“Short People” is pure silliness, but also amazingly controversial when it was released in 1978. Randy Newman penned the song as a novelty tune about prejudice. People took him seriously and thought he actually hated short people. Evidently, there are many short people with short tempers.

So even as the song made its way up the pop charts to ultimately reach #2 on the Billboard Charts in 1978, it was also making its way to the top of a short-list of “hate” songs that inspired anger, hatred and, I’m not making this up, a bill in the Maryland state legislature that would make it illegal to play “Short People” on the radio.

Thankfully, that bill didn’t pass.

Read Short People lyrics

But “Short People” lives on and was referenced TWICE this week by friends. This, after I sought out the song on my iPod two days ago.

Call it Kismet.

Call it fate.

Just don’t call me short.

“Short People” represents Randy Newman’s only trip to the Billboard Top 40, making him a 70s one-hit wonder.

Listen to “Short People” by Randy Newman

Buy “Short People”