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
  Eeeee! Ah-loh-kee-hah-tah-sah-nah.
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
Bingle, 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 conceals
  magazine? What happens?
I see how people who are civilized bang 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 Danny?
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
Bingle, 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
  The Tring-galim-bohoo-laham-bah-le Express
And though it's smokey and it's crowded they're too civilized [bad word]   Ah-lo-ke-do-ho-saw-he-ma-he-na
When they've got two weeks vacation they hurry to vacation grounds
  What do they do Danny?
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
Bingle, bangle, bungle I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go
Don't want no jailhouse, shotguns, 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