The poem
In the wilds of Madagascar, Dwelt a Boola-boola maid; For her hand young men would ask her, But she always was afraid. Oh that Boola-boola maid She was living in the shade Of a spreading Yum-yum tree; And - when the day was done At the setting of the sun, She would make this melodee:
As this ditty she was cooing, Came a Boola-boola man; And he lost no time in wooing; For he punched her on the pan. Oh that Boola-boola maid She was terribly afraid So he punched her on the eye; And - then he laugh'd with glee As beneath the Yum-yum tree He - heard that maiden cry:
Then with shrieks of ribald laughter, Said the Boola-boola man; "If it's only socks you're after, I will do the best I can. I have handed you a pair, And I've plenty more to spare," So he socked her on the nose; And a woeful maid was she, As beneath the Yum-yum tree, This - lamentation 'rose:
Now the wedding tom-tom's over, for this Boola-boola maid; And when ev'ning shadows hover, She no longer is afraid. For she weasrs a palm-leaf pinny And she rocks a pickaninny In the shade of the Yum-yum tree, And she's happy with her he-man, Though she still dreams of a She-man, As she sings this song with glee:
Chorus: Oh - I don't want my cave-man to caress me, Oh I don't want no coal-black heads to press me. All I want is a fellow who wears suspenders, That'll be the coon to whom this babe surenders. For the man I wed must have a proper trouseau. On none of your fig-leaf dudes will make me do so. For it's funny how I feel, But I'm crazy for socks appeal And my dream is to marry a man with a pair of socks.