Jeepers Creepers (song)
Encyclopedia
Jeepers Creepers is a popular
1938 song
and jazz standard
. The music was written by Harry Warren
and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer
, for the movie Going Places. It was premiered by Louis Armstrong
and has since been covered by many other artists.
, Anita Louise
, Louis Armstrong
and Ronald Reagan
. Louis Armstrong plays the part of Gabriel, the trainer of a race horse named Jeepers Creepers. Jeepers Creepers is a very wild horse and can only be soothed enough to let someone ride him when Gabriel plays the song "Jeepers Creepers" on his trumpet or sings it to him. Louis Armstrong's character, Gabriel, had written the song specifically for the horse, Jeepers Creepers.
Although the song was written as a romance, it has garnered a reputation for being creepy for its use in the horror film Jeepers Creepers, in which one of the main characters is shown with their eyes taken out while the song is playing.
The famous lyrics of the song are:
"Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?"
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
1938 song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
and jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
. The music was written by Harry Warren
Harry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
, for the movie Going Places. It was premiered by Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and has since been covered by many other artists.
Overview
This song was featured in the 1938 film Going Places starring Dick PowellDick Powell
Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss.Despite the same last name he was not related to William Powell, Eleanor Powell or Jane Powell.-Biography:...
, Anita Louise
Anita Louise
-Life and career:Born Anita Louise Fremault in New York, New York, she made her acting debut on Broadway at the age of six, and within a year was appearing regularly in Hollywood films...
, Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Louis Armstrong plays the part of Gabriel, the trainer of a race horse named Jeepers Creepers. Jeepers Creepers is a very wild horse and can only be soothed enough to let someone ride him when Gabriel plays the song "Jeepers Creepers" on his trumpet or sings it to him. Louis Armstrong's character, Gabriel, had written the song specifically for the horse, Jeepers Creepers.
Although the song was written as a romance, it has garnered a reputation for being creepy for its use in the horror film Jeepers Creepers, in which one of the main characters is shown with their eyes taken out while the song is playing.
The famous lyrics of the song are:
"Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?"
Popular culture
- This song is featured in the 1939 Warner Bros. cartoon by the same name. In this cartoon, Porky PigPorky PigPorky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
investigates a haunted house inhabited by a mischievous ghost that sings this song. - In the 1941 cartoon Notes to YouNotes to YouNotes to You is a 1941 Looney Tunes American cartoon featuring Porky Pig and an unnamed alley cat...
, a cat sings this song which annoys Porky Pig. - In the 1942 film, Yankee Doodle DandyYankee Doodle DandyYankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owns Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney.The movie was written by...
, Jeepers Creepers is sung by a group of kids who pass by the house of George M. CohanGeorge M. CohanGeorge Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....
(played by James CagneyJames CagneyJames Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
). - An excerpt of the song was played in one early scene of the 1955 film The McConnell StoryThe McConnell StoryThe McConnell Story is a dramatization of the life and career of U.S. Air Force pilot Joseph C. McConnell , who served as a navigator in World War II before becoming the top American ace during the Korean War. He was killed while serving as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave...
. - In the 60s, the melody was used for a group of singer-songwriters in Catalonia, self-called "Els Setze Jutges" (The Sixteen Judges) at the beginning of their shows. They replaced the words "Jeepers Creepers" with "Setze Jutges". The song appears at the end of an album called "Homenatge musical als Setze Jutges" (Concèntric, 1965; reiussed Enderrock Discos, 2010) in an instrumental form, played by Francesc Burrull.
- In an episode of "F TroopF TroopF Troop is a satirical American television sitcom that originally aired for two seasons on ABC-TV. It debuted in the United States on September 14, 1965 and concluded its run on April 6, 1967 with a total of 65 episodes. The first season of 34 episodes was filmed in black-and-white, but the show...
" entitled, "How to be F Troop Without Really Trying", Lt. Mark Harrison (Les Brown, Jr.) quotes a line from the song to Wrangler Jane (Melody PattersonMelody PattersonMelody Patterson is an American actress best known for her role as Wrangler Jane in the 1960s TV series F Troop...
) even though "F Troop" is set roughly seventy years before the song is even written. - Episode of the popular Scooby Doo cartoon series entitled, "Jeepers Creepers, It's the Ceeper."
- In the 1975 movie The Day of the LocustThe Day of the Locust (film)The Day of the Locust is a 1975 American drama film directed by John Schlesinger. The screenplay by Waldo Salt is based on the 1939 novel of the same title by Nathanael West...
