Song Help Request Civlization (Bongo Bongo Bongo) - song from the 1940s

Poggie

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
York, UK
Hello all,

It's very hard trying to find tabs for any pre-50s songs and yet again I have drawn a blank. If anybody could help me with this song then I would be mighty appreciative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C60iYHFE2pI

And yes, admittedly I had never heard it until I played Fallout 3 :)
 
I can't help with tabs/chords/written music, but I was born in 1938, and can remember hearing this record on the radio, way back when - seems like in a previous lifetime. Well, I guess it was at least sixty years ago. Sheeesh!

John Colter.
 
I've got a music sheet for it somewhere. Will dig through my collection and post it. It was a racist song with lyrics like Bongo, Bongo, Bongo/I don't wat to leave the Congo..."

Lyrics:

Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)
The Andrews Sisters with Danny Kaye, written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman
Recorded September 27, 1947 in Los Angeles by The Andrews Sisters, with Danny Kaye and Vic Schoen & His Orchestra.


Each morning, a missionary advertises neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is fine
And three educated savages holler from a bamboo tree
That civilization is a thing for me to see

So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, 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 concealed (Magazine? What happens?)
I see how people who are civilized bung you with automobile (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, Darling?)
Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me

So bongo, bongo, bongo, he don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, 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
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 ground (What do they do, Darling?)
They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round

So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotgun, fish-hooks, golf clubs, I got my spears
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 "ahm"
Civilization, I'll stay right here!
 
Searching for some chords. Came up with this (haven't tried it yet):

CIVILIZATION (BONGO, BONGO, BONGO)
BOB HILLIARD AND CARL SIGMAN, C
FROM THE BROADWAY MUSICAL ANGEL IN THE WINGS

(C) 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 (C#dim7) JUNGLE
I RE(Dm7)FUSE TO GO (G7)
DON'T WANT NO (Dm7) BRIGHT LIGHTS, (G9) FALSE TEETH
(Dm7) DOORBELLS, (G9) LANDLORDS
(Dm7) I MAKE IT CLEAR (G7)
THAT, NO (DM7) MATTER HOW THEY (G7) COAX ME
I'LL (G7) STAY RIGHT (C) HERE
THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE THE ATOM BOMB
SO I (Gm) THINK I'LL STAY WHERE I 'OM' (A7)
CIVILI(Dm7)ZATION, (G7) I'LL STAY RIGHT (C) HERE

Found it here: www.foundationwebsite.org/OlderPopularSongs.htm
 
Don't have the sheet music, so I bought one on eBay. Will post chords when it arrives. Will also scan it and add it to my collection of vintage music. It will be guitar chords, however, not ukulele.
 
Got the sheet music for this song yesterday. It's got guitar chords, not uke, and names not symbols, but easily translated.
It's in C.
I'll scan it Monday and post it. But for now, the chords for the chorus above are correct. Here's the verse portion:
(C)Each morning, a (C+) missionary (C6) adver (Fm) tises (C) neon sign
He tells the native population that civilization is (Dm7) fine (G7)(Dm7)
(G7) And three (Dm7) educated (G9) savages (Dm7) holler from a (G9) bamboo (Dm7) tree (G7) (Dm7)
(G7) That (Dm7) civiliza(G9) tion is a (G7)thing (G9) for (G7) me to (c) see (G+) But...
 
Added this PDF in the collection of vintage music I offer on DVD, along with about 500 other vintage PDFs. It's one of the rare guitar pieces in the collection.
 
Top Bottom