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I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 10 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #2670 in Music, #53840 overall

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Rated G. (Control what you see)

...only a hippopotamus will do...

 

Talk about a sleeper hit! First performed by Gayla Peevey (a.k.a. Jamie Horton) in 1953, this novelty Christmas song has been largely forgotten for nearly fifty years! Now that it's been rediscovered, though, you can find it on CDs and MP3s... and you can even find fan-made tributes on YouTube!

Here's what I've found to be the cream of the crop:

Find the Hippopotamus Song on CD 

The Hippopotamus Song, performed by The Jonas Brothers 

When I started this lens in December 2006, the Jonas Bros. weren't very popular. This video (showing their rendition of the song) went up on YouTube, and within months the boys were all over teen magazines.

Coincidence? I think not.

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas--Jonas Brothers

This is a clip od the Jonas Brothers singing I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas! ENJOY!

Runtime: 0:38
16724 views
10 Comments:

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I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas: Lyrics 

You can find these at the HippoFAQ, but I've put the lyrics right here for your convenience!

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!

You've heard the song, but have you read the children's book? 

Yup, that's right: a children's book was written that's based on the song. Now you and your kids can snuggle up by the fireplace and relive the tale of the little girl who wanted a jungle beast for the holidays...

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Amazon Price: $12.74 (as of 07/25/2008)

Movies! 

Here's some stuff I found on YouTube... apparently these guys are behind a lot of the recent reinvigoration, because there's all over YouTube singing it in concert footage.

I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas

Christmas Lights - Hippopotamus for Christmas

Capitol Christmas Tree

Flickrpotamuseses? 

Someone didn't want their hippopotamus... 

and that means you can get it!

Here's some nice deals on eBay--how do you like *your* hippopotamus?

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eBay

Link wants Hyruleopotamuses for Christmas 

This one was just too funny to put with the others! The graphics have that "Microsoft Paint" quality about them, but the humor is too much!

Who are the Jonas Bros.? 

I guess even asking that makes me a geezer...

Most of what I've read on this song is tied in some way to these guys: the Jonas Bros.

You see, last year (2006) they added I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas to their concert set for the Radio Disney Jingle Jam. (There's currently "over 20 movies on YouTube featuring their rendition!) Soon thereafter, the Jonas Bros. rocketed into stardom.

Yet another stunning example of the power of this little song.

Treasures-By-Brenda

Fun lens -- last year we searched for information on this song! I am going to lensroll your lens to my Christmas music lens. Thanks for a great link.

Posted June 18, 2008

MeganCasey

what a cool discovery. thanks Travis!

Posted December 05, 2007

webseitler

Had to come back and play this for Katie today so she could laugh about the "dinky Tinker Toy" again. Then she danced... ;)

Posted January 29, 2007

webseitler

Ditto. I'd never heard of it before your dad sang the song to us at Grandmom's Christmas Party. Now it will forever haunt me. :P

Posted January 09, 2007

Kathy

In the Metro Detroit area WMGJ (105.1) plays this song a lot every Christmas season. Jim Harper has played this song for years--and a sing-a-long of this song is featured at all their live appearances for Toys for Tots. They even had Gayla on the show!

Posted January 05, 2007

MonkeyGroupie

I've never heard of the Jonas Bros. - guess that's cause I don't watch the Disney Channel. :) Actually, this year was the first time I heard "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas".

Posted December 30, 2006

What, this isn't everything? 

I can't cover everything about the song--but I can point to others to fill in the gaps!
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the song: Who's singing in the original? Was the song commissioned for a zoo's effort to acquire a hippo?
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seitler

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My whole family has fallen in love with the song, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.

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