Hello, audio adventurers! Finnley the Dolphin here, broadcasting straight from the coral-covered stacks of my undersea vinyl vault. Today we’re drifting into the warm, sun-soaked sounds of mid-century paradise with George Greeley’s The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii. This isn’t just another Hawaiian-themed LP. It’s a lush, orchestrated fantasy pressed into wax by one of the era’s most romantic pianists and the mighty Warner Bros. orchestra. So grab a beach towel and your best lei, because we’re diving deep into the grooves of a record that captures the daydream of island life like few others.
By the time this Hawaiian-themed release landed in 1968, Warner Bros. Records had already earned its reputation for genre-spanning innovation and cinematic flair. Founded in 1958 as the recording arm of the iconic film studio, Warner Bros. quickly moved beyond soundtrack albums into jazz, pop, and orchestral experiments. Their “Vitaphonic Stereo” imprint, proudly stamped on this release, represented the label’s investment in high-fidelity sound,perfect for Greeley’s sweeping interpretations.
This album, The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii, was released under Warner Bros. catalog number WS 1366. It emerged during a time when major labels were increasingly eager to romanticize the Pacific, part of a broader cultural fascination with Polynesia and Hawaiian exotica following statehood in 1959. With packaging featuring lush florals and a pastel blue cover, the record visually and sonically promised an idyllic escape for the American living room.
Warner Bros. was especially well-positioned to produce albums that felt cinematic in scope. With its roots in film, the label cultivated large-scale studio orchestras and had access to top-tier arrangers, conductors, and session musicians. This record exemplifies that ethos: polished, theatrical, and carefully curated for emotional resonance rather than strict authenticity.
George Greeley was a classically trained pianist and arranger with a rich background in both popular and orchestral music. Born in 1917, he studied at Juilliard and began his career performing with the Warner Bros. studio system. Over time, Greeley became known for his lush, cinematic piano style,making him a natural choice for a project that needed both classical finesse and popular appeal. He frequently collaborated with Hollywood’s biggest names, including Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and contributed music to television series such as “My Favorite Martian” and “The Ghost & Mrs. Muir.” His unique ability to blend emotion and technical brilliance shines throughout this album.
The Outriggers were a studio ensemble assembled to provide a stylized island sound for Warner Bros.’ Hawaiian-themed projects. Though largely anonymous in the liner notes, this group likely consisted of experienced Los Angeles session musicians skilled in instruments like the steel guitar, ukulele, and slack-key guitar. Their inclusion adds authenticity to the album’s texture, balancing Greeley’s orchestral flourishes with the breezy charm of traditional Hawaiian instrumentation.
Alvino Rey, who produced this album, was a pioneer in electric guitar and a foundational figure in American pop and swing music. He is credited with helping popularize the pedal steel guitar in the 1930s and 40s. In the 1920s, he developed an early electric pickup for the banjo which later inspired Gibson’s first electric guitar, the ES-150.
Rey also explored voice-like sound effects for instruments. In 1939, he created an early talk box system that made his steel guitar appear to speak. He performed this with a guitar-shaped puppet named “Stringy.” In the late 1950s, he contributed his unique sound to radio jingles, helping shape the PAMS “Sonovox” series and the sound of early Top Forty radio.
His combination of technical invention and orchestral imagination made him a natural fit for this Hawaiian project. He was later honored by the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and featured in the NAMM Oral History Library.
The composer of “Aloha ʻOe,” Queen Liliʻuokalani was the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A prolific songwriter and accomplished musician, she used music as both a cultural expression and political tool. “Aloha ʻOe” became emblematic of Hawaiian identity and resistance, expressing longing and farewell with poetic grace. Her inclusion on this album roots it in the authentic musical heritage of the islands.
Leleiohoku II, brother to Queen Liliʻuokalani, composed the original chant that would evolve into “Hawaiian War Chant.” While originally a romantic mele (song), it was later transformed into an upbeat big band and exotica favorite. His early influence on Hawaiian music helped shape its transition into Western popular culture.
A seminal figure in Hawaiian music, Johnny Noble was instrumental in bridging traditional Hawaiian melodies with jazz and swing. He helped introduce the hapa-haole style,songs with English lyrics and Hawaiian motifs,to mainland audiences. Tracks like “My Little Grass Shack” bear his musical DNA, showcasing his skill in making island sounds palatable to wider audiences without losing their core identity.
