I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
- I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" is a Christmas novelty song written by John Rox and performed by Gayla Peevey (10 years old at the time) in 1953. The B-side of the original 78 featured the song "Are my Ears on Straight?"
Peevey was a regional child star of the Oklahoma City area. According to legend, this 1953 hit was recorded as a fund-raiser to bring the city zoo a hippo. When released nationally by Columbia Records the song shot to the top of the charts, and the city zoo got a baby hippo named Matilda. In a 2007 radio interview with Detroit-based WNIC radio station, Peevey clarified that the song was not recorded as a fundraiser originally. Instead, a local promoter picked up on the popularity of the song and Peevey's local roots, and launched a campaign to present her with an actual hippopotamus on Christmas. The campaign succeeded, and she was presented with an actual hippopotamus, which she donated to the city zoo. The hippopotamus lived for nearly 50 years ["The Breakfast Club" morning show. WNIC, Detroit, MI. 19 December 2007.] .
It is a Dr. Demento Christmas staple, and is currently available on Dr. Demento's "".
In popular culture
*The Great Luke Ski, in his 2007 holiday medley "It's a Fanboy Christmas II: The Wrath of Claus", included a parody of the song entitled "I Want a Classic Optimus for Christmas".
Notes
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