[Verse 1 – Pidgin punk growl] Kaumualiʻi wen bend but neva break, Gave da crown but kept da stake. He said, “You can rule from far, But I stay chief of this star.” Now da old man dead, we still feel shame, Windward aliʻi, they call our name. But this island no yours to own, We was kings before your throne! [Chorus – Gang vocal chant / fast drums] ʻAʻole mākou e kūlou! (We no bow!) ʻAʻole mākou e haʻalele! (We no leave!) Kauaʻi kūʻokoʻa! (Kauaʻi stay free!) From Hanalei to Hanapēpē! We fight fo’ da blood, We fight fo’ da name, Even if da gods neva answer again! Hanapēpē skies—black with flame! [Verse 2 – Mixed Pidgin/Hawaiian] Before da sun come up, we wen strike, Waimea fort, wit’ spears and fight. Humehume stand on da wall— “Kauaʻi free!” he wen call. But da guns wen roar like thunder, And da rebels goin’ down in numbah. Ua make kekahi, some still crawl, Kalanimoku? He wen see it all. [Bridge – Ska breakdown / slow & defiant] Missionaries hide on da boat, One rebel wen scream wit’ da goat. Ka-maka-kini? Tied up tight, Tossed from da deck in da dead of night. They said we was drunk, said we was weak, But we fightin’ back 'cause we no like sneak. Tell da queen—Kaʻahumanu—go, Her crown no reach where da rivah flow. [Chorus – Heavier and faster] ʻAʻole mākou e kūlou! ʻAʻole mākou e make me ka hilahila! (We no die in shame!) We swing da digger stick, we take one chance— In da old aliʻi lands, we make our stance! Guns blaze, da blood run cold, But we no live just fo’ be sold. Hanapēpē skies—black with flame! Still remember Humehume’s name! [Final Verse – Mournful / melodic ska-punk tone] Now da bones lie deep in da valley, Ghosts of aliʻi neva tally. Da land, da title—gone to dust, Only da kingdom kept its trust. They wen call us pig eaters, laugh out loud, But we neva bow, and we neva was proud. From Lāwaʻi to Wailua stream, We still whisper in da rebel dream. [Outro – Raw shout, solo voice → group] "We neva wanted war… but we was ready!" "Kauaʻi, remember!" "ʻAʻole mākou e kūlou!" (We! No! Bow!)
