Short People -Randy Newman (1977) 4/13/23

Some people can't take a joke. Some people don't understand satire and irony. Short People have no reason to live. Which, of course, brings us to today's "Great Song of 1977:" "Short People" by Randy Newman. Randy was flabbergasted that people took the song seriously. He deliberately created a character--and lyrics--that were over the top with faux prejudice, not realizing that some radio listeners would take it literally. And boy, did they ever! By the time he reached the middle of the song, where he sang, "Short people are just the same as you and I. All men are brothers until the day they die. It's a wonderful world," many were so outraged, they missed the message altogether. Although the flurry of complaints caused some radio stations to stop playing it, "Short People" still reached #2 on the Top 40 charts in both the US and Canada. Up North, it topped the Adult Contemporary Chart. Randy later told Rolling Stone Magazine: "Because it was a hit, the song reached people who aren't looking for irony. For them, the words mean exactly what they say. I can imagine being a short kid in junior high school. I thought about it before I let the record get out. But I thought, 'What the hell?' I know what I meant – the guy in that song is crazy. He was not to be believed." Personally, I believe that the controversy helped "Short People" not only become a hit, but made it a "Great Song of 1977." At the very least, it was one of the most "talked about/controversial" songs of the year! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8UVBgUd9GE Tomorrow: LRB Coming Soon: Great Songs of the '80s!