I Want To Go Back...

to My Little Grass Shack In Kealakekua Hawai'i

I want to go back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Hawai`i
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines
That I used to know long ago

I can hear the old guitars playing
On the beach at Hônaunau
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying
Komo mai no kâua i ka hale welakahao

It won't be long till my ship will be sailing
Back to Kona
A grand old place
That's always fair to see, you're telling me

I'm just a little Hawaiian
A homesick island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi

I want to go back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Hawai`i
Where the humuhumunukunukuâpua`a
Go swimming by

Source: Noble's"Hawaiian Favorites" Copyright 1933, 1961 Miller Music Corp, -
This song was introduced in Kona, Hawai`i at the July 4th canoe races, 1933. Harrison gave the song to John Noble to publish, who revised the music to give it an almost new melody without changing Cogswell's words. This was done to dispel the claim that others had written the song. Once published, the song became a smash hit. Noble turned over the royalties to the Sherman Clay Co. in San Francisco for $500.00 advance royalty, giving the credit to Cogswell and Harrison. Kealakekua is the bay where Captain Cook was killed in 1779. Hônaunau is the ancient City of Refuge and Kona is the district where both are located on the Big Island.