Pepper (song)

"Pepper" is a song by American alternative rock band Butthole Surfers from their seventh studio album, Electriclarryland (1996). Released on April 11, 1996, the track reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, becoming the top-ranked song of 1996 on the former listing. In Australia, the song peaked at number 15 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was ranked number four on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 1996.^[4] It also reached number two on the Canadian RPM Alternative 30 and number 32 in New Zealand.

"Pepper"
Single by Butthole Surfers
from the album Electriclarryland
B-side	"Let's Talk About Cars" "Birds" "Hybrid"
Released	April 11, 1996 (1996-04-11)
Genre	Electronic rock^[1] rap rock^[2] psychedelic rap^[3] spoken word^[1]
Length	4:57
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Gibby Haynes Paul Leary King Coffey
Producer(s)	Steve Thompson
Butthole Surfers singles chronology
"Good King Wencenslaus/The Lord Is a Monkey" (1994) "Pepper" (1996) "Jingle of a Dog's Collar" (1996)
Audio sample
"Pepper" file help

Composition and lyrics

"Pepper" opens with the chorus guitar riff, slowed down to half speed. The song shifts from spoken word verses to sung choruses. The lyrics of the verses list ten characters and describes how some either die or escape a brush with death.

The song also contains the bridge played in reverse. The reversed words are the first and last lines of the chorus: "I don't mind the sun sometimes; the images it shows; you never know just how you look through other people's eyes."

According to Spike TV, who put the song on their list of "The Top 10 Hits the Band Wishes Didn't Exist", the song was written as "a send-up of Beck".^[5]

Music video

The video for "Pepper", directed by Gavin Bowden, features 1960s style news clip-like footage of a group of people being arrested in a Texas hotel for kidnapping while newscasters and cameramen crowd around. The kidnapping victim, rescued by the police, is portrayed by Erik Estrada. Singer Gibby Haynes is portrayed as the ringleader, and is shown being interviewed by reporters as police gather evidence. The newsreel segment is filmed in 16mm black and white, and is broken up by 1960s-style color footage, showing the band performing on a show much like American Bandstand. This performance footage is interspersed with 1960s style enactments of cooking and variety shows. The police and Estrada are repeatedly shown eating corn from a can, which, according to the director, is "a reference to the way videos are made; how directors have to have this shot and that shot – how they're spoon-feeding images to the audience."

Track listings

US CD and maxi-cassette single^[6]^[7] "Pepper" (edit) "Pepper" (album version) "Let's Talk About Cars" US 7-inch jukebox vinyl^[8] A. "Pepper" – 4:57 B. "Birds" – 3:12 UK CD single^[9] "Pepper" "Hybrid"

UK limited-edition 7-inch red vinyl single^[10] A. "Pepper" (single edit) B. "Pepper" (Butcha' Bros remix) European CD single^[11] "Pepper" "Hybrid" "Pepper" (Butcha' Bros. remix) "The Lord Is a Monkey" (demo)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[12] 15 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)^[13] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14] 32 Scotland (OCC)^[15] 82 UK Singles (OCC)^[16] 59 US Radio Songs (Billboard)^[17] 26 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[18] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[19] 19 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[20] 38

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Australia (ARIA)^[21] 77 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)^[22] 31 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[23] 1

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	April 11, 1996	College alternative radio	Capitol	^[24]
United Kingdom	September 16, 1996	7-inch vinyl CD		^[25]

Cover version

On September 2, 2010, Hesta Prynn and Shawn Crahan of Slipknot released a cover of "Pepper" as a 7-inch vinyl single.^[26] The B-side of the single is the previously unreleased track "Seven Sisters".

References

1. Anderson, Kyle. "What is the best '90s alt-rock one-hit wonder?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
2. Earles, Andrew (January 4, 2013). "Blame Nirvana: The 40 Weirdest Post-'Nevermind' Major-Label Albums". Spin. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
3. Eddy, Chuck (March 22, 1997). "Introductory Soapbox Speech: Why It's Good to be a Hack". The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 12. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.
4. "Triple J Hottest 100 1996". Australian Broadcasting Company. December 26, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
5. . Archived from the original on June 25, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
6. Pepper (US CD single liner notes). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. C2 7243 8 58578 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Pepper (US maxi-cassette single sleeve). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. 4KM 7243 8 58578 4 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Pepper (US 7-inch jukebox vinyl disc). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. S7-19200.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Pepper (UK CD single liner notes). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. C2 7243 8 82813 2 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Pepper (UK limited 7-inch single sleeve). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. CL 778, 7243 8 83309 7 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Pepper (European CD single liner notes). Butthole Surfers. Capitol Records. 1996. C2 7243 8 82812 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. "Butthole Surfers – Pepper". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
13. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3009." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
14. "Butthole Surfers – Pepper". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
17. "Butthole Surfers Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
18. "Butthole Surfers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
19. "Butthole Surfers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
20. "Butthole Surfers Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
21. . ARIA. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2019 – via Imgur.
22. "RPM Year End Alternative 30". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
23. Campbell, Chuck (January 2, 1997). . The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
24. Morris, Chris (March 30, 1996). "Capitol's Butthole Surfers Journey into 'Larryland'". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 13. p. 41. Capitol will release the new album's first track, the relatively accessible 'Pepper,' to commercial alternative and college radio April 11.
25. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. September 14, 1996. p. 29.
26. . Spinner.com. September 2, 2010. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2023.