Tee wee wee......
In the jungle Tarzan, Boy, Jane and the lion them never sleep
Swing from wais' to wais' , trees to trees and making funny sounds
Tee wee wee......
Dress in khaki shorts and shirts, see safari men dem drive
Killing elephant, large and small just for them big, white teeth, ey!
Tee wee wee......
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, jungle people them never sleep
Sneak, tear up tiger, monkeys and rhinos a fit fe safari jeep , ey
Tee wee wee......
Dress in khaki shorts and shirts, see safari men dem drive
Killing elephant for them white teeth, them say thay ivory
Tee wee wee......
In the jungle Tarzan, Boy, Jane and the lion them never sleep
Swing from wais' to wais' , trees to trees and making funny sounds
Tee wee wee......
Dress in khaki shorts and shirts, see safari men dem drive
Killing elephant, large and small just for their big, white teeths
Dem a tek that i-i-ivory, dem a save that ivory
Tee wee wee......
_____________________________________________
Note: this song - originally a South African song entitled "Mbube" - was known as "Wimoweh" in the sixties.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Eek-a-Mouse's song "Safari" depict the actions of safari men hunting for ivory in the jungle. The song starts by mentioning Tarzan, Boy, Jane, and the lion, indicating the jungle atmosphere. The safari men dress in khaki shorts and shirts, drive around in jeeps, and kill elephants, tigers, monkeys, and rhinos for their ivory and teeth. Eek-a-Mouse's sounds in between the lyrics, "Tee wee wee," are humorous expressions of the animals making sounds to mimic the jungle environment.

The repetition of the lyrics highlights the negative impact of the safari men's actions. By emphasizing that "jungle people," including the animals, never sleep and are constantly in fear, the song seeks to evoke an emotional response from the listener. Eek-a-Mouse's usage of Creole and Patois words adds to the authenticity of the song by incorporating cultural and regional language themes.

Eek-a-Mouse's "Safari" was a revolutionary song, criticizing Africa's hunting industry, which contributed to the species endangerment and extinction. The song emphasizes the need to protect the African jungle and its wildlife through more responsible environmental and hunting policies.

Line by Line Meaning

In the jungle Tarzan, Boy, Jane and the lion them never sleep
The people and animals living in the jungle are always active and alert.

Swing from wais' to wais' , trees to trees and making funny sounds
They move freely and enjoy themselves while making noise

Dress in khaki shorts and shirts, see safari men dem drive
Safari men wear uniforms and drive through the jungle.

Killing elephant, large and small just for them big, white teeth, ey!
They kill elephants for their teeth which are white and large.

In the jungle, the mighty jungle, jungle people them never sleep
The people in the jungle are always awake, even in the mighty jungle.

Sneak, tear up tiger, monkeys and rhinos a fit fe safari jeep , ey
They capture and destroy tigers, monkeys and rhinos that might damage their safari jeep.

Killing elephant for them white teeth, them say thay ivory
They are killing elephants for their teeth which they call ivory.

Dem a tek that i-i-ivory, dem a save that ivory
They are taking the ivory they have collected and saving it.

Tee wee wee......
This is a chorus line that repeats throughout the song.

Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: GEORGE DAVID WEISS, HUGO PERETTI, LUIGI CREATORE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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