
John Cruz
Special | 27m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
John Cruz
From the upbeat “Island Style” to the haunting “Missing You” to the country twang of “Time to Build a Bridge” on his latest release versatility is one of Cruz’s strongpoints and he showcases that range in this month’s Nā Mele premiere.
Nā Mele is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i

John Cruz
Special | 27m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
From the upbeat “Island Style” to the haunting “Missing You” to the country twang of “Time to Build a Bridge” on his latest release versatility is one of Cruz’s strongpoints and he showcases that range in this month’s Nā Mele premiere.
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Performance: Island Style (Instrumental music) On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side Mama's in the kitchen cooking dinner real nice Beef stew on the stove, lomi salmon with the ice We eat and drink and we sing all day Kanikapila in the old Hawaiian way On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side And we go grandma's house on the weekend clean yard If we no go, grandma gotta work hard You know my grandma, she like the poi real sour I love my grandma every minute, every hour On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side (Instrumental music) I used to live Palolo long time when I was small Used to hang out down the beach at the Waikīkī wall We moved to Waimanalo and I had to change school Cuz my maddah got remarried to this Filipino guy On the island, we do it island style From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side On the island, we making any kine From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side From the mountain to the ocean from the windward to the leeward side John Cruz: I would describe my music as a combination of blues, folk, pop, Hawaiian, you know, soul music, country.
Just, you know, a combination of everything that's ever been past my ears.
My dad was a singer, my mom's singer, and my - music was always around at home, you know, my, all my siblings sang and, you know, played music.
It was just something that happened in our house.
But then later on, coming to the decision that, you know, I wanted to continue doing it seriously that was, for me, it was an easy decision.
Because, you know, I don't know how to do much else.
(Laughs) And I love it so much, you know, whether it's writing songs, or interpreting other people's songs, or just being around creation of music, it has always meant the world to me.
Performance: Nana (Instrumental music) Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na na na You like her, she’s magic When she’s near, your words slip away She likes you, you feel it It’s time to go, but you want her to stay Imagine, so tender Her maybe’s ever so sweet Imagine, surrender It’s clear to you now, her love holds the key We sing Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na na na She whispers so softly Her smile will melt you away Her laughter, it Imagine, so tender Her maybe’s ever so sweet Imagine, surrender It’s clear to you now, her love holds the key It’s like you’re falling, like you’re falling, like you’re falling in love again It’s like you’re falling, it’s like you’re falling, like you’re falling in love (Instrumental music) Hmmm Na na na na na Like you’re falling in love Na na na, hey In love again In love again Like you’re falling in love Na na na, hey Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na Na na na Performance: Hurricane (Instrumental music) Woke up feeling good today Everything’s gonna go my way Question isn’t if at all, just when So tired of the same old fight I work so hard nothing comes out right But it sure feels good to be back on my feet again Hey, I feel like things might go my way but when I stop to think it starts to rain Hey, I feel so good I want to seize the day but it might be the eye of a hurricane, it just might be the eye of a hurricane Oh yeah One and one and one makes three, don’t make no sense to me From nowhere there appears to be a calm I’m feeling good and I ain’t looking back It’s a hell of a sign I got to keep on track Cause I was down now I’m back on my feet again Hey, I feel like things might go my way, but when I stop to think it starts to rain Hey, I feel so good I want to seize the day but it might be the eye of a hurricane Just might be the eye of a hurricane (Instrumental music) You know, I woke up feeling good today I woke up feeling good today (Instrumental music) John Cruz: People ask me, when I tour or stuff or just, “Oh, do you play Hawaiian music?” You know, I grew up here, you know.
And so my music is informed by being Hawaiian, you know, and so, most definitely, I play Hawaiian music, you know, just because it's been infused by my experiences as a Hawaiian.
