who sang i want a hippopotamus for christmas

Well, that would be 11-year-old Gayla Peevey, who recorded the song in 1953. It was written by John Rox, who was a songwriter for Paramount Pictures at the time. Gayla's version was first released on a 78 rpm record and later became a hit in 1955, when it was released on a 45 rpm record. The song has since become a classic Christmas song and is often played during the holiday season.