4 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Video
Civilization Lyrics
Each morning a missionary advertise with neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bongo 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
Bingle, 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 conceals
(A magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bump you with automobiles
(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 Danny?)
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
Bingle, 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
(The Tring-galim-bohoo-laham-bah-le Express)
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 grounds
(What do they do Danny?)
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
Bingle, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotguns, fish hooks, golf clubs
I've got my spear
(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
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bongo tree
That civilization is a thing for me to see
Oh no no no no no
Bingle, 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
(A magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bump you with automobiles
(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 Danny?)
Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me
Oh no no no no no
Bingle, 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
(The Tring-galim-bohoo-laham-bah-le Express)
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 grounds
(What do they do Danny?)
They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round
Oh no no no no no
Bingle, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotguns, fish hooks, golf clubs
I've got my spear
(So no matter how they coax him)
I'll stay right here
So I think I'll stay where I "am"
Civilization, I'll stay right here
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Music Sales Corporation
Writer
Bob Hilliard, Carl Sigman
Duration
3:03
Submitted by
randomaccuracy On Nov 18, 2008
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
To me, this is the best song from Kaye.
This is a very intelligent song. People often think of the 1940s as being a very ignorant and racist time in our history. I say the author of this song was a very insightful person. We could learn a lot from this song.
It's a song about being a monkey? I can tame that savage beast. Dare him to show his head (I mean face) here and I'll tame him alright. He'll be whistling Dixie;) LOL...just playin'. xoxo
I think people have a knee jerk reaction to it without even reading the lyrics and seeing the context.
Let's take the word "savage". Both times the word is used it is talking about white people or "civilized people" at least, could be any race. The context is clear, the people yelling at him like savages (not actual savages, it's a simile), are likely those same missionaries that are mentioned as advertising civilization trying to get him to leave his home.
The next use of the word is "They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train". This is not talking about any natives. The "they" is talking about people in civilization, which would be the so called white folk if we're assuming all whites are the civilized ones. And again it's a simile, not calling them savages either just saying they hurry LIKE savages. It's just to give us the idea of how they behave. It's not calling any particular group a savage.
And the mention of the word spear, OMG they committed the cardinal sin of assuming every African has a spear? No, this particular one uses a spear to do fishing, which he just got done mentioning in the previous verse. A lot of people use spears when fishing. Not just stereotypes.
And let's remember Danny Kaye was a famous comedian, and a lot of the wording is comedic and trying to force a rhyme in some places. And even when he's saying fake foreign language words, those words seem to be attributed to the "civilized" people in the story this song is telling.
So, in my opinion, this song is not racist at all and is anti-civilization and pro staying in a remote area instead. and I agree, modern "civilization" is largely a prison for people who think the government loves them and has their best interest at heart.