Classic or Dud: Weird Al Yankovic

There have already been three songs that I don't know what they are parodies of :/

dyingggg

ok I just heard First World Problems and now I'm gonna go find the rest - a+

Oh because they aren't parodies. I feel a little better now. Though I didn't know the Foo Fighters song.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/MandatoryFun.jpg

I picked up that it was a Foos parody, but barely. xp

Crosby, Stills & Nash, Southern Culture on the Skids and Cat Stevens seem like weird choices for style parodies in 2014, though.

his style parodies are always kinda anachronistic

Southern Culture on the Skids is a weird choice for any time period.

"Word Crimes" is the best.

it's really underappreciated that al has had the same backing band for 30 years.

al is a better singer than pharrell

"Word Crimes" really is the best.

al is a better singer than pharrell

― katherine, Tuesday, July 15, 2014 11:28 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

you should never write words using numbers unless you're seven or your name is Prince

― guwop (crüt), Tuesday, July 15, 2014 12:33 PM (58 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

On numerous occasions, Prince has refused Yankovic permission to record parodies of his songs. Yankovic has stated in interviews that he has "approached him every few years [to] see if he's lightened up."[76] Yankovic related one story where, before the American Music Awards where he and Prince were assigned to sit in the same row, he got a telegram from Prince's lawyers, demanding he not make eye contact with the artist.[61]

it should have been sent by carrier dove

d0v3

I would say Prince has no sense of humor, but he's capable of being dryly funny now and then.

dying @ the prince story

Prince himself is totally funny, but he doesn't like people making fun of him

Isn't it more that's he's just really overprotective of use of his music/image outside of his own control? Like not letting any of his music be on YouTube for example

mildly scandalized that weird al would say "cunning linguist"

That's racy by Al standards, yeah.

he did once make an 'original' song that was as "I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!" close to a "Let's Go Crazy" parody as he could get away with:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCs6pKXJ0t4

Eh, Dare to Be Stupid was the first album my parents every confiscated from me, primarily due to the quote of Frankie Goes to Hollywood during the polka "When you wanna come?" LIKE I WOULD HAVE EVEN UNDERSTOOD WHAT THAT MEANT WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD MOM! SHIT! Anyway, there have been a couple other racy moments in the Weird Al canon, but I can't think of them right now.

Prince himself is totally funny, but he doesn't like people making fun of him

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, July 15, 2014 1:44 PM (25 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

given that this was the official cover art for a Prince single recently, if i was Yankovic i'd totally approach him again:

http://media.musicfeeds.com.au/files/4f30f18ddd63fccaa75482a81e7361e2.png

the polkas have definitely had their randyness (stones' "shattered," iirc from a tv special he'd mime jerking off briefly during "i touch myself") but dammit i have every right to be mildly scandalized by this, don't give me no "eh"

berlin' "sex (i'm a...)" made the first polka i think

Yes! that was the other one I was thinking about. I respectfully retract my "eh" though.

was trying to think of any other early '80s artists that try as hard to stay on top of the zeitgeist and could only come up with duran duran

i definitely raised an eyebrow when i heard "cunning linguist" this morning

Madonna, surely. xp

haha oh yeah her

and i guess prince, i mean the dude just made an edm song with zooey deschanel

"Word Crimes" is the best.

― Immediate Follower (NA), Tuesday, July 15, 2014 11:25 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"Word Crimes" really is the best.

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, July 15, 2014 11:29 AM (57 minutes ago) Bookmark

So far "Word Crimes" and "Foil" are my two favorite tracks, but "Mission Statement" is pretty fucking glorious too.

God i love Weird Al.

I haven't listened to a new Weird Al record since I was 11, but you guys have sold me on this.

I dunno if he'll ever top White n Nerdy

was trying to think of any other early '80s artists that try as hard to stay on top of the zeitgeist and could only come up with duran duran

U2?

this is easily his best since Poodle Hat

U2 def

Hi, Al!!
Was the video for Tacky really a single shot, or was there some seamless edits?

alyankovic 997 points an hour ago

While it looks like there MIGHT have been an edit somewhere, I absolutely guarantee you, that was all done in ONE CONTINUOUS SHOT. That was a bit of a challenge for me, because I start the video on a 5th floor fire escape, and I reappear on street level wearing completely different clothes. That means - for EVERY TAKE - as soon as the camera was off me I had to run down 5 flights of stairs WHILE CHANGING MY CLOTHES so I could be on camera again at the end. Definitely got my workout THAT day!

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2as5t1/this_is_weird_al_yankovic_amaa_ask_me_anything/

I respect Weird Al for being such a hard working guy!

Let's remember he also memorized/mimed the entire last verse of "Amish Paradise" backwards for that video.

al is a better singer than pharrel

Why is it a surprise or noteworthy that someone who can accurately mimic the phrasing and flows of a wide range of disparate singers and rappers would be a better singer than a producer who barely has a voice and has problems staying in tune or in rhythm?

Great story from the AMA (in response to the question "Do artists ever request parodies"):

That happens sometimes in social settings - an artist will make a comment at a party or awards show like, "Hey Al, when are you going to do a parody of one of MY songs?" I don't know if they're being polite or making conversation, but that's always nice to hear. Actually, last year I was in New York doing a satellite radio tour, and Graham Nash was in the very next room... and it just so happens I had just recorded my CSN pastiche "Mission Statement" (which is on the new album). So I walked over to say hi... he sees me, and the first words out of his mouth are, "So, when are you gonna do a parody of 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'??" I whipped out my iPhone and played "Mission Statement" for him. Instant request! (He loved it, BTW.)

Nash vmic offering one of Stills' songs to Weird Al.

haha

'Handy', 'Foil' and 'Sports Song' have all made me legit lol so far

Actually, last year I was in New York doing a satellite radio tour, and Stephen Stills was in the very next room... and it just so happens I had just recorded my CSN pastiche "Mission Statement" (which is on the new album). So I walked over to say hi... he sees me, and the first words out of his mouth are, "you know I invented the song parody."