Celebrating The Sheb Wooley Classic Hit Song ‘One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater’

We can all remember this famous song from yesteryear, but do you know the real story behind the lyrics? “One-eyed One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater” was, in fact, a novelty song written and performed by Sheb Wooley. The song even reached number one on the Billboard Pop charts in 1958 and reached number 12 overall in the UK singles chart.

The song tells the story of a strange creature, described as having only one eye, with a single horn on its head and the ability to fly. The creature lands on earth because it wants to join a rock n’ roll band. The premise of the song is said to have originated from an old joke told by Wooley’s friend’s kid. Wooley created the entire song in just under an hour!

Here are the full lyrics:

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 cuz 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 it’s eatin’ 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 and roll band




Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

(We wear short shorts)

Flyin’ purple people eater

Sure looks strange to me

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 cuz 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 it’s eatin’ 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 and roll band

 

Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

(We wear short shorts)

Flyin’ purple people eater

Sure looks strange to me

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 cuz 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 it’s eatin’ 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 and roll band




Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

(We wear short shorts)

Flyin’ purple people eater

Sure looks strange to me

 

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 cuz 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 it’s eatin’ 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 and roll band




Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

(We wear short shorts)

Flyin’ purple people eater

Sure looks strange to me

 

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 cuz 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 it’s eatin’ 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 and roll band

Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

(We wear short shorts)

Flyin’ purple people eater

Sure looks strange to me

 

And then he swung from the tree and he lit on the ground

He started to rock, really rockin’ around

It was a crazy ditty with a swingin’ tune

Sing a boop boop aboopa lopa lum bam boom

Well bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater

Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater

I like short shorts

Flyin’ little people eater

Sure looks strange to me (Purple People?)

 

And then 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, a’really knockin’ em dead

Playin’ rock and roll music through the horn in his head

When was the first time you heard this song? Let us know in the comments section and be sure to share it with your friends and family.

 

Source: Doyouremember.com