"The Pied Piper" is a pop song written by the duo The Changin' Times consisting of Steve Duboff and Artie Kornfeld, who first recorded it in 1965, their version reached #87 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] However, when British pop singer Crispian St. Peters recorded it, he scored a major hit with the single during the summer of 1966 when it went to #4 in the United States, #5 in the United Kingdom, and #1 in Canada.[2][3]

"The Pied Piper"
Single by Crispian St. Peters
from the album Follow Me...
B-side	"Sweet Dawn My True Love"
Released	March 8, 1966
Genre	Pop rock
Length	2:30
Label	Decca 12359 (UK) Jamie 1320 (US) London 2512 (Canada)
Songwriter(s)	Steve Duboff, Artie Kornfeld
Producer(s)	David Nicolson
Crispian St. Peters singles chronology
"You Were on My Mind" (1965) "The Pied Piper" (1966) "Changes" (1966)

The song's title came from the German folklore fairy tale, whose titular character is The Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Chart history

Later uses

An advertisement for the first-generation Toyota Echo in Australia and New Zealand.[12][13][14]

The song has been used in three episodes of the HBO series Silicon Valley, where it is sung karaoke by Dinesh.

Used in advertising for Traeger Smokers.

Other versions

• In Italy a well-known cover version was made, with the title "Bandiera gialla" ("Yellow flag"), sung by local artist Gianni Pettenati and the theme song of a popular radio program of that era targeted to the young people.[15]
• Jamaican reggae duo Bob and Marcia had a Top 20 hit with their version, taking the song to UK #11 in July 1971.[16]
• Cher also covered the song on her 1966 self-titled album.
• In France, Sheila covered the song in French the same year, with the title "Le pipeau".
• Rita Marley covered the song in 1967.

References