"Short People" | ||||
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Single by Randy Newman | ||||
from the album Little Criminals | ||||
B-side | "Old Man on the Farm" | |||
Released | November 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Genre | Novelty rock[1] | |||
Length | 2:54 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Randy Newman | |||
Producer(s) | Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman | |||
Randy Newman singles chronology | ||||
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Official video | ||||
"Short People" on YouTube |
"Short People" is a song by Randy Newman from his 1977 album, Little Criminals.
The verses and chorus are lyrically constructed as a prejudiced attack on short people. In contrast, the bridge states that "short people are just the same as you and I."; "A fool such as I" and "All men are brothers (...) It's a wonderful world." Many listeners thought that the song reflected Newman's sincere beliefs. However, Newman intended the song to be a satire about prejudice more broadly: "The guy in that song is crazy. He was not to be believed."[2] As with many of his songs such as "Rednecks", Newman wrote the song from the point of view of a biased narrator.