The Purple People Eater
Sheb Wooley
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Well, I saw the thing comin' out of the sky It had the one long horn, one big eye I commenced to shakin' and I said "ooh-eee" It looks like a purple eater to me It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater (One-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater) A one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater Sure looks strange to me (one eye?) Well he came down to earth and he lit in a tree I said Mr. Purple People Eater, don't eat me I heard him say in a voice so gruff "I wouldn't eat you 'cause you're so tough" It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater One-eyed, one-horned flyin' purple people eater One-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater Sure looks strange to me (one horn?) I said Mr. Purple People Eater, what's your line? He said "eatin' purple people and it sure is fine But that's not the reason that I came to land I want to get a job in a rock and roll band" Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin' purple people eater Pigeon-toed, under-growed, flyin' purple people eater (We wear short shorts) friendly little people eater What a sight to see (oh!) And then he swung from the tree and he lit on the ground And he started to rock, really rockin' around It was a crazy ditty with a swingin' tune (Sing a boop-boop, a-boopa lopa lum bam boom) Well, bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin' purple people eater Pigeon-toed, under growed, flyin' purple people eater "I like short shorts!" flyin' purple people eater What a sight to see (purple people?) Well, he went on his way, and then what do ya know? I saw him last night on a TV show He was blowing it out, really knockin' em dead Playin' rock and roll music through the horn in his head "Tequila!"
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
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Written by: Sheb Wooley
Lyrics © DOTSON-WOOLEY ENTERTAINMENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
15 facts about this song
Release Date"The Purple People Eater" was released in 1958 by Sheb Wooley.
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Chart PositionThe song reached number one on the Billboard pop charts in just three weeks from its release.
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Grammy NominationIn 1959, "The Purple People Eater" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Artist for Children.
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Multi-character VoiceWooley performed the song, altering his voice to portray multiple characters, which fitted perfectly with the humorous tone of the song.
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Lyrics NarrativeThe lyrics of the song describe a strange creature that descends from space with a passion for rock n' roll music.
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Comedy Genre"The Purple People Eater" is considered a novelty song, a comedic genre popular during the mid-20th century.
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Successful WritershipThis song is the most successful of Sheb Wooley's writing career.
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Not About Flesh EatersDespite the song's title, the creature in the song was misunderstood to be a man-eater. Yet, the lyrics indicate that it's a creature that is purple and eats people.
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Movie InspirationIn 1988, a comedic horror film was released titled "Purple People Eater;" this movie was inspired by the song.
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Multi-talented ArtistNot only was Sheb Wooley a singer, but he was also an actor who starred in many western-genre films and television shows.
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Recurring PopularityThe song is catchy enough that it retains a certain level of popularity and is frequently heard around Halloween.
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Instrument MimicThe unique sound mimicking the saxophone in the song was actually made by Wooley on a slide whistle.
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Jukebox FameAfter its release, the song became an instant hit and was a regular on almost every jukebox in America.
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Not Wooley's Original StyleIn spite of the popularity of "The Purple People Eater," the majority of Wooley's career was focused on country music. This rock 'n roll novelty song was more of an outlier.
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Influence on Other ArtistsThe song's unique, humorous style influenced several other musicians of the era to produce similar irreverent, novel songs.
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Citation
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"The Purple People Eater Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/561788/Sheb+Wooley/The+Purple+People+Eater>.
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