The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead

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"The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"
No cover available
Single by XTC
from the album Nonsuch
Released 1992
Genre Pop Rock
Label Virgin Records
Writer(s) Andy Partridge
Producer(s) Gus Dudgeon
Chart positions


"The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"
No cover available
Single by Crash Test Dummies
from the album Dumb and Dumber Soundtrack
Released 1995
Genre Alternative Rock
Writer(s) Andy Partridge
Chart positions
Crash Test Dummies singles chronology
God Shuffled His Feet (1994) The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead (1995) He Liked To Feel It (1996)

The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead is a single by XTC from their 1992 album Nonsuch. The song was covered and released as a single by Crash Test Dummies in 1995 for the soundtrack to the film Dumb and Dumber. Crash Test Dummies' version is notable in the fact that it was their first (of two) singles to feature Ellen Reid on lead vocals. The Crash Test Dummies version differs slightly to the XTC version, omitting the second verse.

The song follows the story of Peter Pumpkinhead, a man who comes to an unspecified town, "spreading wisdom and cash around". He is extremely popular with the people of the town, but extremely unpopular with government figures. In the end, Peter Pumpkinhead is killed by those he made enemies of, "nailed to a chunk of wood" (probably a reference to being crucified, like Jesus, possibly even comparing the two men).

[edit] Crash Test Dummies Music video

Crash Test Dummies' music video features Jeff Daniels reprising his role of "Harry Dunne" from Dumb and Dumber. In the video, Harry falls and get a Jack-o'-lantern stuck on his head. In his struggle to get it off, he foils a bank robbery and becomes a media sensation. However, he is unfairly found guilty of the bank robbery and narrowly avoids being hanged (he is saved by the pumpkin, which is placed on his head before he's put in the noose).

Jeff Daniels with the pumpkin on his head in the video for "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead".
Enlarge
Jeff Daniels with the pumpkin on his head in the video for "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead".
Crash Test Dummies
Brad Roberts - Ellen Reid - Dan Roberts - Benjamin Darvill - Mitch Dorge
Crash Test Dummies discography
Studio albums: The Ghosts that Haunt Me - God Shuffled His Feet - A Worm's Life - Give Yourself a Hand - I Don't Care That You Don't Mind - Jingle All The Way - Puss 'n' Boots - Songs of the Unforgiven
Singles: "Superman's Song" | "Androgynous" | "The Ghosts That Haunt Me" | "The First Noel" | "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" | "Swimming In Your Ocean" | "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" | "God Shuffled His Feet" | "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead" | "He Liked To Feel It" | "My Own Sunrise" | "Keep A Lid On Things" | "Get You In The Morning" | "Every Morning" | "The Day We Never Met"
Videos: Symptomology of a Rock Band: The Case of Crash Test Dummies