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Purple Toupee

"Purple Toupee"
"Purple Toupee" cover art
Promotional single artwork
Single by They Might Be Giants
from the album Lincoln
Released 1989
Recorded 1988
Genre Alternative rock, art pop
Length 2:40
Label Bar/None, Restless
Writer(s) John Flansburgh, John Linnell
Producer(s) Bill Krauss
They Might Be Giants singles chronology
"They'll Need a Crane"
(1989)
"Purple Toupee"
(1989)
"Birdhouse in Your Soul"
(1989)

"Purple Toupee" is a 1988 song by alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants from their second album, Lincoln. It was released as a promotional single in 1989. In 1994, a live performance of the song was recorded for the promotional live album Live!! New York City 10/14/94, which was released by Elektra Records.

According to John Linnell, the song's disjointed lyrics represent a garbled memory of the 1960s. The song creates a "one-dimensional caricature" of the decade to reflect the "sixties revival" that Linnell perceived at the time of writing the song. The lyrics are intentionally misleading, and do not accurately portray events of the sixties. In addition, Linnell states that two Prince songs — "Purple Rain" and "Raspberry Beret" — served as sources of inspiration for "Purple Toupee".

Bar/None Records promoted "Purple Toupee" by pasting fake labels on 8-track tapes by other artists. The cartridges, disguised as a release from TMBG, were mailed to radio stations, in addition to CDs that actually contained the song.

The song had a music video directed by Helene Silverman, who had previously done graphic design work with the band. The video was filmed at Coney Island and features John Linnell and John Flansburgh playing accordion and guitar, respectively, at Astroland Park.

"Purple Toupee" was intended for release as an EP with three B-sides. It was listed as a release for 12" vinyl, CD, and cassette. The following tracks were presented on the band's B-side compilation, Miscellaneous T:

The songs were also included on a 2013 reissue of Lincoln in Australian markets by Breakaway Records.


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Wikipedia

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