Rose, Rose I love you with an aching heart
What is your future, now we have to part?
Standing on the jetty as the steamer moves away,
Flower of Malaya, I cannot stay

Make way, oh, make way for my Eastern Rose
Men crowd in dozens everywhere she goes
In her rickshaw on the street or in a cabaret,
"Please make way for Rose," you can hear them say

All my life I shall remember,
Oriental music and you in my arms
Perfumed flowers in your tresses,
Lotus-scented breezes and swaying palms

Rose, Rose I love you with your almond eyes
Fragrant and slender 'neath tropical skies
I must cross the seas again and never see you more
Way back to my home on a distant shore

(All my life I shall remember,)
(Oriental music and you in my arms)
(Perfumed flowers in your tresses,)
(Lotus-scented breezes and swaying palms)

Rose, Rose I leave you, my ship is in the bay
Kiss me farewell now, there's nothin' to say
East is East and West is West, our worlds are far apart
I must leave you now but I leave my heart

Rose, Rose I love you with an aching heart
What is your future, now we have to part?
Standing on the jetty as the steamer moves away,
Flower of Malaya, I cannot stay

(Rose, Rose I love you, I cannot stay)