R. Alex Anderson, known for composing “Lovely Hula Hands,” was one of Hawaii’s most prolific and beloved songwriters. A businessman by trade, he composed hundreds of songs in his spare time, capturing the spirit of the islands in a light, melodic style. His songs are still regularly performed in Hawaiian music circles today.
Best known for his Oscar-winning composition “Sweet Leilani,” Harry Owens was the bandleader at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki during the 1930s. He helped codify the popular image of Hawaiian music for American audiences through radio broadcasts and recordings. “Sweet Leilani” became a national sensation after its appearance in the 1937 Bing Crosby film Waikiki Wedding.
Hollywood lyricist Ralph Freed collaborated with many of the great songwriters of his day. His lyrics for “Beyond the Reef” lend a wistful, sentimental tone that aligns perfectly with Greeley’s lush arrangements. Freed’s background in film and stage makes his contributions especially fitting for a record rooted in dramatic, emotive interpretations.
This 1968 release is a curated journey through the romanticized musical landscape of Hawaii. Greeley’s interpretations are lavish and cinematic, with sweeping strings and gentle piano flourishes weaving through the arrangements. While not attempting cultural accuracy, the album paints a dreamy portrait that aligns with midcentury America’s image of the islands as paradise.
A notable feature of this release is its wide stereo soundstage. At a time when stereo was emerging as a selling point for Hi-Fi systems, some recordings leaned into the effect purely as a novelty. In contrast, this album uses stereo not as a gimmick, but as a powerful atmospheric tool. The spacious left-right separation enhances the lush arrangements, creating an immersive soundscape that evokes the breezy openness of island life. The result is a recording that feels both enveloping and transportive, making full use of the era’s technological possibilities.
Side 1:
Beyond the Reef
My Little Grass Shack (In Kealakekua Hawaii)
Hawaiian Wedding Song
King Kamehameha
Blue Hawaii
Hawaiian War Chant
Side 2:
Song of the Islands
Malihini Mele
Sweet Leilani
Lovely Hula Hands
On the Beach at Waikiki
Aloha ʻOe
The record was issued with the catalog number WS-1366 on the Warner Bros. – Seven Arts Records, Inc. label, with copyright held by Warner Bros. Records Inc. It features their familiar gold label design used for stereo recordings in the early 1960s and includes the “Vitaphonic Stereo” branding, a marketing term used by Warner Bros. to denote enhanced stereo separation and fidelity. This specific pressing was manufactured by RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis, identifiable by a small “ɪ” stamped in the runouts.
Each selection is crafted with mood in mind. Tracks like “Malihini Mele” and “On the Beach at Waikiki” radiate breezy charm, while pieces like “Sweet Leilani” and “Aloha ʻOe” invite quiet reflection. The album feels like a postcard,perhaps idealized, perhaps nostalgic, but undeniably effective at transporting the listener to a stylized sonic Hawaii. It’s no wonder this LP became a staple in many home collections, especially for those who dreamed of sandy shores and steel guitar serenades from afar.
Mahalo for swimming along on this musical journey with me! Whether you’re a longtime collector or just discovering these golden-age grooves for the first time, I hope this deep dive has brought a splash of aloha to your day. Stay tuned for more sonic treasures on the next episode of Finnley’s Audio Adventures!
Sources:
“Alvino Rey.” NAMM Oral History Library, National Association of Music Merchants, https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/alvino-rey. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Alvino Rey.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/299945-Alvino-Rey. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“George Greeley – Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0337557/bio/. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“George Greeley With The World Famous Warner Bros. Orchestra And The Outriggers – The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/release/17704156. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Harry Owens.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/862342-Harry-Owens. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Hawaii Music Hall of Fame: Charles E. King.” Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts, https://www.hawaiimusicmuseum.org/honorees/1995/king.html. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Johnny Noble.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/826296-Johnny-Noble. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Liliuokalani.” Discography of American Historical Recordings, University of California, Santa Barbara, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/104142/Liliuokalani. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Prince Leleiohoku.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/826297-Prince-Leleiohoku. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“R. Alex Anderson.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/1367332-R-Alex-Anderson. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Ralph Freed.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/749167-Ralph-Freed. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“The Outriggers.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/2102207-The-Outriggers. Accessed 26 May 2025.
“Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Records.” Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/label/102249-Warner-Bros-Seven-Arts-Records. Accessed 26 May 2025.
