The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Daddy’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow,
daddy’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow, and we can stay all day.
(Chorus)
We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, how about you, you, you,
you can come too, too, too, we’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
See the elephant with the long trunk swingin',
great big ears and a long trunk swingin'
Snuffin' up peanuts with a long trunk swingin',
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
See all the monkeys they're scritch-scritch scratchin'
jumpin' around and scritch-scritch scratchin'
Hangin' by the long-tail (huff huff huff),
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
There's a big black bear he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
His coat's too heavy he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
Don't get too near the huff-puff-a-puffin',
or you won't stay all day! (Chorus)
Well the seals in the pool all honk-honk-honkin',
catchin' the fish and honk-honk-honkin'
Little tiny seals all honk-honk-honkin',
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
Well we stayed all day and I'm gettin' sleepy, sittin' in the car gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
Home already gettin' sleep sleep sleepy, 'cause we have stayed all day.
We been to the zoo zoo zoo, so have you you you
You came too too too, we been to the zoo zoo zoo
MOMMY'S TAKIN' US TO THE ZOO TOMORROW!
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow!
Mommy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow, and we can stay all day!
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
daddy’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow, and we can stay all day.
(Chorus)
We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, how about you, you, you,
you can come too, too, too, we’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
See the elephant with the long trunk swingin',
great big ears and a long trunk swingin'
Snuffin' up peanuts with a long trunk swingin',
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
See all the monkeys they're scritch-scritch scratchin'
jumpin' around and scritch-scritch scratchin'
Hangin' by the long-tail (huff huff huff),
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
There's a big black bear he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
His coat's too heavy he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
Don't get too near the huff-puff-a-puffin',
or you won't stay all day! (Chorus)
Well the seals in the pool all honk-honk-honkin',
catchin' the fish and honk-honk-honkin'
Little tiny seals all honk-honk-honkin',
and we can stay all day! (Chorus)
Well we stayed all day and I'm gettin' sleepy, sittin' in the car gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
Home already gettin' sleep sleep sleepy, 'cause we have stayed all day.
We been to the zoo zoo zoo, so have you you you
You came too too too, we been to the zoo zoo zoo
MOMMY'S TAKIN' US TO THE ZOO TOMORROW!
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow!
Mommy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow, and we can stay all day!
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
Lyrics submitted by pieligero
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Again, another PP&M song my father sung to me as a child. My family went to the zoo two years ago and we all (several of us in our 20s) sang this song at the top of our lungs on the way to the Bronx Zoo! How can you not love this silly, fun and happy song for the little ones in oour lives? I can't wait to sing this to my kids.