Connie Isabelle Kaldor, CM (born 9 May 1953) is a Canadian folk songwriter … Read Full Bio ↴Connie Isabelle Kaldor, CM (born 9 May 1953) is a Canadian folk songwriter and singer. She is the recipient of three Juno awards.

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Connie graduated from Campbell Collegiate in Regina in 1972 and the University of Alberta in 1976 with a BFA degree in theatre. She performed with various theatre groups, including Theatre Passe Muraille, The Mummers, and 25th Street House Theatre, until 1979, when she gave it up to start a full-time music career.

In 1981, she founded her own independent record label, Coyote Entertainment, and has released fourteen albums. In 1997 she was featured performer in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on the last broadcast of Peter Gzowski's CBC national radio program Morningside.

She has won the Juno Award for best children's album three times. She won it in 1989, 2004, and 2005. However, most of her music is for adults. She co-wrote a song for the animated television series based on the comic strip For Better or For Worse, which debuted in 2000.

She is married to music producer and Hart-Rouge member Paul Campagne. They live in Montreal.

Her song "Wanderlust" was covered by Cosy Sheridan.

In 2003, her television show Wood River Hall debuted on VisionTV.

In 2006, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

If You Love A Hippopotamus
Connie Kaldor Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you love a hippopotamus
And you love her a lot-amus
She will be your friend (your friend)
And that can be mighty handy now and then

Cause if you’re stuck outside
And you find that the door won’t budge
Your friend the hippo can lean on it

And give it that extra nudge
Uuggghhhh

Cause if you want a cookie
But it’s too high on the shelf
You can climb on the back of a hippopotamus
And get one for yourself… And one for her too

Cause if you’re put to bed
And you find that you just can’t sleep
Your friend the hippopotamus into your room will creep

And she’ll sing you a lullaby ‘til you begin to snore

Then she’ll tiptoe out hippopotamusly and slam the door
Wham!

Overall Meaning

The song "If You Love a Hippopotamus" by Connie Kaldor is a lively and humorous tune that explores the unique attributes of having a hippopotamus as a friend. The first verse sets the tone of the song by stating that if someone loves a hippopotamus a lot, then that hippo will be a reliable friend. The chorus emphasizes this idea further: the hippo can help in times of need, such as when one is stuck outside and needs an extra push or wants to reach a high shelf to grab a cookie. The second verse takes a comical turn by suggesting that the hippo can even sing a lullaby to a friend who can't sleep and then slam the door on the way out.

The lyrics of this song may seem silly at first glance, but they actually contain a deeper message about the importance of having true friends who are reliable and will be there to help when one needs them. The hippopotamus in this song serves as a metaphor for a good friend: someone who is strong enough to help in tough times, kind enough to share in the good times, and silly enough to liven up any situation.

Line by Line Meaning

If you love a hippopotamus
If you have affection towards a hippopotamus

And you love her a lot-amus
And your feelings for her are strong

She will be your friend (your friend)
She will become your close companion

And that can be mighty handy now and then
And that could be useful from time to time

Cause if you’re stuck outside
Because if you are outside and cannot get in

And you find that the door won’t budge
And if the door is not opening

Your friend the hippo can lean on it
Your hippo friend can push the door with her weight

And give it that extra nudge
And apply more force to help the door open

Cause if you want a cookie
Because if you desire a cookie

But it’s too high on the shelf
However, the cookie is placed too high to reach

You can climb on the back of a hippopotamus
You can mount on the hippo