Have you ever wondered where the song “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas” came from? It seems like a silly song, but in fact, it’s extremely popular and has been since 1953. The song was written by John Rox and was recorded by Gayla Peevey. The song has only reached number 24 on the Billboard pop chart in December of 1953.
The legend says that the song had been performed to bring a hippo to the city zoo as a fundraiser. However, in 2007, Gayla Peevey claimed the song was not originally recorded as a fundraiser. Rather, the love of the song was picked upon and an event was launched to give her an actual hippo for Christmas.
The campaign was a success and she was given a hippo, which she then donated to the city zoo. The hippo lived for about 50-years and then Peevey was present when the zoo was given a pygmy hippo in 2017.
You can find this song as a karaoke version and if you need the lyrics, here they are:
Song lyrics
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don’t want a doll, no dinkey 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 a 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, 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 rhinosauruses
I only likes hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me, too
Mom says a hippo, would eat me up but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian
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, 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 rhinosauruseses
I only likes hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me, too