The Hepatitis Song from Arizona

Anyone who spent their childhood in the Phoenix metro area (maybe even all of Arizona) during the late 1970s to early 1980s should know the hepatitis song. In fact, a person fitting this description should not only know the song, but they should be able to sing it by heart, to this day, over 25 years later.

I don't know if Phoenix was going through a major hepatitis outbreak or not. Maybe hepatitis was just the "public service announcement" of the year. For whatever reason, the hepatitis song had a heavy rotation during Saturday morning cartoons. I want to say I remember the commercial itself, but all I can remember is flashes of a dark haired little girl in a white dress washing her hands.

I'll remember the lyrics to this song until the day I die. I will admit I have no idea if these are the real lyrics or not - I could just be remembering my own version - but this is how I remember it:

Hepatitis has some symptoms you should learn to recognize.
Like fever, feeling very tired or loss of appetite.
Your tummy hurts,
you feel real sick,
you will not eat a bite.
Your eyes sometimes get yellow,
when they only should be white. (my very favorite line is this one)

So wash your hands after going to the bathroom!
Wash your hands after changing baby too!
'Cause we don't want to spread hepatitis.
And we don't want hepatitis to get you.
Who?
YOU!!!

Whomever the advertising agency was behind that song - you should give yourself a huge pat on the back for a job well done. I will forever know the symptoms of hepatitis and how to avoid it.