"Beyond The Reef" is a song written by Canadian Jack Pitman in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

in 1948. It was first performed by Hawaiian artist Napua Stevens in 1949. Although Pitman was living in Hawaii when he wrote it, "Beyond the Reef" does not contain any Hawaiian language words or any mention of Hawaii. It is a slow song in the key of C major with a 2-5-1 progression with D minor, G major and C major. It features the steel guitar as do many of the hapa-haole songs written during this period.

Notable cover versions

* Bing Crosby recorded the song on 5 September 1950 and Crosby's recording reached No. 26 on the '' Billboard'' pop chart. *

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...

included the song on his 1957 album ''

Song of the Islands ''Song of the Islands'' is a 1942 musical comedy film starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. It was directed by Walter Lang and released through 20th Century Fox. Plot Jeff Harper sails to the tropical paradise Ahmi-Oni with his sidekick Rusty ...

''. * Andy Williams released a version on his 1959 album, '' To You Sweetheart, Aloha''. *

George Greeley George Greeley (born Georgio Guariglia; July 23, 1917 – May 26, 2007) was an Italian-American pianist, conductor, composer, arranger, recording artist and record producer who is known for his extensive work across the spectrum of the entertainm ...

recorded an instrumental version of the song in 1960 on his

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

album, ''The Most Beautiful Music of Hawaii''. *

The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the ...

also recorded the song on their third album, ''Another Smash'', in September 1961. *

Vic Damone Vic Damone (born Vito Rocco Farinola; June 12, 1928 – February 11, 2018) was an American traditional pop and big band singer and actor. He was best known for his performances of songs such as the number one hit "You're Breaking My Heart", and ...

included the song on his 1962 album ''Strange Enchantment''. *

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...

included the song on his 1965 album ''On the Beach at Waikiki''. *

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

recorded his version of the song on 27 May 1966 but this recording was only released on a boxset in 1980/1.

References

External links

Elvis and Hawaiian music
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beyond the Reef 1949 songs Elvis Presley songs Bing Crosby songs The Ventures songs Andy Williams songs Music of Hawaii