NZ Folk Song * Atu i te Uenuku

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This is a draft Maori translation of the first half of the1937 song, using
the imagery of godwits flying from Hawaiiki. This may give you a fuller
understanding of the song than the words used in Brannigan Kaa's version.

Original 1937 words

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

Somewhere, over the rainbow,
way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lul-la-by

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare dream
Really do come true-ue
Really do come true.

Draft Te Reo version

Kei kō a-tu i te u-e-nu-ku
Ku-a-ka
Re-re ru-nga u-e-nu-ku
Nā te a-ha kāo-ri au?

Kei kō a-tu i te u-e-nu-ku
Ha-wa-i-ki
Whe-nu-a kō-re-ro-ti-a
Kei ori-ori rā

A tō-na wa hia-ra-ngia au
Ka wha-ka-a-ra po-ro-ro
I a mu-ri
A-rā ko-e e ki-te au
Me kāo-ri he ma-na-wa-pā
Kei ru-nga tu-a-nu

Kei kō a-tu i te u-e-nu-ku
Ki-ko-ra-ngi
Moe-moe-ā mā-tā-to-a
Ma-hi-a rā-pe-a-a
Ma-hi-a rā-pe-a.

Translation of Te Reo

Somewhere on the other side of the rainbow
are the godwits.
They fly over the rainbow
Why not me?

Somewhere on the other side of the rainbow
is Hawaiki
a land that was talked about
in a lullaby long ago.

Someday I'll make a heavenly wish
and wake up where the clouds
are all behind me.
There you will find me
without any troubles
up above the rooftops.

Somewhere on the other side of the rainbow
are blue skies.
The dreams that you dare to have,
are actually achieved.

Original 1937 words

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare dream
Really do come true-ue
Really do come true.

Brannigan Kaa version

Kei hea te uenuku
Ki me-e-ha
Kei nga ko whito e wha
Te roto i a koe

Kurakura ana a
Te matariki o te kahurangi

A-rā ko-e e ki te au
Me kāo-ri he ma-na-wa-pā
Kei ru-nga tu-a-nu

Kei kō a-tu i te u-e-nu-ku
Ki-ko-ra-ngi
Moe-moe-ā mā-tā-to-a
Ma-hi-a rā-pe-a-a
Ma-hi-a rā-pe-a.

Translation of Kaa's version

Where is the rainbow
Very isolated
With the four tiny bird-calls
Inside of you?

Very red
the stars of the sky

There you will find me
without any troubles
up above the rooftops.

Somewhere on the other side of the rainbow
skies are blue.
Dreams that you dare to have,
are actually achieved
are actually achieved.

Maori songs - Kiwi songs - Home
Webpage put onto folksong.org.nz website April 2012; corrections made in Nov 2012.