Seventy years ago last month, 10-year-old Gayla Peevey sang “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” on The Ed Sullivan Show, and it shot to the top of the charts a month later in December 1953. Peevey was a child star born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Zoo later acquired a famous baby hippo by the name of Matilda.
The reason I point this out is two-fold. First, When Sonya was 10 years old, she looked exactly like Gayla. Check out the video below and see if you can see a resemblance. Sonya’s voice is higher, sweeter, and less accent-y, but even their musical presences are similar.
Second, Samuel absolutely loves the song, and he breaks into a dance whenever he hears it. He especially likes the version performed by Rend Collective, which has an animated version on YouTube. Below is a video clip of him dancing to the song.
If you’re interested in an update on Gayla Peevey, check out this article in Risen Magazine. She’s still alive, and she’s a believer.
Bonus: A Few Seasonal Memes, Just for Fun
Get out of here! I do not remember hearing this. And yes, Gayla truly resembles Sonya (or vice versa). How wonderful that you all are giving music an important place in the family. You all are a delight. Gotta meet Samuel some one of these days!