Purple People Eater
Encyclopedia
"Purple People Eater" is a novelty song
, written and performed by Sheb Wooley
, that reached #1 in the Billboard pop charts in 1958.
The creature isn't necessarily purple but rather the monster eats purple people, as shown in the following excerpt:
The ambiguity
of the song was present when it was originally played on the radio. In responses to requests from radio DJs
, listeners drew pictures that show a "people eater" colored purple.
The voice of the purple people eater is a sped up recording, giving it a voice similar to, but not quite as high-pitched or as fast, as Ross Bagdasarian's "Witch Doctor", another hit from earlier in 1958; and "The Chipmunk Song" which was released late in 1958. (The Chipmunks
themselves eventually covered "Purple People Eater" for their 1998 album The A-Files: Alien Songs
.) The sound of a toy saxophone
was produced in a similar fashion as the saxophone was originally played at a reduced speed. (In the Chipmunks' cover version, there is a longer sax solo, and it was recorded and played at its normal speed.)
The song invokes phrases from several other hit songs from that era: "Short Shorts", by The Royal Teens
, and "Tequila
", by The Champs
, both from earlier in 1958; and "Tutti Frutti
" from 1955.
Jimmy Buffett
produced and recorded a version of the song for the motion picture Contact
(1997).
A cover version of the song, recorded by British comedian Barry Cryer
reached #1 in the Finnish
charts after contractual reasons prevented Wooley's version being released in Scandinavia.
This song cover was recorded on the Kidsongs' video "Very Silly Songs". The album version released on October 2009 sounds similar to the Sheb Wooley version.
of the highly effective Minnesota Vikings
defensive line of the 1970s, whose team colors include purple.
The character was used as the basis for a feature film
in 1988, with a cast including Neil Patrick Harris
, Ned Beatty
, Shelley Winters
, Thora Birch
, Little Richard
, Chubby Checker
and Wooley himself.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
, written and performed by Sheb Wooley
Sheb Wooley
Shelby F. "Sheb" Wooley was a character actor and singer, best known for his 1958 novelty song "Purple People Eater"...
, that reached #1 in the Billboard pop charts in 1958.
Composition
" Purple People Eater" tells how a strange creature (described as a "one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater") descends to Earth because it wants to be in a rock 'n' roll band. The premise of the song came from a joke told by the child of a friend of Wooley's; Wooley finished composing it within an hour.The creature isn't necessarily purple but rather the monster eats purple people, as shown in the following excerpt:
- "I said Mr Purple People Eater, what's your line?
- He said eating purple people, and it sure is fine
- But that's not the reason that I came to land
- I wanna get a job in a rock 'n roll band"
The ambiguity
Ambiguity
Ambiguity of words or phrases is the ability to express more than one interpretation. It is distinct from vagueness, which is a statement about the lack of precision contained or available in the information.Context may play a role in resolving ambiguity...
of the song was present when it was originally played on the radio. In responses to requests from radio DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, listeners drew pictures that show a "people eater" colored purple.
The voice of the purple people eater is a sped up recording, giving it a voice similar to, but not quite as high-pitched or as fast, as Ross Bagdasarian's "Witch Doctor", another hit from earlier in 1958; and "The Chipmunk Song" which was released late in 1958. (The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
themselves eventually covered "Purple People Eater" for their 1998 album The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs is a 1998 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. The album's concept parodied the 1993–2002 FOX series The X-Files.-Track listing:# "Purple People Eater" – 3:35# "Men in Black Movie Theme" – 3:46...
.) The sound of a toy saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
was produced in a similar fashion as the saxophone was originally played at a reduced speed. (In the Chipmunks' cover version, there is a longer sax solo, and it was recorded and played at its normal speed.)
The song invokes phrases from several other hit songs from that era: "Short Shorts", by The Royal Teens
Royal Teens
The Royal Teens were a New Jersey rock and roll band that formed in 1956, consisting of Bob Gaudio on piano, Tom Austin on drums, Billy Dalton on guitar, and Billy Crandall on saxophone. They are best known for their single "Short Shorts", which was a #3 hit in the United States in 1958. The...
, and "Tequila
Tequila (song)
"Tequila" is a 1958 Latin-flavored rock and roll song recorded by the group, the Champs. The title of the song constitutes the entirety of the lyrics, and is spoken a total of three times during the course of the song. "Tequila" became a #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts at the time of its...
", by The Champs
The Champs
The Champs were an American rock and roll band, most famous for their Latin-tinged instrumental "Tequila". Formed by studio executives at Gene Autry's Challenge Records to record a B-Side for the Dave Burgess single, the intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-Side, "Train to...
, both from earlier in 1958; and "Tutti Frutti
Tutti Frutti (song)
"Tutti Frutti" is a 1955 song by Little Richard, which became his first hit record. With its opening cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!" and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also one of the...
" from 1955.
Recordings
The Sheb Wooley version crossed to the Billboard R&B listings, and while it did not make Billboard's country chart, it reached #4 on the Cashbox country listing.Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
produced and recorded a version of the song for the motion picture Contact
Contact (film)
Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film adaptation of Contact....
(1997).
A cover version of the song, recorded by British comedian Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer OBE is a British writer and comedian. Cryer has written for many noted performers, including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie...
reached #1 in the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
charts after contractual reasons prevented Wooley's version being released in Scandinavia.
This song cover was recorded on the Kidsongs' video "Very Silly Songs". The album version released on October 2009 sounds similar to the Sheb Wooley version.
Popularity
The enduring popularity of the song led to the nicknamingPurple People Eaters
Purple People Eaters is a term for the defensive line of the Minnesota Vikings from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. The term is a reference to a popular song from 1958, the superb efficiency of the defense, and the color of their uniforms...
of the highly effective Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
defensive line of the 1970s, whose team colors include purple.
The character was used as the basis for a feature film
Purple People Eater (film)
Purple People Eater is a 1988 American children's film that was produced in 1988 and released theatrically in December 1988, playing for years on the Disney Channel. The film stars Neil Patrick Harris, Ned Beatty, Shelley Winters, and Thora Birch...
in 1988, with a cast including Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
, Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
, Shelley Winters
Shelley Winters
Shelley Winters was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films, as well as on stage and television; her career spanned over 50 years until her death in 2006...
, Thora Birch
Thora Birch
Thora Birch is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas , Patriot Games , Hocus Pocus , Now and Then , and Alaska . She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty...
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
and Wooley himself.