Short People

"Short People"
cover art
UK cover
Single by Randy Newman
from the album Little Criminals
B-side"Old Man on the Farm"
ReleasedNovember 1977
Recorded1977
GenreNovelty rock
Length2:54
LabelWarner Bros.
SongwriterRandy Newman
ProducersLenny Waronker, Russ Titelman
Randy Newman singles chronology
"Birmingham"
(1974)		 "Short People"
(1977)		 "Baltimore"
(1977)
Official video
"Short People" on YouTube

"Short People" is a song by Randy Newman from his 1977 album, Little Criminals. With lyrics scathingly criticizing short people, Newman intended the song as a parody of prejudice. As with many of his songs, Newman wrote the song from the viewpoint of a biased narrator.

Production and reception

The song follows a basic musical formula with bass and drums centering on Newman's catchy pop piano line in the key of A major. A small brass section and an electric guitar occasionally rise into the mix and conga drums, played by Los Angeles–based session musician Milt Holland, also feature prominently in the song.

Although Newman had never charted a single before, and his preceding album, Good Old Boys, had been the first to reach the Top 150 on Billboard’s Pop Albums chart, "Short People" soon gained attention as a novelty song. It became a major hit on radio, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. It became a gold record. The song was included in most of Newman's greatest hits albums. Record World said the single was "one of the funniest of any year." Newman re-recorded the song for his 2016 album The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 3.[failed verification]

In 1978, Isaiah Dixon, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, sought to propose a law to make it illegal to broadcast "Short People" on the radio. However, Maryland's Attorney General, Francis B. Burch, advised that such a law would violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Newman would later grow to dislike the song and its success, eventually calling it a "bad break", a "novelty record like 'The Chipmunks'" and said received several threats who thought his criticism of short people was serious. He said, "I had no idea that there was any sensitivity, I mean, that anyone could believe that anyone was as crazy as that character. To have that kind of animus against short people, and then to sing it and put it all in song and have a philosophy on it."

Chart performance

Sales and certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA) Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Randy Newman: Still Biting, Still Brilliant". Spiked-online.com. November 6, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  2. ↑ Fricke, David (September 15, 2017). "Randy Newman: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Short People: Sheet Music". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 12, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Best of Randy Newman: Randy Newman: Music". Amazon. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ Thompson, M. Dion (March 17, 2001). "They're smart, fast, usually right". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ Zitz, Michael (September 18, 2003). "Songwriter Randy Newman hates his 'Short People'". The Free Lance–Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Retrieved April 17, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ Lydia Hutchinson. "Happy Birthday, Randy Newman". Performing Songwriter.
  9. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Forum – 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Randy Newman – Short People" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Randy Newman – Short People". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  14. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 174.
  15. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 1/28/78". Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1978". Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  19. ↑ "American single certifications – Randy Newman – Short People". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 1, 2023.