 10 years. I thanked them politely for their advice but said I had been rigging and sailing this particular canoe for 40 years and was very satisfied with the results of my methods. The theme and about half the lyrics are borrowed from Steve Goodman/Jimmy Buffetʻs Banana Republic.*
They come to fulfill some fantasy
In search of some tropical sun*
Those expatriated Americans*
Hoping to find some fun*
Some of them come for the golfing
Others for the warmth and the sea
While other are running or hiding*
From whats ailing the Land of the Free*
They say they love local culture
Things that make Hawaiʻi unique
Then insist that their imported values
Will improve what ever they see.
Expatriated Americans*
Feeling a little alone*
Telling themselves the same lies*
They told themselves back home*
During the day or night you can find them
In exclusive resorts and hotels
Spending those renegade dollars*
That keeps locals in line so well
They learn a few local customs*
A Hawaiian word or two
Then quickly become total experts
On things that are important to you
Here in sunny Hawaiʻi
Things arenʻt as warm as they seem*
More of the Natives arenʻt buying*
Those second hand American Dreams*
Expatriated Americans*
Feeling a little alone*
Telling themselves the same lies*
They told themselves back home*
Expatriated Americans*
Feeling a little alone*
Telling themselves the same lies*
They told themselves back home*