5. King Tut Inspired a Billboard Hot 100 Novelty Song
In 1978, Steve Martin released a song called “King Tut,” which played on the cultural hype and hysteria about King Tutankhamen. The following year, he performed the song on “Saturday Night Live,” dressed in a costume designed to imitate an Egyptian pharaoh. The single sold over a million copies and later became part of the album “Wild and Crazy Guy.” It hit #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, making it one of the most popular songs of the year. Indeed, the legend of King Tut lives on, 3000 years after his death. Some of the words to the song – which have very little to do with his actual life and reign in history – are as follows:
King Tut (King Tut), Now when he was a young man,
He never thought he’d see, People stand in line to see the boy king.
(King Tut) How’d you get so funky?
(Funky Tut) Did you do the monkey?
Born in Arizona, Moved to Babylonia (King Tut).
(King Tut) Now, if I’d known, They’d line up just to see him,
I’d taken all my money, And bought me a museum. (King Tut)
Buried with a donkey (funky Tut), He’s my favorite honkey!
Born in Arizona, Moved to Babylonia (King Tut)