“Daar Kom die Alibama”
There’s always something new out there you didn’t know, isn’t there?
Recently, thanks to user SquirrelHudson at Civil War Talk, I discovered the traditional South African folk song, “Die Kom die Alibama,” which is generally credited to have been inspired by the visit of the Confederate raider Alabama to Cape Town in late 1863. While that origin is disputed by some, it’s nevertheless a song that catches the ear, which undoubtedly attests to its popularity after all these generations.
So here we have a song ostensibly inspired by a Confederate ship, built in the United Kingdom, with Afrikaans lyrics, sung by South Africans of Malay descent, played on traditional African instruments. What a crazy world this is, and how better we all are for it.
I’ve already had seconds on the black-eyed peas; 2016 is gonna be a good year. Y’all have a Happy New Year, too.
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Dead Confederates, A Civil War Era Blog 
Neat! Thanks for sharing. Wish I could understand more of the lyrics.
The lyrics I found online don’t have any clear relation to the Confederate ship, which makes me a little skeptical of that as the origin. Oh well.
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Lyrics in Afrikaans and English:
Daar kom die Alibama,
Die Alibama die kom oor die see
Daar kom die Alibama,
Die Alibama die kom oor die see.
Nooi, nooi, die rietkooi, nooi,
Die rietkooi is gemaak,
Die rietkooi is vir my gemaak
Om daarop te slaap.
Nooi, nooi, die rietkooi, nooi,
Die rietkooi is gemaak,
Die rietkooi is vir my gemaak
Om daarop te slaap.
Die Alibama, die Alibama,
Die Alibama kom oor die see.
Die Alibama, die Alibama,
Die Alibama kom oor die see.
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There comes the Alabama,
The Alabama come over the sea
There comes the Alabama,
The Alabama come over the sea.
Invite, invite, the reed bed, invite,
The reed bed is made,
The reed bed is made for me
To sleep on it.
Invite, invite, the reed bed, invite,
The reed bed is made,
The reed bed is made for me
To sleep on it.
The Alabama, the Alabama,
The Alabama comes over the sea.
The Alabama, the Alabama,
The Alabama comes over the sea.
Thanks for the lyrics. They do seem to refer to a ship. Given the general timeframe, the CSS Alabama seems believable.
Great post, Andy. By the way, I was born in Houston and miss my black eyed peas. Sho nuf.
Thanks. Added you to the blog roll.
It is easy to forget that the impact of these events were not limited to the United States and immediate neighbors. This was a good reminder!
Happy new year, Andy, and keep up the good work.
I, too, had my black-eyed peas. My grandmother would have been so pleased: she chased me through the house with a spoonful one New Year’s Day when I was in my teens, crying, “Just one! Eat just one!”
She was right!
Many years too late, but here goes. There was a coaster (small cargo ship) called Alibama at around the same that the famous Alibama visited Cape Town. She sailed between Cape Town and Saldanha Bay and one of the products she carried were the strong reeds that grew in the upper part of the bay called Langebaan. These were traditionally used for bed construction (before springs).
Nooi has two meanings, 1. Invite 2. sweetheart / girlfriend
The second meaning certainly is the meaning in the song!!
Thanks!