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 want to 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 want to 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 want to 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 am)
Civilization, I’ll stay right here