Under the Bamboo Tree

Under the Bamboo Tree
Words and Music by Bob Cole

Verse 1: 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 ev'ry 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.

Verse 2: And in this simple jungle way,
He wooed the maiden ev'ry 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;

Verse 3: 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 ev'ry day,
Gush out this soft refrain:

Under the Bamboo Tree — Performed by Bill and Pamela Edwards