Performance: Missing You (Instrumental music) Lying all alone late at night in my bed I was all full of feelings Had pictures of you in my head Kept thinking about the springtime You and me on the beach My heart was open I held out my hand But didn't even reach I'm all dressed up, with nowhere to go I go to the movies, the theater is so cold I sit there by myself, sipping on my Coke Movie stars are making love and My heart is broken I've been missing you I've been missing you Last time I saw you I was so confused Things that I thought I had I found out I could lose Still I don't want to be demanding, girl I wouldn't do that to you I won't be waiting outside your window Watching you at a quarter past two I'm all dressed up, nowhere to go I go to the movies, the theater is so cold I sit there by myself, sipping on my Coke Movie stars are making love and My heart is broken I've been missing you I've been missing you (Instrumental music) Been missing you Been missing you Been missing you Performance: Prayer for a Friend (Instrumental music) Come to me in the morning light Help me to feel everything’s alright Cause time don’t come easy, time is a friend I’ve got this feeling this isn’t the end Caught us in tenses and fences that pull us apart Deep in my heart, I know you’re a part of me Prayer for a friend, hope I see you again In our lives we need someone to hold and confide in Give what we can in the end In a prayer for a friend (Instrumental music) I want you near me, you’re dear to me The future is ours, it’s so clear to me Believe in you leaving could somehow tear us apart Deep in my heart, I know you’re a part of me Prayer for a friend, hope I see you again In our lives we need someone to hold and confide in Give what we can in the end In a prayer (Instrumental music) I want you near me, you’re dear to me The future is ours, it’s so clear to me Believe in you leaving would somehow tear us apart Deep in my heart, I know you’re a part of me Prayer for a friend, hope I see you again Prayer for a friend, hope I see you again See you again See you again John Cruz: This next song is called Hilo Town and I wrote it for my dad.
Performance: Hilo Town (Instrumental music) Headed back to Hilo Town Where I lay my daddy down Soft rain was coming down That day in Hilo Town Friends and family gathered around As we put him in the ground And the trumpet it played that sound That day in Hilo Town And the memories fill me with song Sometimes they just bring me down So I’ll stand on sacred ground When I land in Hilo Town (Instrumental music) And the memories fill me with song Sometimes they just bring me down So I’ll sing my daddy’s song When I land in Hilo Town Yes, I’ll stand on ground When I land in Hilo Town The next time in Hilo Town John Cruz: It's just so nice that songs --You know, you write them.
They just kind of pass through, you know, they inhabit me for a while, so that I can kind of nail them down.
And then they're there, outside of me already.
You know, once I'm singing them or recording them.
It's, for all intents and purposes, it's not my song anymore.
Ideally, it becomes anybody’s song, you know.
I mean, for publishing reasons, it's my song (laughs) But, you know, it's nice when a song becomes someone else's song, you know?
Because yeah, then then it's, then it's, then it's a gift to them.
Performance: Time to Build a Bridge It’s time to build a bridge I’ve heard some instigations spawned by different situations, Lead to altered information It’s time to build a bridge to our prosperity, to spiritual prosperity Time to build a bridge It’s time to build a bridge to our humanity Not based on our insanity reacting to calamity It’s time to build a bridge A new way of meeting you, helping when there’s things to do Time to build a bridge Here we are all different kinds of equal We’re here to build a bridge, we the people We who will be acting of our own free will Across the chasm slanting down that long green hill It’s time to build a bridge To invite creation, extend an open invitation to the future generation If we can see thing through, you know together there’s so much we can do Our horizon, always something new Time to build a bridge Come on people It’s time to lend a hand If we build this thing together, united we will stand I say we give it a try Look me in the eye We’ll make those rainbows in our minds cause I want to spend some time with you If you pull from your side, I’ll pull from my side If you give from your side, I’m gonna give from my side If you share from your side, I’ll share from my side We’ll find the difference between us is not that wide It’s time to build a bridge Cause I’ve heard some instigations spawned by different situations lead to altered information Time to build a bridge A new way of meeting you, helping when there’s things to do It’s time to build a bridge It’s time to build a bridge Time to build a bridge Announcer: This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
Nā Mele is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i