[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial language. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
An exotic love song set in the tropics, 1902.
Words and music by Bob Cole.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment:
Lyrics
- Down in the jungles lived a maid
Of royal blood though dusky shade
A marked impression once she made
Upon a Zulu from Matabooloo
And every morning he would be
Down underneath a bamboo tree
A-waiting there his love to see
And then to her he’d sing
Chorus
If you lak-a-me, lak I lak-a-you
And we lak-a-both the same
I lak-a say, this very day
I lak-a-change your name
‘Cause I love-a-you and love-a-you true
And if you-a love-a-me
One live as two, two live as one
Under the bamboo tree
- And in this simple jungle way
He wooed the maiden every day
By singing what he had to say
One day he seized her and gently squeezed her
And then beneath the bamboo green
He begged her to become his queen
The dusky maiden blushed unseen
And joined him in his song - This little story strange but true
Is often told in Mataboo
Of how this Zulu tried to woo
His jungle lady in tropics shady
Although the scene was miles away
Right here at home I dare to say
You’ll hear some Zulu every day
Gush out this soft refrain
Sung here by Fred Feild: