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Three Little Pigs (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Three Little Pigs'" is a song by American comedy rock band Green Jell from their first video album, 'Cereal Killer' (1992). Released by Zoo Entertainment in 1992 with the original band name, Green Jell, the single was re-released on May 24, 1993, under the name Green Jell due to a lawsuit for trademark infringement by the owners of Jell-O.
The song peaked at number 17 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100 in the summer of 1993, staying on the listing for 20 weeks, and charted at number five in the United Kingdom. It additionally reached number one in New Zealand for two nonconsecutive weeks and charted highly in several European countries. The chart success can be partly attributed to the song's unique and heavily aired music video. The song was ranked number 35 on 'VH1's 40 Most Awesomely Bad Metal Songs...Ever'.
Writing and composition
Written by Marc Levinthal and Bill Manspeaker after a "late-night drinkfest" at Zatar's in Hollywood, the song is a re-telling of the classic fairy tale 'Three Little Pigs', with modern twiststhe straw-builder pig escaped the farm where he was raised to begin a new life in Los Angeles, the stick-builder pig is a marijuana-smoking, Bob Marley-listening, dumpster diving hippie and preacher from Venice Beach, and the third pig is the son of rock star Pig Nugent with a master's degree in architecture from Harvard College who builds his concrete mansion in Hollywood Hills. The third pig dispatches the Harley-riding Big Bad Wolf by calling in Rambo, who mows the wolf down with a machine gun.
Critical reception
Music writer James Masterton wrote in his weekly UK chart commentary, "From straight out of nowhere to land in the Top 5 comes the surprise of the week. Who would have thought a tongue in cheek grunge rap retelling the old nursery tale would cross over so dramatically. Here it is though, and may well go Top 3 next week, aided in part by the clever plasticine animated video which accompanies the track." Andy Martin from 'Music Week' rated the song four out of five. He added, "The excellent and hilarious promo that accompanies this bastardisation of the porcine children's tale (like 'Creature Comforts' on acid) should win TV coverage and propel the weird, wacky and wonderful Green Jelly to stardom, or at least a Top 20 hit single. Expect BMG to pull out all the stops on this one."
Music video
The song's stop motion claymation music video received regular rotation on MTV, and in 1993 it was certified gold by the RIAA. "Three Little Pigs" was notable for being the first known music single to debut only in video form; when the music video was first shown on MTV, fans could buy the song on videotape, but not on CD. In 1993, however, the single was finally released in CD form.
Track listings
'Vinyl pressing'
# "Three Little Pigs"
'1993 CD pressing'
#"Three Little Pigs" (edit) 2.30
#"Three Little Pigs" (full-length version) 5:54
#"Obey the Cowgod" 3:09
Personnel
* Bill Manspeaker (as Moronic Dicktator) vocals
* Maynard James Keenan guest voice of Three Little Pigs
* Pauly Shore guest voice of Three Little Pigs
* Gary Helsinger (as Hotsy Menshot) voice of Rambo
* C.J. Buscaglia (as Jesus Quisp) guitars, producer
* Steven Shenar (as Sven Seven) guitars
* Michael Bloomquist (as Rootin') bass
* Joe Russo (as Mother Eucker) bass
* Danny Carey (as Danny Longlegs) drums
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
Category:1992 songs
Category:1993 singles
Category:Cultural depictions of Sylvester Stallone
Category:Green Jell songs
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:Songs about pigs
Category:Songs about wolves
Category:Songs based on fairy tales
Category:Stop-motion animated music videos
Category:Works based on The Three Little Pigs
Category:Zoo Entertainment (record label) singles
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