I was flipping through the channels on a Saturday morning – unusual, that – when I came across a BIOGRAPHY Channel piece on “Weird Al” Yankovic, which I was oddly compelled to watch. Then I came across this Bat Segundo interview, a very interesting listen.
Most novelty acts last a year or three. So how is it that Weird Al has managed to mine the music parody gig for nearly three decades? Not only that, he is more successful than ever, up for two Grammy awards in February 2012 and having a 2011 Top 10 album. Yankovic’s success comes in part from his effective use of music video to further parody popular culture, the song’s original artist, and the original music videos themselves, scene-for-scene in some cases. There’s a whole YouTube channel of Weird Al songs out there, so it’s difficult to narrow the list.
As a kid starting on the accordion, the instrument of non-relative Frank Yankovic, Al learned to play an unusual version of rock and roll. He got his parody tapes to radio personality, Dr. Demento, when Al was still a teenager and his career slowly took off.
Al usually has three basic types of songs on his albums, of which I have a half dozen: those that parody a particular song with new lyrics, generally with the express permission of the original artist; original songs, often in the style of a given group; and the polka medley, where a bunch of songs are strung together.
For instance, compare Al’s Eat It with Beat It by Michael Jackson. Or Al’s Smells Like Nirvana with Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. Many of the same sets and/or actors are used in both the original videos and Al’s renditions.
Just a handful of the parodies:
Ricky, a riff on the TV show I Love Lucy, taking the tune from Toni Basil’s Hey Mickey
Amish Paradise which came, via Coolio’s Gangsta Paradise, from Stevie Wonder’s Pastime Paradise
Gump, about the movie character Forrest Gump, based on the Presidents of the United States’ Lump
Polkas on 45, the first of the polka medleys
The Saga Begins, a Star Wars riff using Don McLean’s American Pie
And something I can really relate to:
I Lost On Jeopardy, based on Jeopardy by Greg Kihn, who’s in the last shot of Al’s video.
A 2011 non-parody tune contains an important message: Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me
As Wikipedia and the BIOGRAPHY special noted, Al tends to work clean. There are videos purporting to be Weird Al’s, usually “songs that are racist, sexually explicit, or otherwise offensive,” which often misspell his last name as Yankovich. So make sure you’re getting the real Weird Al Yankovic. This Funny or Die video isn’t really Al, but Al does appear in it in a small role.
From Correlated.org, a meaningless factoid: In general, 59 percent of people like Weird Al Yankovic. But among those whose primary home computer is not a laptop, 74 percent like Weird Al.
Based on a survey of 245 people whose primary home computer is not a laptop and 544 people in general.
ABC Wednesday – Round 9
I’ve been a fan of ‘Weird Al’ for a long time without realising it, having liked many of the parodies you mention. My favourite is probably ‘Ricky’ but mainly because I was also a fan of Toni Basil.
Never heard of him, but we have equivalents over here, certainly.
Great subject for Y day. Happy New Year!
I’ve never heard of Weird Al but I can believe he’s very popular – there’s always room for humour.
My favorite has always been that tape Weird Al sent to Dr. Dimento, “Another One Rides The Bus.” This recording features Weird Al playing the accordion and tapping his foot.
Speaking of Weird Al, ever listen to Allen Sherman?
I used to watch Allen Sherman on Ed Sullivan and shows of that vintage. The only song I have is on a Demento album: Hello, Muddah, Hello, Faddah – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Hx_X84LC0
Once again, interesting factoids to begin the year with. I hadn’t realized (or thought about it) that he has been around for 3 decades.
HNY to you, Roger!
Fascinating info. I hadn’t realized he had been around for 30 years either. I like his parody and especially that he can still keep it clean when everything else is so suggestive.
Thanks for a fun read.
What a fun way to start 2012! Super post – I loved the links. [Also thanks for the correction on my post.]
Definitely a great comedian, but in Spain is not well known.
I can’t say I am familiar with Weird Al… Now I’ve heard of him, but never really knew who he was.
I can’t believe he’s been around that long!
Leslie
abcw team
Well, having been around as long as I have, and him having been around as long as HE has, I must have heard him, but I can’t remember, so I will go and google him now, – thanks for drawing attention to Weird Al, Roger.
A very good choice and I haven’t heard that name in a long time
I’ve always appreciated him, without ever becoming a real ‘fan’…but I have a friend who is as big a fan of Weird Al’s as I am of “Star Wars”. He was thrilled to see him in concert a few months back.
Haven’t thought about him in a while – good to read and listen again. Thanks!
I’m a big fan of Weird Al!
Hello Roger. Happy New Year!
Can’t say I’m familiar with this character, but as usual you enlighten us with your fun facts!
Thanks for sharing & visiting. I appreciate you stopping by.
Youth At Play
You always come up with very unique entries Roger. Don’t know those individuals hehehe..
I didn’t know YouTube had channels. But at least I know who Weird Al is. I get points for that, right?
For a while, I thought you were posting Yanni. Almost similar hairdo.
Hi Roger,
I forgot to change my link. http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2012/01/abc-wed-y-for-yeanling.html
Excited about Iowa? My 15 year old son is obsessed with this and I asked him why, he is not in USA. He replied, USA is so impt, what ever happens in USA affects the rest of the world. 15 years old!!!!
Eeh! My hair was quite similar – and I had friends too! Why didn’t anybody have a quiet word! lol!
Great Roger
Denise ABC Team
Ann- I’m glad the voting has begun. The narrative’s gone on too long.
Nice post and photo of him, bringing back memories of the styles. Interesting facts.
Weird Al also comes up with good stuff on Twitter (follow @alyankovic) on a regular basis.
In the last chorus of “MacArthur Park,” under “someone left a cake out in the rain,” Hal Blaine came up with a distinctive drum fill; when Weird Al turned it into “Jurassic Park,” he made darn sure that his drummer duplicated that fill. It was at precisely that point that I decided Al was a genius, and not just in France.
Haven’t kept up with Al since oh…around high school! I’m (oddly) happy he’s still making music(?).
Factoids as funny as Al himself — perfect, Roger!
Thanks for the retrospective.
HelenMac
ABC Team
I love all the details in the videos.
Interesting. Never heard of him before.
Did you do a post on Yankovic before, Roger? I only discovered him earlier this year but I can’t remember who twigged me on to him. Pretty funny and talented guy. I’ll be sending that video link to Stop Forwarding… to a few people I know. I have enough friends I can stand to lose a few… LOL!! All the best in the new year to you, Roger.
Francisca – I might have mentioned Weird Al, but certainly NOT an ABCW post.