I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is a Christmas novelty song written by John Rox and performed by Gayla Peevey (10 years old at the time) in 1953.

Peevey was a regional child star of the Oklahoma City area. When released nationally by Columbia Records, the song shot to the top of the charts and the city zoo acquired a baby hippo named Matilda.

A popular legend holds that this 1953 hit had been recorded as a fund-raiser to bring the city zoo a hippo; but in a 2007 radio interview with Detroit-based WNIC radio station, Peevey clarified that the song was not originally recorded as a fundraiser. Instead, a local promoter picked up on the popularity of the song and Peevey's local roots, and launched a campaign to present her with an actual hippopotamus on Christmas.

The campaign succeeded, and she was presented with an actual hippopotamus, which she donated to the city zoo. The hippopotamus lived for nearly 50 years [1].

~Wikipedia

I added all the visuals and made this using Microsoft Movie Maker.
Hope you like it!


LYRICS:

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door, that's the easy thing to do

I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegeterian

There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage
I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Christmas
• Hippopotamus
• Gayla Peevey
• children's
• songs
• cute
• music
• holiday
• tune

[angel56277]

0:41. O.o SHOCKED

[Buskieboy]

@angel56277 I did smudge the offending word, but put it in for comedic effect.!!



[pammyinlp]

Thanks for posting. I've always gotten a kick out of this song.

[Buskieboy]

You're welcome. And a belated Merry Christmas and I hope you're having a happy New Year!

[MultiHmmmmm]

I love this song it's ADORABLE :D

[Buskieboy]

Isn't it? This and "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth", or "Laughing All the Way"!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

[reapor271]

ya motha



[janetkinla]

LOVE this song! Thanks for posting.

[PhormerPhantomPhixer]

I had never heard this song until this past Christmas season. It is great!

[chrisdog98765]

This song is just so Adorable!

[MayonnaisePopsicle]

Only if a Hippo that would scare my drunk ass Neighbor Away !

[MultiHmmmmm]

this song sucks