Album: Electriclarryland (1996)

Charted: 59 26

License This Song 

• Marky got with Sharon
  Sharon got Cherese
  She was sharing Sharon's outlook
  On the topic of disease
  Mikey had a facial scar
  And Bobby was a racist
  They were all in love with dyin'
  They were doing it in Texas
  Tommy played piano
  Like a kid out in the rain
  Then he lost his leg in Dallas
  He was dancing with a train
  They were all in love with dyin'
  They were drinking from a fountain
  That was pouring like an avalanche
  Coming down the mountain
  
  I don't mind the sun sometimes
  The images it shows
  I can taste you on my lips
  And smell you in my clothes
  Cinnamon and sugary
  And softly spoken lies
  You never know just how to look
  Through other people's eyes
  
  Some will die in hot pursuit
  Fiery auto crashes
  Some will die in hot pursuit
  While sifting through my ashes
  Some will fall in love with life
  And drink it from a fountain
  That is pouring like an avalanche
  Coming down the mountain
  
  I don't mind the sun sometimes
  The images it shows
  I can taste you on my lips
  And smell you in my clothes
  Cinnamon and sugary
  And softly spoken lies
  You never know just how you look
  Through other people's eyes
  
  Another Mikey took a knife
  While arguing in traffic
  Flipper died a natural death
  He caught a nasty virus
  Then there was the ever-present
  Football player rapist
  They were all in love with dyin'
  They were doing it in Texas
  Pauly caught a bullet
  But it only hit his leg
  Well it should have been a better shot
  And got him in the head
  They were all in love with dyin'
  They were drinking from a fountain
  That was pouring like an avalanche
  Coming down the mountain
  
  I don't mind the sun sometimes
  The images it shows
  I can taste you on my lips
  And smell you in my clothes
  Cinnamon and sugary
  And softly spoken lies
  You never know just how you look
  Through other people's eyes Writer/s: Gibson Jerome Haynes, Jeffrey D Pinkus, Jeffrey Scott Coffey, Paul Leary Walthall
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

• Glen Schmidt from West MichiganDo I even want to know where Butthole Surfers got their name?
• Roger Lee Md from NyI always thought that the song was about the Branch Davidians
• Josh In Champaign from IllinoisI hear some inspiration from 88 Lines About 44 Women by The Nails. Pretty cool.
• Poopoo Larson from New Jersey, UsaThe nature of these lyrics reminds me of Jim Carroll’s song, People Who Died. Anyone else ever think that?
• Cpear from So CalPepper isn’t their best song and do not even trip it’s a really great song. It’s the iceberg tip is all. I always thought it was about stds.
• Steve from CanadaThey totally copied Beck. It’s obvious
• Rico from ColoradoThis was (if memory serves) released the week of lead singer Gibby Haynes' 20-year high school reunion, in 1996. Several of the characters mentioned in the song are either high school acquaintances (from Lake Highlands High School, Dallas, Texas in the mid-70s) or others in, or on the periphery of, his social orbit in high school. The song talks about what happened to a number of these people, in the years between graduation and 1996. The character referred to as "Flipper"..."Flipper died a natural death, he caught a nasty virus", was Philip Dunevant (who died of AIDS, in I believe, 1986). The "Tommy" who "played piano like a kid out in the rain", is I believe, Tom Dixon.
  
  It's a story of the things that happen to people by chance, or by their own actions, good and bad (mostly bad, in this case) here on the 3rd rock from the sun.
  
  That's my take, anyway. I knew most of these people.
• Ad828321 from SwanseaIt was released as a single in the UK and the US, the fact stating it was ineligible for the Hot 100 is incorrect. It simply didn't sell enough.
  
  UK commercial release was on 7" (cat# CL 778) and CD single (cat# CDCL 778)
  US commercial release was on cassette (cat# 4KM 7243 8 58578 4 3) and CD single (cat# C2 7243 8 58578 2 9).
  It was also commercially released in Europe, Australia and separately in France.
  
  https://www.discogs.com/Butthole-Surfers-Pepper/master/38843
  http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/pepper/
  (editor's note: It appears the song was only issued as a promotional single in the US, so you couldn't buy it.)

More Songfacts:

Chelsea DaggerThe Fratellis

The Fratellis song "Chelsea Dagger" was named for their lead singer's wife - it was her burlesque name.

Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)Will Glahe

In 1939, a polka craze swept America thanks to "Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)."

Fields Of GoldSting

Sting wrote "Fields of Gold" after buying a house near a barley field and enjoying the majestic sunsets.

Killing In The NameRage Against the Machine

Tired of X-Factor winners getting the UK Christmas #1, British Facebook users staged a successful campaign to download "Killing In The Name" by Rage Against The Machine enough times to boost the song to the top in 2009, blocking the X-Factor single by Joe McElderry.

Cum On Feel The NoizeSlade

"Cum On Feel The Noise" was originally recorded by the British glam band Slade in 1973. Quiet Riot had their first hit with the song when they recorded it in 1983.

Bad, Bad Leroy BrownJim Croce

"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" is about a guy Jim Croce met in the National Guard, which Jim joined to keep him out of Vietnam. Leroy went AWOL, but got caught when he tried to pick up his paycheck.

Editor's Picks

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Billy Gould of Faith No MoreSongwriter Interviews

Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, chats to us about his two new experimental projects, The Talking Book and House of Hayduk, and also shares some stories from the FNM days.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Crystal WatersSongwriter Interviews

Waters tells the "Gypsy Woman" story, shares some of her songwriting insights, and explains how Dennis Rodman ended up on one of her songs.

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."