King Tut is a 1978 song by Steve Martin. It was recorded with "The Toot Uncommons" (actually The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), and performed live on the April 22, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live. The song begins with a typical Egyptian "snake charming" theme, then devolves into a disco beat, somewhat spoofing A Fifth of Beethoven. When Steve Martin hosted SNL in 1978, the cast and musical crew performed the song in a music video, causing it to gain fame.
Nearly 15 years later when Martin hosted in 1992, Chris Farley showed the King Tut costume while recounting another of Martin's skits, Theodoric of York, causing Steve Martin to lead the cast in a mock musical of returning to the roots of "classic SNL".
Lyrics[]
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 you,
I'd trade in all my money
And bought me a museum. (King Tut)
Buried with a donkey (Funky Tut)
He's my favorite honky!
Born in Arizona,
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut)
Dancin' by the Nile, (Disco Tut)
The ladies love his style, (Waltzing Tut)
Rockin' for a mile (Rockin' Tut)
He ate a crocodile.
He gave his life for tourism.
Golden idol!
He's an Egyptian
They're sellin' you.
Now, when I die,
Don't think I'm a nut,
Don't want no fancy funeral,
Just one like ole king Tut. (king Tut)
He coulda won a Grammy,
Buried in his jammies,
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia,
He was born in Arizona, lived in a condo made of stone-a,
King Tut