Gayla Peevey (born 1943) is perhaps best known for her song, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Columbia, 1953). A child star from Oklahoma City, she was 10 years old when she recorded the novelty song written by John Rox in 1950.
The Oklahoma City Zoo capitalized upon the popularity of the song in 1953 through a fund raising campaign to "buy a hippo for Gayla" in order to bring a hippo to the zoo. (They had no hippopotamus at the time.) The song raised $3,000.
¡Cuatro años de duro trabajo!Este mes de mayo cumplimos cuatro años al aire. Seguimos trabajando en la difusión de este maravilloso instrumento, ¡gracias por participar en nuestra historia!
GEmG I want a hippopotamus for Christmas GEmD Only a hippopotamus will do D7D Don't want a doll no dinkey tinker toy ADD7 I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy
GEmG I want a hippopotamus for Christmas GEmD I don't think Santa Claus will mind do you D7D He won't have to use a dirty chimney flue A Just bring him through the front door DD7 That's the easy thing to do
G7C I can see me now on Christmas morning G7C Creeping down the stairs D Oh what joy what surprise G When I open up my eyes A7DD7 To see a hippo hero standing there
GEmG I want a hippopotamus for Christmas GEmD Only a hippopotamus will do D7D No crocodiles no rhinosauruses AD I only likes hippopotamuses ADG And hippopotamuses like me too
D7D Mom says a hippo would eat me up but then AD7 Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian
D7D There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage AA7D7 I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage
G7C I can see me now on Christmas morning G7C Creeping down the stairs DD7 Oh what joy what surprise G When I open up my eyes A7DD7 To see a hippo hero standing there
GEmG I want a hippopotamus for Christmas GEmD Only a hippopotamus will do D7D No crocodiles no rhinosauruses AD I only likes hippopotamuses ADG And hippopotamuses like me too