After scoring a novelty hit with "The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor" in 1958, Joe South became a session guitarist in the twin studio meccas of Nashville and Muscle Shoals, backing the likes of Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan, and Simon And Garfunkel. His first writing/producing successes came with the Billy Joe Royal singles "Down In The Boondocks" and... Wikipedia