ARABELLA
Subtitle
Queen of Araby
Type
Song
Composer
Carl Zerse
Lyricist
Carl Zerse
Publisher
Carl Zerse, St. Louis, Mo.
Notes
"Araby" and "Egypt" are interchangeable.

The name "Arabella" is used because of the first four letters of her name, not for any sense of ethnic authenticity.

Where does the mention of "sunbirds" come from [cf. song by that name]?
Lyrics

When ev'ning shadows 'round me play,
Memory leads me far away,
To a lonely maiden in Araby,
Who's watching and waiting for me:

CHORUS:
Arabella, Arabella, I love you,
Arabella, Arabella, I'll be true,
Your Oriental smile
Seems to haunt me all the while,
And just as sure as sunbirds on the palm trees sway,
I am coming back to plan a wedding day,
Soon I'll be crooning love's old melody,
To Arabella, Queen of Araby.

When stars are gleaming in the skies,
I'm dreaming of Egyptian eyes,
Eyes that ever watch for the caravan,
That's bringing me back to her clan: