Coasts of Malabar Far away across the ocean Beneath an Indian star Lives a little dark eyed maiden On the coast of Malabar In the harbour where we anchored I could see her shy and sweet With a blossom on her bosom And the wild waves at her feet I can see the crowded city The palm trees green and tall And the starry night she danced with me Inside those city wall She gave a little wistful glance As she looked across the bay And she whispered if you love me Why do you sail away I must go my little dark eyes I must go my Indian star But I'll come again and love you On the coast of Malabar In my dreams I oft-times wander To that far off Indian sea And the days we spent together They come back again to me I can see the crowded city The palm trees on the shore But that little dark-eyed maiden She's there no more no more Fare thee well my little dark eyes Fare thee well my Indian star In my dreams I will live forever On the Coast of Malabar recorded by Sean Tyrrel on ""Cry of a dreamer"" recorded by Ry Cooder on ""The Chieftains - The long Black Veil"" The following is the version sung by Sean Tyrrell on the CD "Cry of a dreamer"" (Hannibal-Rykodisk 1995). I know another version (slightly different) sung by Ry Cooder on ""The Chieftains - The long black veil"" (BMG-RCA). Paddy Moloney (The Chieftains) says: ""My grandmother used to sing this song at trad houses parties in the Sliabh Bloom Mountains of central Ireland. I can still remember her sitting on an old wooden milk churn in a country kitchen singing a version she called Little Maid From Malabar"" EB OCT98
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!