The Purple People Eater

Sheb Wooley

About The Purple People Eater

"The Purple People Eater" is a novelty song written and performed by Sheb Wooley, which reached No. 1 in the Billboard pop charts in 1958 from June 9 to July 14, reached No. 12 overall in the UK singles chart and topped the Australian charts.


Year:
2015
2:15
20 
#1

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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!"

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Sheb Wooley

Shelby F. "Sheb" Wooley (April 10, 1921 – September 16, 2003) was a character actor and singer, best known for his 1958 novelty song "The Purple People Eater". He played Ben Miller, brother of Frank Miller in the film High Noon, played Travis Cobb in The Outlaw Josey Wales, and also had a co-starring role as scout Pete Nolan in the television program Rawhide. more »

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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.
Chart Position
The song reached number one on the Billboard pop charts in just three weeks from its release.
Grammy Nomination
In 1959, "The Purple People Eater" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Artist for Children.
Multi-character Voice
Wooley performed the song, altering his voice to portray multiple characters, which fitted perfectly with the humorous tone of the song.
Lyrics Narrative
The lyrics of the song describe a strange creature that descends from space with a passion for rock n' roll music.
Comedy Genre
"The Purple People Eater" is considered a novelty song, a comedic genre popular during the mid-20th century.
Successful Writership
This song is the most successful of Sheb Wooley's writing career.
Not About Flesh Eaters
Despite 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.
Movie Inspiration
In 1988, a comedic horror film was released titled "Purple People Eater;" this movie was inspired by the song.
Multi-talented Artist
Not only was Sheb Wooley a singer, but he was also an actor who starred in many western-genre films and television shows.
Recurring Popularity
The song is catchy enough that it retains a certain level of popularity and is frequently heard around Halloween.
Instrument Mimic
The unique sound mimicking the saxophone in the song was actually made by Wooley on a slide whistle.
Jukebox Fame
After its release, the song became an instant hit and was a regular on almost every jukebox in America.
Not Wooley's Original Style
In 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.
Influence on Other Artists
The song's unique, humorous style influenced several other musicians of the era to produce similar irreverent, novel songs.

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    The Purple People Eater

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1958

    Billboard #24


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