Short People

When I first heard this song I was slightly outraged. lol. But I realized there was no way that a song telling short people that they have no reason to live would be available on Spotify or popular at all. So I decided to look it up and came across this. Just shows you how misinterpreted something like that can be and shows that people will always resort to the literal meaning of things without even giving a nanosecond of thought to the metaphorical explanation.

When this came out, there was a Ziggy comic where the height-impaired fellow says, 'If I ever meet the guy who wrote that, I'll punch him right in the knee.'

It's obviously a metaphore for discrimination in General. But the "no kids can live here" angle, I never thought of. Very insightful and plausable.

Yes, the idea that it's about 'short-tempered' people is a misdirected take on the song, looking for the not-so-hidden meaning where it doesn't belong. Randy is having a pop at prejudice. Quite obviously it's stupid to hold such awful opinions of people based upon height, and the song implicitly asks whether it's any less stupid to base them ethnicity, gender, age, etc.
The theme can be seen other Newman songs such as Rednecks and Yellow Man, which are somewhat more powerful in their anti-prejudice message but sadly less radio-friendly.

I think the guy who said that the song was about a crazy person who hated short people nailed it - but who really knows? The part in the middle (..."all men are brothers") to me is poking fun at the cliche and the equally non-thinking behind that sentiment.

Todd in Newburg NY has it right. Think about the runny noses. Draw a venn diagram and the only group that meets all the conditions is toddlers. I will add that around about that time some landlords in California were refusing to rent to families with children. It is absolutely consistent with Randy Newman's previous approach to themes of inequality and injustice that he would take on the persona of such a person and parody all the supposed reasons that children were unacceptable as tenants.

Surely the song is about how we feel about OTHER people's kids!
(Signed one disgruntled grade school teacher)

This song came out when I was 10, and even then I realized immediately that it was satire. He was just making a point about the idiocy of prejudices and stereotypes.

I'm not sure about him being a One Hit Wonder - his 1983 song "I Love L.A." was very popular, especially (go figure) in the L.A. area, where it is still played after Dodgers home wins.

Randy is a member of the 'One Hit Wonder' club;
the song peaked at No. 2 and stayed there for three weeks and stayed in the Top 100 for 20 weeks. He also finally won an Oscar after being nominated 16 times..

ok... so I was bullied throughout elementary, jr. high, and high school for being short... I hated being short... but now... several years later... I am proud of my height.... or lack therof... This song was posted on my fb by a friend who is fairly tall... and he said it made him think of me. I watched it and laughed my booty off!!! I thought it was cleverly done... People need to realize that being prejudiced is ridiculous and getting offended is just as ridiculous. If someone comes up to me and makes a short joke to out me... I don't cry about it!!! I laugh and tell them a better one. People need to stop worrying about their height... seriously... it's not a big deal... it's a clever song and should not be banned because it might offend insecure nincompoops. I think it's a lot less offensive than Eminem, or Chuck Berry... just a though... shooting your mama and slapping your girl are more offensive than being short... so get off your high horse and roll with the punches.

It's obviously about physically short people if you listen carefully to the lyrics. Not short-tempered, small-minded, etc.... but small sized! And so what. Newman takes shots at all kinds of different types of people, even God Himself. As for the reactionaries, some people live their lives just waiting to take offense at something. Toughen up. Quit whining.

Randy newman once said that this song was actually written about his agent (who was short) and had cheated him out of money. The Eagles, (who sing back-up in the song) had the same agent and did not want to offend him. So that's why they sing "short people are just the same as you and I" and "all men are brothers until the day they die"

I LOVE this song! It's obviously not about the actual hatred of little people. Or hatred of people who are short-tempered. It's about how ridiculous prejudice is and how it doesn't make sense. Newman says short people, not little people. He is referring to people simply of short stature, not specfically of people who have some sort of condition causing dwarfism or the like.
For those who say that saying "short people have no reason to live" was strictly offensive should know that Newman was not referring to a genocide of little people; he isn't describing actuality! Short/little people don't drive little cars, they don't have specifically small teeth, and they DON'T wear platform shoes!

For all of you people who are offended by this song: (a) you are idiots; and (b) you have no sense of humor. No person of intelligence or sanity would listen to this song and think, "You're right, Mr. Randy Newman, I hate short people too." Give em a break. I've heard interviews with him and no, he does not hate short people (obviously) and no it's not a song about prejudice. It's a funny song about a crazy person who hates short people. Sort of like when he says let's drop the bomb on South America because they stole our name, or "we're keeping the niggers down", or "I want you to hurt like I do." Most of his songs are not autobiographical and should not be taken literally. Get some intelligence, people. No one hates short people.

