“Civilization” is an American traditional pop song. It was written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman, published in 1947 and later included in the 1947 Broadway musical Angel in the Wings, sung by Elaine Stritch.[2] The song is sometimes also known as “Bongo, Bongo, Bongo (I Don’t Want to Leave the Congo)”, from its first line of the chorus. The sheet music gives the title as “Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)”.
Content:
The song is a satire of modern society sung from the perspective of a native person whose village is visited by a “civilized person” and other “civilized” people whom the native refers to as “educated savages”. These visitors are trying to “civilize” the tribe. However, the native rejects them, and after listing the major flaws of civilization, ultimately decides that he will stay where he lives (presumably the Congo, as reflected in the song’s lyrics). Source: Wikipedia
Track Title: Civilization
Prime Artist: Frank Sinatra
Written by: Carl Sigman
Written by: Bob Hilliard
Lyrics:
Each morning the missionary advertises on the neon sign,
It tells the native population that civilization is fine.
And pre-educated savages holler from the bamboo tree
That civilization is not for me to see.
Chorus:
Oh bongo bongo bongo, I don’t wanna leave the
Congo oh no, no, no, no, no,
Bingle bangle bongle, I don’t wanna leave jungle,
I refuse to go.
I don’t want landlords, junkyard, cocktails, caviar,
I’ll make it clear that no matter how they coax me,
I’ll stay right here.
I looked through a magazine a missionary’s wife concealed.
I see how people who are civilized bang you with automobile.
When they have two weeks’ vacation, they hurry to vacation grounds,
They swim and they fish, but that’s what I do all year round.
Chorus:
Oh bongo bongo bongo, I don’t wanna leave the
Congo oh no, no, no, no, no,
Bingle bangle bongle, I don’t wanna leave jungle,
I refuse to go.
I don’t want landlords, junkyard, cocktails, caviar,
I’ll make it clear that no matter how they coax me,
I’ll stay right here.
They have things like the atom bomb,
So I think I’ll stay here where I am,
Civilization, I’ll stay here.
