Civilisation
Danny Kaye Lyrics

Each morning, a missionary advertises neon sign
Every day, a religious leader promotes Western values with flashy and modern displays.

He tells the native population that civilization is fine
He convinces the locals that the customs and advancements of the West are desirable and superior.

And three educated savages holler from a bamboo tree
A group of intelligent locals mock the notion that the West is the only source of knowledge, from their position in a traditional and organic environment.

That civilization is a thing for me to see
They see value in exploring the advancements of the West, but are not willing to fully adopt them and abandon their own ways of life.

Don't want no bright lights, false teeth, doorbells, landlords, I make it clear
The artist is happy living a simple life in the jungle, and has no interest in the trappings of Western civilization.

I looked through a magazine the missionary's wife concealed (Magazine? What happens?)
The singer sees the flashy and self-indulgent lifestyle of the West, which is hidden from the locals by the religious leader's wife.

I see how people who are civilized bung you with automobile (You know you can get hurt that way Daniel?)
The West's advancements have made their society dangerous and prone to violence, despite their claims of being civilized.

At the movies they have got to pay many coconuts to see (What do they see, Darling?)
Even entertainment is a costly affair in the West, and typically involves the exploitation of foreign cultures for the amusement of Western audiences.

Uncivilized pictures that the newsreel takes of me
The media and entertainment industry often portrays foreign people as exotic and uncivilized, perpetuating negative stereotypes.

They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train
Despite their claims of being civilized, Westerners are often just as frantic and unrefined as anyone else.

And though it's smokey and it's crowded, they're too civilized to complain
Westerners are often more concerned with appearing proper and polite than addressing genuine problems and issues.

When they've got two weeks vacation, they hurry to vacation ground (What do they do, Darling?)
Even when given time off, Westerners use it as an opportunity to consume and indulge in material pleasures, rather than appreciating the world around them.

They swim and they fish, but that's what I do all year round
The singer already lives a life of leisure and enjoyment, without needing to escape it for brief periods like Westerners do.

They have things like the atom bomb, so I think I'll stay where I "ahm"
Despite being impressed with some of the West's accomplishments, the singer ultimately decides that their own home and way of life is superior and worth preserving.

Civilization, I'll stay right here!
The singer resolutely rejects the pressure to embrace Western values and proudly asserts their own culture and identity.