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.
Quatro anos de trabalho duro!Neste mês de maio fizemos quatro anos no ar. Continuamos trabalhando na divulgação deste maravilhoso instrumento, obrigado por participar da nossa história!
Gayla Peevey, recorded in 1953; lyrics and music by John Rox
GD I want a hippopotamus for Christmas; Only a hippopotamus will do D7AD7D Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy; I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy GD I want a hippopotamus for Christmas; I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you? D7 He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue AD7D Just bring him through the front door, that's the easy thing to do
G7CG7C I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs D7G Oh what joy and what surprise, when I open up my eyes ADD7 to see a hippo hero standing there
GD I want a hippopotamus for Christmas; Only a hippopotamus will do D7A7D7D No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses; I only like hippopotamuses A7D7G And hippopotamuses like me too
[Interlude] GGD GGD
D7 Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then A7D7D Teacher says a hippo is a vegeterian
[Interlude] GGD GGD
D7 There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage A7D7D I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage
G7CG7C I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs D7G Oh what joy and what surprise, when I open up my eyes ADD7 to see a hippo hero standing there
GD I want a hippopotamus for Christmas; Only a hippopotamus will do D7A7D7D No crocodiles, no rhinoceroseses; I only like hippopotamuseses A7D7G And hippopotamuses like me too