Renee said

"I guess some people just didn't get the point of the joke, which is, as someone else already pointed out, that it was supposed to sound ridiculous and hopefully make people understand the ridiculousness of prejudice in general. And I'm not just saying that because I'm of average height."

This is EXACTLY right, as proven by the line "All men are brothers until the day they die. Incredile how people can miss the meaning of a song.
Tsk.

The song makes us look at the comments made of other people weather it be of race or religion sexual orientation, etc... Words are use to dehumanize people. Nasty feet and dirty minds obviously aren't typical of short people. Hate for short people is like hate for Canadians, Eskimos or toast. There's nothing to hate.

I've read all of the comments posted about this song and I'm sorry to say you ALL have it absolutely wrong. Short people are CHILDREN, you guys! Read the words and picture a 2 year old- Has he a reason to live? Think about it. .

They got little baby legs that stand so low
You got to pick 'em up just to say hello-

You catchin' on? It has nothing to do with prejudice, 'little people' or Nixon fer Chrissakes. Randy Newman is a genius and I think the fact that this song is so misunderstood is a testament to HOW MUCH a genius he is.

People who think "Short People" proves Randy Newman is prejudiced against people like Paul Williams probably think "Let's Drop the Big One" proves he wants to annihilate the world with nuclear weapons. They're missing the whole point, and badly. Obviously, Newman is too smart and clever for his literal-minded and humorless critics.

Even though Randy Newman was trying to be humorous, he did spark controversy with the lyrics, including the line "Short people got no reason to live." I don't blame radio stations for banning the song since they thought it was offensive. As a broadcasting student in the early 80s in Austin, MN, I wound not play the song since I didn't want to offend a woman in my class who was undersized. I should also point out that Chevy Chase recorded a cover version.

I guess some people just didn't get the point of the joke, which is, as someone else already pointed out, that it was supposed to sound ridiculous and hopefully make people understand the ridiculousness of prejudice in general. And I'm not just saying that because I'm of average height.

No this song wasnt about short minded people,it was about little people.I mean Newman sings about their little feet and stuff like that.It basically said what alot of us thought about little people back then but just wouldnt say it.

Now whether or not he was being sarcastic or really meant it who but Newman knows?

Len, you say John sounds like he has thin skin... in fairness, if u were short and that song directed at you in public, while u might be able to laugh at it, it would still make u uncomfortable and u'd be just dyin' for it to end. it's a 'nasty little song' for short people to hear. there's no denyin' that. different people react differently to criticism based on how they grew up. Personally, if it were me, (being all of 4.5ft tall), i like to think i'd've asked yer one playin' the piano if i could play one tune after that... then i'd've let rip with 'tiny dancer' and undoubtedly regained my strut soon thereafter. hahaha

Not sure if it's a fact but all of the above is rubbish...
It's supposedly about president Nixon. Maybe he thought if theres one person I really want to piss off it's him.

I also think it's a sarcastic song about prejudice, but he was clearly looking for strong reactions with this song (and he certainly got them!)

I can't imagine this song is really about people who aren't tall. Is it possible you don't like somebody because he is short. It sounds crazy; small - tall, man - woman, old - young, black - white, Catholic - Jew - atheist, American - European, hetero - homo, why not try to accept people like they are and to respect them.

The song is just a silly sarcastic song about prejudice. He makes it a song about being prejudiced against 'short people', of all things. It is exactly BECAUSE the idea is so very silly, hating someone because of their height, that he used it. He figured, no one will take this at face value, and will see the ridiculousness of being prejudiced against people for other reasons. John, you sound like someone with thin skin - I'm not just saying this because I don't like short people (just joking he he). Having a sense of humor about yourself doesn't mean you're weak - it means you're strong.

Regardless of what RN meant to say with this song it doesn't work(he should pull it). I was thoroughly embarrassed for my friend and felt attacked when I entered a resort bar and 1 song later the piano player asked for request. "Short People" was next and to hear the lyrics "DON'T WANT NO SHORT PEOPLE ROUND HEAR.." and that I "HAVE NO REASON TO LIVE" repeated and repeated with eyes looking at me and laughter I felt rage that is rare but what struck me the most was the heartlessness of all those there because it was everyone of about 40 people. The piano player looked proud of her repetitions and looked right at me. I'm a 5'3" male and know many have a lot worse to deal with than me but this experience changed me as it would a black man being called a Nigger. This was an older croud of well to do 30+ that needed a slap. What I've come to see is that people really are mean and if that's what I'm up against I'll give it back.

This song was not about short-tempered people at all (where did you get that from?). And while saying it was about "small-minded" people comes closer, it still doesn't help much. The song is a sarcastic stab at all manner of prejudice in general.

There was a response to this song written by Ten Second Braeden called "Tall People." It got a lot of air play, though possibly because people thought it was a rebuttal, not a parody.