Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)

Subject: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 04:24 AM

dimly remembered from childhood. Bongo lost his drum. The baboon said don't cry, I'be your drum instead (drumming on tummy). The big baboon went bum, bum, bum
chorus: Poor little Bongo, Bongo lost his drum

I think Burl Ives was the singer on the recording

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST,Felipa
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 10:46 AM

no takers?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 10:56 AM

Looks like Burl Ives was indeed the singer, title is Poor Little Bongo, but I didn't find any lyrics. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jan 03 - 05:19 PM

maybe someone older than you will remember them, Sorcha.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 05:16 PM

I'm not THAT old; someone else must remember this song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 05:57 PM

still trying to drum up more response!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 02:37 PM

not beaten yet!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Felipa
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 02:42 PM

am I singing to the beat of another drummer, or does anyone else remember this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST,Old Lynn
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 03:04 PM

Can't remember the whole thing...it's been 55 years, at least- but here goes

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo
Bongo lived neath the yellow sun
????
Beat a tune on his big bass drum

Lucky little Bongo, happy little Bongo
Bongo had his drum

Bongo laughed and Bongo played
Played upon his big bass drum
until one day in the month of May
A big baboon ate Bongo's drum

Poor little Bongo, pity little Bongo
Bongo lost his drum

Bongo wept and Bongo cried
Cried because he lost his drum
Elephants, cheetahs, monkeys said
"Big Baboon, what have you done!"


??????
"I will be your drum instead."

Happy little Bongo, lucky little Bongo
Bongo found his drum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: maeve
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:44 PM

First verse:

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo
Bongo lived 'neath the yellow sun
Bongo loved to beat a tune; ?
Beat a tune on his big bass drum


The last verse:

Big Baboon then hung his head
"I ate Bongo's drum!" he said.
"But, tell Bongo not to cry
"I will be your drum instead."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jul 09 - 08:22 PM

there was also a verse about

Monkeys tangoed in the treetops
Lions leapt in the yellow sun
Elephants danced among the plants
When Bongo played on his big base drum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST,bnied
Date: 16 Aug 09 - 04:09 PM

Burl Ive's Children's songs
Poor little Bongo, Bongo lost his drum
The big Baboon a hung his head
"I ate Bongo's drum" he said
"But tell Bongo not to cry
I will be his drum instead
Bongo wept and jumped for joy,
Bongo beat a merry tune.
Beat a tune on the big baboon,
the big baboon went rumma tum tum

I would like to find a copy of this album which also had Doctor Dolly

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:35 AM

According to the extensive Burl Ives discography at this Swedish web site, the song is called BONGO AND HIS BABOON DRUM, and it came from the album "Capt. Burl Ives' Ark," Decca LP DL8587, 1958.

A 30-second sound sample on that page contains these lyrics (as I hear them):

Poor little Bongo. Bongo lost his drum.
Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo.
Bongo lived near the yellow sun.
Bongo beat on a bamboo drum.
The bamboo drum went rum-tum-tum.

Monkeys tangled through the treetops.
Lions leaped in the yellow sun....

Subject: Lyr Add: BONGO BONG (Manu Chao)
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:53 AM

The following lyrics are NOT the lyrics requested, but they ought to be cited in this context as they seem to chronicle the later career of Ives' drumming Bongo. From the song "BoNgo Bong" by Manu Chao on his CD "Clandestino":

BONGO BONG
(Manu Chao)

Mama was queen of the mambo
Papa was king of the Congo
Deep down in the jungle
I started bangin' my first bongo

Every monkey'd like to be
In my place instead of me
Cause I'm the king of bongo, baby
I'm the king of bongo bong

I went to the big town
Where there is a lot of sound
From the jungle to the city
Looking for a bigger crown
So I play my boogie
For the people of big city
But they don't go crazy
When I'm bangin' in my boogie
I'm the "king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong"
Hear me when I come
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong

They say that I'm a clown
Making too much dirty sound
They say there is no place for little monkey in this town
Nobody'd like to be in my place instead of me
Cause nobody go crazy when I'm bangin' on my boogie
I'm the king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come
"King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong"
Bangin' on my bongo all that swing belongs to me
I'm so happy there's nobody in my place instead of me
I'm a king without a crown hanging loose in a big town
But I'm the king of bongo baby I'm the king of bongo bong
King of the bongo, king of the bongo bong
Hear me when I come, baby, king of the bongo, king of the bongo bong...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 07:43 AM

So, piecing it all together, is this the complete set of lyrics as sung by Burl Ives?
***********************************************************

Bongo and His Baboon Drum

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo
Bongo lived 'neath the yellow sun
Bongo loved to beat a tune
Beat a tune on his big bass drum

Monkeys tangoed in the treetops
Lions leapt in the yellow sun
Elephants danced among the plants
When Bongo played on his big bass drum

Lucky little Bongo, happy little Bongo
Bongo had his drum

Bongo laughed and Bongo played
Played upon his big bass drum
until one day in the month of May
A big baboon ate Bongo's drum

Bongo wept and Bongo cried
Cried because he lost his drum
Elephants, cheetahs, monkeys said
"Big Baboon, what have you done!"

