Charley,

You could be right. The liner notes from this recording (I believe from 1941) says "The favorite song of these Malays is There Comes Alibama and it is an unforgettable esperience to hear them sing this on a bright moonlight night along one of the Cape beaches, as they mend their nets. The Sing Ali-Ba-Ma, stressing the Ba with great emotion, but none of them can tell you who Alibama is." It is very possible that Josef did not know of the Alabama when this recording was made and attributed it to a native folktune. The version I have only has the chorus repeated over and over by the Bushveld Band.

The folk process strikes again!!

Ron