Thursday, June 12, 2008

A Song for Loving Day

Happy Loving Day! On this date, forty-one years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued Loving v. Virginia, 88 U.S. 1 (1967), striking down state anti-miscegination laws as unconstitutional. All friends of liberty should venerate that worthy holding. Loving Day celebrations prove especially popular, though, among people born to parents of different races and among people in mixed race relationships.

As someone who loves both freedom and my hapa (Hawaian for "mixed race") family, I'm eager to spread the good word about Loving Day. In honor of both the holiday and my partner in miscegination, sunnyside d, I've composed Honolulu Hapa (d was born in Honolulu). I've posted the lyrics below. For more information about how to play the song, including the chords, please see this PDF document. (I later plan to post a recording, so that you can hear the style and melody of the song.) To further help celebrate Loving Day, I've released the song under a license that allows unlimited use of it on June 12 of each year.
Honolulu Hapa

Verse 1:
In Alto California we've got plenty of spice.
We mix it, fix it, quake it, bake it—mmm, that tastes nice.
So whip out every crayon in your coloring box.
Draw them all together. Man, that really rocks!

Chorus:
I say, "Thank you" to your mama. I say, "Thank you" to your papa.
I say, "Thank you, little lovely lady, Honolulu hapa."
I say, "Thank you" to your mama. I say, "Thank you" to your papa.
They crossed the line, they made you fine, my Honolulu hapa.

Verse 2:
I don't see any so-called "whites"; I don't see any "blacks."
I just see all of the shades of tan we wear upon our backs.
Loving v. Virginia put the racists in their place,
Feel a love more strong than law. Kiss a happa face.

Chorus

Bridge:
Hop into the melting pot.
Stir it, swirl it, make it hot!
The heat heats up, up to the top!
Can't hold it down, can't make it stop!

Hop into the melting pot.
Stir it, swirl it, make it hot!
Like cream that rises to the top,
can't hold us down, can't make us stop!
can't hold us down, can't make us stop!

Verse 3:
In Alto California we've got plenty of vice.
You can try it, you can buy it—if you pay the right price.
But ice the vice that hides inside that color-coded box.
Damn their lies! Trust your eyes! Dig every kind of fox.

Chorus

Coda

Fin

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

:o)