Poor little Bongo, pity little Bongo
Bongo lost his drum

Big Baboon then hung his head
"I ate Bongo's drum!" he said.
"But tell Bongo not to cry
"I will be his drum instead"

Bongo wept and jumped for joy,
Bongo beat a merry tune.
Beat a tune on the big baboon,
The big baboon went rumma tum tum

Lucky little Bongo, happy little Bongo
Bongo found his drum

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo
Bongo lived 'neath the yellow sun
Bongo loved to beat a tune
Beat a tune on his big bass drum

*******************************
maeve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and his drum
From: GUEST,maeve
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 07:45 AM

Big Baboon ate my cookie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 08:14 PM

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo,
Bongo lived 'neath the yellow sun.
Bongo beat on the bamboo drum,
The bamboo drum went rum tum tum.

...

Elephants, lions, monkeys said,
"Big baboon, what have you done?"

Big baboon then hung his head.
"I ate Bongo's drum," he said.
"But tell Bongo not to cry,
I will be his drum instead."

Bongo laughed and jumped for joy,
Bongo beat a merry tune.
Beat a tune on the big baboon,
The big baboon went boom boom boom.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST,bnied
Date: 17 Aug 11 - 10:30 PM

the big baboon ahung his head, "I ate Bongo's drum" he said,
"but tell Bongo not to cry, I will be his drum instead."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 09:31 AM

Here is a recording:
Click here

Subject: Lyr Add: BONGO AND HIS BABOON DRUM (Otto/Mayer)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 07:36 AM

This is my transcription from the actual recording, which, by the way, resides on the composer's (William Mayer's) web site—see GUEST's link above.


BONGO AND HIS BABOON DRUM
(Words, Susan Otto. Music, William Mayer)
As sung by Burl Ives on "Capt. Burl Ives' Ark" (Decca, 1958)

Poor little Bongo!
Bongo lost his drum.

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo.
Bongo lived near the yellow sun.
Bongo beat on a bamboo drum.
The bamboo drum went rum-tum-tum.

Monkeys tangoed through the treetops.
Lions leaped in the yellow sun.
Elephants danced among the plants
When the bamboo drum went rum-tum-tum.

Life was grand in the Belgian Congo.
Life was gay and full of fun,
Till one day in the month of May,
A big baboon ate Bongo's drum.

Poor little Bongo!
Pity little Bongo!
Bongo lost his drum.

Bongo wept and Bongo cried,
Cried because he lost his drum.
Elephants, lions, monkeys said:
"Big baboon, what have you done?"

Big baboon then hung his head.
"I ate Bongo's drum," he said,
"But tell Bongo not to cry.
I will be his drum instead."

Bongo laughed and jumped for joy.
Bongo beat a merry tune,
Beat a tune on the big baboon.
The big baboon went boom-bOOm-boom.

Happy little Bongo!
Lucky little Bongo!
Bongo found his drum.

Monkeys tangoed through the treetops.
Lions leaped beneath the moon.
Elephants danced among the plants
When the big baboon goes boom-bOOm-boom.

Like this—like this—like this—like this—like this.... [FADE]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 01:26 PM

Bongo And His Baboon Drum

Poor little Bongo
Bongo lost his drum

Bongo lived in the Belgian Congo
Bongo lived near the yellow sun
Bongo beat on a bamboo drum
The bamboo drum went rum-tum-tum

Every one else has done such a great job I won't try to recall the lyrics from memory; it's been 50 years.

You can hear a short clip (first verse) of Burl Ives singing it here:

http://www.akh.se/ives/dl8587.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 01:43 PM

I just found a link to the whole song, sung by Burl Ives:

composer.com/audio/01%20Bongo.mp3

It's a little scratchy, but it's complete.

To give full credit I found this on

composer.com/index.shtml


enjoy

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bongo and His Baboon Drum (Burl Ives)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 10:07 AM

http://williammayer-composer.com/audio.shtml#Bongo

scroll to the bottom and click for mp3