Bongo Bongo Bongo
Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman
Bob Hilliard & Carl Sigman
The Andrews sisters
Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)
The Andrews Sisters with Danny Kaye
- written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman
- as recorded September 27, 1947 in Los Angeles by The Andrews Sisters
  with Danny Kaye and Vic Schoen & His Orchestra.


Each morning, a missionary advertises neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bamboo tree
That civilization is a thing for me to see


   So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
   Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
   Don't want no bright lights, false teeth, doorbells, landlords, I make it clear
   That no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here


I looked through a magazine the missionary's wife concealed (Magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bung you with automobile (You know you can get hurt that way Daniel?)
At the movies they have got to pay many coconuts to see (What do they see, Darling?)
Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me


   So bongo, bongo, bongo, he don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
   Bingo, bangle, bungle, he's so happy in the jungle, he refuse to go
   Don't want no penthouse, bathtub, streetcars, taxis, noise in my ear
   So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here


They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train
And though it's smokey and it's crowded, they're too civilized to complain
When they've got two weeks vacation, they hurry to vacation ground (What do they do, Darling?)
They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round


   So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
   Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
   Don't want no jailhouse, shotgun, fish-hooks, golf clubs, I got my spears
   So, no matter how they coax him, I'll stay right here


They have things like the atom bomb, so I think I'll stay where I "ahm"
Civilization, I'll stay right here








(Contributed by Philip M Cajiao - June 2007)