For Mary, I played this one on my Kamaka ukulele. Aloha Kuiokalani, you will always be remembered.
Story behind the song
Kui Lee: 'One of the all-time geniuses of Hawaii'
Kui Lee had been battling lymph gland cancer when he passed away at the Guadalajara Hospital in Tijuana on December 3, 1966, at the age of 34. His ashes were scattered off Waikiki.
Press accounts of the period credit Lee with composing up to 80 original songs, some of which were recorded by more than 100 artists worldwide. Songs like "Lahainaluna" ("Maui no ka oi is the only place for me"), "Tiny Bubbles" and "Suck 'Em Up."
He was born Kuiokalani Lee in Shanghai, China, the third child and only son of Hawaiian entertainers Billy and Ethel Lee.
Kui's mother died when he was about 4 years old.
He went to Kamehameha Schools and graduated from Roosevelt High School.
Lee performed on the mainland for 10 years, the last year and a half in the Hawaiian Room of New York's Lexington Hotel.
He was also a choreographer and knife dancer in the Lexington show, where he met Nani, a hula dancer, who he later married.
Lee returned to Hawaii, to Club Jetty in Nawiliwili, Kauai, in 1961.
There he became a part-time performer and doorman at Honey's nightclub in Kaneohe, the launching pad of Don Ho.
In 1964 Lee wrote his definitive hit, "I'll Remember You" signed with Palm Records and opened at the Surf Lanai at Queen's Surf.
His composition was recorded that year by Tony Bennett and Andy Williams, and later by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Roger Williams, Elvis and many others in Italian, Japanese, Spanish, and Tagalog.
In a halting reverie, Don Ho recalled the night Lee unveiled his hit song.
"He walked in with a song called, 'I'll Remember You.' I sat up all night (with Kui) absorbing the essence of what he was writing about. The next day I wrote down the arrangement of the song at the club. That night I said that this was written by a friend of mine. At that time he had cancer in his throat. I sang it with the Aliis. I'll never forget that night. At that moment everybody had tears in their eyes. Then I introduced Kui. He came on stage and he sang it. Then, everybody really had tears. The rest is history.
Aloha Kuiokalani, you will always be remembered.
Lyrics
I'll remember you
Long after this endless summer is gone
I'll be lonely, oh so lonely
Living only to remember you
I'll remember too
Your voice as soft as a warm summer breeze
Your sweet laughter, mornings after,
Ever after I'll remember you
To your arms some day
I'll return to stay 'til then
I'll remember too
Every bright star we made wishes upon
Love me always, promise always
You'll remember too.
Kui Lee