Download "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead"
Album Nonsuch
- #1
The Ballad of Peter PumpkinheadXTC
- #2
My Bird PerformsXTC
- #3
Dear Madam BarnumXTC
- #4
Humble DaisyXTC
- #5
The Smartest MonkeysXTC
- #6
The DisappointedXTC
- #7
Holly Up on PoppyXTC
- #8
CrocodileXTC
- #9
RookXTC
- #10
OmnibusXTC
- #11
That WaveXTC
- #12
Then She AppearedXTC
- #13
War DanceXTC
- #14
Wrapped in GreyXTC
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The Ugly UnderneathXTC
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BungalowXTC
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Books are BurningXTC
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead by XTC
Release Date
Performed by
XTCProduced by
Gus DudgeonWrited by
Andy PartridgeAbout
“The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” is about an influential public figure who is loved by the people but hated by the government. He promotes peace, love, fairness, and giving, and his opposition ultimately murders him for it.
Peter Pumpkinhead represents several personalities, as the song’s lyrics a...
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead Lyrics
[Intro]
Let's begin!
[Verse 1]
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
Spreading wisdom and cash around
Fed the starving and housed the poor
Showed the Vatican what gold's for
[Chorus]
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!
[Verse 2]
Peter Pumpkinhead pulled them all
Emptied churches and shopping malls
When he spoke it would raise the roof
Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth
[Chorus]
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!
[Verse 3]
Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said any kind of love is alright
[Chorus]
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
[Verse 4]
Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you
And an awful lot like me!
[Chorus]
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
[Outro]
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin?
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Oh my, oh my, oh!
Don't it make you want to cry, oh?
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead Q&A
Who wrote The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead's ?
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead was written by Andy Partridge.
Who produced The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead's ?
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead was produced by Gus Dudgeon.
When did XTC release The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead?
XTC released The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead on Mon Apr 27 1992.
What did XTC say about "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead"?
XTC singer, songwriter, and guitarist Andy Partridge said this of “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead”:
I just started writing about this perfect sort of Jesusy character who happened to have a pumpkin for a head.
What inspired "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead"?
Andy Partridge has said, although the lyrics do not reflect it, he was inspired to write the song when he couldn’t bring himself to throw away a jack o' lantern he’d carved:
So I just stuck it on the fencepost, and every day when I’d head down the garden path to the studio, it’d be, “How’s old Jack...