To the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance song

     words by Kevin Krisciunas, 1987

Oh, it snows up on top Mauna Kea,
Bathed in the light of Kilauea.
Mauna Loa is not in the way.  A-
-stronomy gets done up there.  CHA!  CHA!

At infrared, submillimeter,
And optical wavelengths of light,
They search for hot gases,
Some dust and star masses,
Where wekiu bugs shiver all night.*

They don't care.
Their desire's to rate a
First prize with the data
Although they are gasping for air.

Oh, they come here from many great nations
And search distant and faint constellations.
The Big Bang was one of their creations.
They drive four-wheelers up to the top.

So--
If you're ever on Big Island proper,
And you're stopped on the road by a copper,
Just ask him the way to the topper.
'Cause by now you should know 
That up there in the snow
Big scopes have been placed at that height,
Where astronomers stay up all night.  OLE!!

____________

*Wekiu bugs are a species unique to the summit of Mauna Kea.
The Hawaiian word "wekiu" means summit.  They eat bugs that are
blown up to the summit from lower down by the wind.