Longtime Chicago radio personality Steve Dahl is best known outside Second City as the brainchild of the infamous Disco Demolition Night at a Chicago White Sox doubleheader in 1979. But in 1997 he recorded an album of Jimmy Buffett and Beach Boys inspired songs called Mai-Tai Roa Aé, with titles such as “Janet Don’t Go to Jamaica”, “Net Surfin’ U.S.A.”, and “Flying Over the Ocean.” The CD is available on the second-hand market and you can listen to the album on YouTube and music streaming services.
The title track is most notable, telling a historically accurate story about the creation and popularization of the Mai Tai cocktail. There are references to the original Wray & Nephew 17 year old rum, the Matson Line, and even a creative pronunciation of “ore-jay”. The album cover notably features portion of the longtime Trader Vic’s cocktail menu cover, likely used without permission. The song though is a bit more inspired with a pretty nice hook, and while nobody will confuse Dahl’s voice with one of the Wilson brothers, he does a fair job delivering the details. Interestingly, Dahl had issues with alcoholism and was sober for a couple years at the time of this album’s release.
Mai-Tai Roa Aé / music and lyrics by Steve Dahl
Sitting at the service bar in Oakland
Sometime back in 1944
The war was on, the empire was exploding
Vic Bergeron was looking for something more
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
May that special feeling never end
It’s paradise in a glass
For a world that moves too fast
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
He summoned the bartender from the back room
Had him bring the 17 year old rum
The freshest fruits, the almond flavored orgeat
From the finest things on Earth the drink had sprung
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
May that special feeling never end
It’s paradise in a glass
For a world that moves too fast
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
Traveled from the mainland to Hawaii
On the steamships of the mighty Matson Line
From Honolulu to the south beach of Miami
The old man’s drink has stood the test of time
Mai Tai means the very best in Tahiti
A gentle breeze, the beach, sunshine
Any time the native are getting restless
Trader Vic’s Mai Tai will do it every time
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
May that special feeling never end
It’s paradise in a glass
For a world that moves too fast
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend
Mai-Tai Roa Aé my friend