Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)

Album: Angel in the Wings (1947)
Charted: 1
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  • 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 want to 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 want to 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 want to 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 am)
    Civilization, I'll stay right here Writer/s: BOB HILLIARD, CARL SIGMAN
    Publisher: BOURNE CO., MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

  • Patricia W. Gray from Orrington, MaineI would dearly love to have the chords to this song.
  • Sam from Seattle, WaThis song appears in the video game Fallout 3. It is played on the radio station Galaxy News Radio periodically
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