Purple People Eater
Sheb Wooley, 1958 — a novelty classic that still makes classrooms smile.
Purple People Eater (1958) — Song & Performer History
Purple People Eater was written and performed by Sheb Wooley and released in May 1958. It shot to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for six weeks, and became one of the best-selling singles of the entire year. The song was reportedly inspired by a joke told to Wooley by a friend — a schoolboy riddle about a one-eyed, one-horned creature that ate purple people.
The novelty genre was huge in the late 1950s, and “Purple People Eater” arrived at exactly the right moment: the early rock-and-roll era, when radio was hungry for anything catchy and offbeat. Wooley recorded it as a joke, half-expecting his record label to reject it. They released it instead, and it became his biggest hit by a wide margin.
Shelby F. “Sheb” Wooley (1921–2003) was a true multi-hyphenate: a country singer, a Hollywood character actor, and a comedian. He appeared in classic Westerns including High Noon (1952) alongside Gary Cooper, and played the recurring role of Pete Nolan on the long-running TV series Rawhide (1959–1965) — the same show that launched Clint Eastwood’s career. As a comedian he recorded under the alter ego Ben Colder, producing parody songs popular on the country circuit through the 1960s and 70s.
“Purple People Eater” has been covered, sampled, and referenced for over six decades. It appeared in the 1988 film of the same name and has been a staple of children’s playlists and Halloween mixes ever since. Not bad for a joke song that almost wasn’t released.
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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-wee" It looks like a purple people 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 A 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 the strangest thing was the look on his face Poor old purple people eater wanted to play Well, he said, "I'm 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 And I play rock and roll music, too" And then he swung into action and he started to play Sat beside him in the band and he started to sway He had a little horn that went toot-toot-toot And it went "well bless my soul, he can really scoot" 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 Playing rock and roll music through the horn 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 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! — Sheb Wooley, 1958