, the character Faye Greener (Karen BlackKaren BlackKaren Black is an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She is noted for appearing in such films as Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Great Gatsby, Rhinoceros, The Day of the Locust, Nashville, Airport 1975, and Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot...
) sings the song whenever she wants to disturb her father. - In 1985, the song was used in a campaign for Jell-OJell-OJell-O is a brand name belonging to U.S.-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. The brand's popularity has led to it being used as a generic term for gelatin dessert across the U.S. and Canada....
pudding for its pudding pies magazine recipe and TV commercial tie-in. - In 1988,"Peek-a-BooPeek-a-Boo (song)"Peek-a-Boo" is a song by English alternative rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in 1988 as the first single from the band's ninth studio album Peepshow...
", the first single from Siouxsie and the Banshees's ninth studio album PeepshowPeepshow (album)Peepshow is the ninth studio album by the English band Siouxsie and the Banshees and their first as a quintet. With the arrival of multi-instrumentalist Martin McCarrick, Peepshow was one of their most musically complex albums, including the singles "Peek-a-Boo" and "The Last Beat of My...
, was found to be too similar to the lyrics of "Jeepers Creepers". To remedy the situation and to avoid legal action, Siouxsie and the Banshees gave co-songwriting credit on "Peek-a-Boo" to Warren and Mercer. - The 1993 film Sleepless in SeattleSleepless in SeattleThe film was originally to have been scored by John Barry, but when he was given a list of 20 songs he had to put in the film, he quit.#As Time Goes By - Jimmy Durante #A Kiss to Build a Dream on - Louis Armstrong #Stardust - Nat King Cole...
featured an instrumental version of the song, to which Meg RyanMeg RyanMargaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...
and Bill PullmanBill PullmanWilliam James "Bill" Pullman is an American film, television, and stage actor. Pullman made his film debut in the supporting role of Earl Mott in the 1986 film Ruthless People. He has since gone on to star in other films, including Spaceballs, Independence Day, Lost Highway, Casper and Scary Movie 4...
's characters danced. Pullman's character sings the words "Dim sumDim sumDim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
" to the tune of the chorus. - In 1996, The HBO sketch comedy series Mr. ShowMr. ShowMr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
produced a song of the same title with Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
as lead, during the second episode of the second season. - In an episode of "X-Files" entitled "Triangle", the song is played at a ball on a luxury passenger liner, Queen Anne.
- In an episode of "FriendsFriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
", a widow is seen performing the song, entertaining guests at her husband's wake. - The song and title was featured prominently in the 2001 horrorHorror filmHorror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
movie Jeepers CreepersJeepers Creepers (2001 film)Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. The movie takes its name from the 1938 song "Jeepers Creepers" which is featured in the film.- Plot :...
when The Creeper is nearby (it's released by United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, which at one pointAssociated Artists ProductionsAssociated Artists Productions was a distributor of theatrical feature films and short subjects for television. It existed from 1953 to 1958. It was later folded into United Artists. The former a.a.p. library was later owned by MGM/UA Entertainment and then Turner Entertainment. Turner continues...
held the rights to Going Places). - A recording of the song was made by The Puppini SistersThe Puppini SistersThe Puppini Sisters are a vocal trio. Arion Berger described them as part of "Retro's futuristic vanguard" and described their sound as "swing-punk". The group has sought to be associated with a burlesque revival....
on their 2006 debut album Betcha Bottom DollarBetcha Bottom DollarBetcha Bottom Dollar is the debut album of the close harmony trio The Puppini Sisters. It was released in the U.K. on July 31, 2006 and in the U.S. on May 1, 2007.-Track listing:#"Sisters"#"Mr...
. - In the August, 15th, 2003 edition of the webcomicWebcomicWebcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
Penny ArcadePenny Arcade (webcomic)Penny Arcade is a webcomic focused on video games and video game culture, written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik. The comic debuted in 1998 on the website loonygames.com. Since then, Holkins and Krahulik have established their own site, which is typically updated with a new comic...
, a prison inmate convicted of killing someone after cutting out his eyes and playing with them sings this song, pulling up a freshly plucked pair of eyes at the climax. The strip is entitled "From Another Human Being." http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/8/15/ - A few seconds of the song are heard in a 2010 episode of Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
entitled "Welcome Back Carter". - An instrumental version of this song can be heard while waiting in line for the World Famous Jungle CruiseJungle CruiseThe Jungle Cruise is an attraction located in Adventureland at many Disney Parks, including Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. At Hong Kong Disneyland, the attraction is named Jungle River Cruise...
at the Walt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
.