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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 1:22 p.m., Thursday, December 13, 2007

Warrior win inspires two local tunes

Advertiser Staff

The Sugar Bowl-bound University of Hawai'i Warriors' undefeated season and WAC supremacy have triggered at least two tunes rallying rah-rah for the football heroes.

One, "Warriors Cry," was written by Willie K, who performs it with Vili the Warrior and Robert Kekaula. It celebrates the 12-0 season. It will be available for downloading from iTunes (www.itunes.com), beginning Tuesday; a single of the battle cry will be released by OneHawaii the following week and will be available at retail stores.

"I dedicate my performance to June Jones for his love for our state, our people and our culture," said Vili The Warrior, in a statement. "I'd also like to thank Coach Jones for believing in me and for giving birth to Vili The Warrior."

The other, "Hawai'i, We Did It," features lyrics by Frank DeLima and Patrick Downes, and is based on a Tim McGraw composition, "I Like It, I Love It." It was on KSSK Radio, and will likely be posted on DeLima's Web site, www.frankdelima.com, but there are no plans to release it commercially. DeLima's latest CD, "Hawai'i, We Did It," features the same melody but different lyrics, rendered DeLima-style.

DeLima was awaiting approval from McGraw on the second parody of his hit song. "He gave us OK to do the first version, so we hope he'll give us the same OK for the (UH) version," said the comedian.

LIVE PERFORMANCES PLANNED

A live performance of "Warriors Cry" will be part of "A Christmas Gift: Na Leo's Holiday Musical Spectacular," at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 and 20 at at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom. Willie K and Vili the Warrior were earlier booked to be special guest stars.

DeLima gives a Christmas show at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Pagoda Hotel's C'est Si Bon club, but it was not certain whether he would share the new lyrics. It mentions the come-from-behind win over the Washington Huskies, Colt Brennan and June Jones, — and ribs ESPN, which didn't "believe."

"The rest of the country now has to admit it, we did it, we did it, Hawai'i, we did it," DeLima sings.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8067.