My SO and I got into a discussion last night over this song. I had always assumed it was a monster that ate purple people. She seems to think the monster is purple. Her reasoning being that there are no purple people. I argued that there are no purple, cycloptic, single horned monsters. Whats the Straight Dope?
dead0man
I said mr Purple People Eater what’s your line
He said eating purple people and it sure is fine
But that’s not the reason that I came to land
I wanna get a job in a rock 'n roll band
What? You haven’t seen the movie with a young Doogie Howser? He only eats purple people.
Oh, and I highly suggest viewing the movie. Its not a work of art but for a fun hour and a half it can’t be beat.
Depends on which variety of the critter you are discussing. I once read of a: “Purr-pull peephole eater” that purred, pulled peepholes out of sidewalk barricades and then ate them.
And so it goes.
deadOman, you sumvabitch. I had this great story worked out about this subject and you RUINED IT with your crazy telepathic “Let’s fuck with Elvis’s head.” Grrrr…
But yeah, he only eats purple people.
(God, of all things for two people halfway across the world to want to post about at the same time…)
Thank you Helena,Amp and El Elvis Rojo. I will be sure to rub this in.
I’d also like to apologize to El Elvis Rojo. I will consult you next time I post a question. 
dead0man
That goes back to about 1956. Who besides me is that old?
I remember dancin’ the Bop to “Purple People Eater” when it was on the charts. Summer of '58 seems right to me, 'cause there was this chick, Crystal… 
That help yer feelin’s, Geezer?
And I’m still steamed about this one, from back in the Art Flemming “Jeopardy” days:
Category: ~wacky songs
Ans: Ooh, Eeh, Ooh, Ah, Ah.
Quest: What is The OEOHFPPE.
I kid you not.
I don’t often listen to this rock-and-roll you young hooligans seem to like.
And get a haircut.
Don’t we have a WWII on the boards?
WWII veteran, that is.
I did get a haircut…all of them in fact. Got a buzz cut (very convenient). When I leave the barber shop I look like Uncle Fester forgot his turtle neck.
I’m the SO he was talking about and I would like to say thanks for giving him something to rub in… he is so rarely right about anything. And huney … ** I WANT THAT HOUSE!! **
- And I’m still going to think of a purple monster when I hear that song. *
Thank you, OP, for asking the burning question of our time. I, too, always thought that the monster was purple, and now I have been enlightened.
Let us go forth and spread the word!
You know, the PPE does claim that “eatin’ purple people” is his line, but when the singer (who is NOT purple, I’ve seen pictures) asks the PPE not to eat him, PPE says he “wouldn’t eat [him] cause [he’s] so tough.” Not because he’s the wrong color, but because he isn’t tender enough. Apparently, PPE normally likes to eat purple people, but in a pinch he will eat a normal person if the meat is the right texture.
Diffidently I point out that there’s no reason that the monster can’t be purple as well. After all, flamingos derive their pink coloration from carotene in shrimp or algae they eat. Is it so impossible that the purple pigment in purple people could have a similar impact?
<extracts tongue from cheek and moves on>
Maybe purple people are more tender than any other color?
I actually asked this very same question on the SDMB back in October 2000. In that thread, a relative of the singer of the song gives us the official answer… he eats purple people.
Zev Steinhardt
When I saw this thread I immeditely remembered a compilation album from the 70’s or early 80’s, that was sold on TV. It was animated, and the One Eyed One-Horned Flying Purple People Eater was dipicted as being in fact purple. Guess the producers should have done some research. Anybody else remember that commercial, it also featured Alley Oop as I recall?