There’s a great deal of misinterpretation floating around on the Internet about Randy Newman. Contrary to popular belief Randy Newman does not hate short people. In fact, it could be argued that the song Short People by Randy Newman is something of an homage to our pint sized co-habitants. The song Short People, it can be argued, is even coming to the defense of short people; that’s how mixed up this discussion is. All creeds, colors, nationalities, minority groups, and others need a champion like Randy Newman to lay it plain, be candid, say what we are all thinking, and then point out to us why what we’re thinking might not be the whole story.
Unfortunately when people hear such salacious lyrics like those in Short People, people take umbrage at its frank content. Even after the fact that this song was written more than 30 years ago and it has been discussed and disseminated and picked apart for so long, people still feel offended. Do you know what? It will be no different in another 30 years; I’d wager; because short people continue to be born!
Short People is a song sung from a really bigoted perspective; “short people got no reason to live?” That’s pretty blunt. However the always humor full and light Newman takes it all with a grain of salt.
The song short people came out of my hot mix the other day and my 5’1″ wife grumbled her usual grumble when she hears this song. However I figure I should come to Newman’s defense because as he says in the song; “Short people are just the same as you and I; all men are brothers until the day they die.”
Short People
by Randy Newman
from the 1977 album Little Criminals
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
To live
They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around
Tellin’ great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
`Round here
Short people are just the same
As you and I
(A fool such as I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It’s a wonderful world)
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
To love
They got little baby legs
That stand so low
You got to pick em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That go beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin’ peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They’re gonna get you every time
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
‘Round here
Singers, artists, and writers take the world as they see it and give it back to us in a manner that is sometimes uncomfortable and sometimes shocking. It could be that the reason so many people are personally offended by the song Short People is that they themselves are short and they know what it’s like being picked on. I can’t argue with that; I myself was once short and I remember the barbs well. However another reason for taking offense at this song could be because people have felt the same way as the singer in the song. And they know it’s wrong.
Taken on the surface Short People could appear to be something of a shunt towards the heightened challenged. However dig a little deeper and it should be clear that Randy Newman is only trying to do the yeoman’s work in keeping the greater peace and getting us all to understand one another from whatever latitude we are.
