Classic or Dud: Weird Al Yankovic

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."

omg yes

we need to have a Stephen Stills bingo card

Hey Al! I'm a huge fan and have been ever since my older brother introduced me to The Food Album when I was little. You've been a big influence on me since I was young and I loved your last AMA so I thought I'd show up early for this one! I messaged you on Facebook yesterday but I'm sure you have tons of mail to read and might not get to it for a while so I'm here to say hello.

My question is a lame one, but important to me and a good number of your fans: Have you begun considering taking crypto-currency for your records (i.e. BitCoin, LiteCoin, and DogeCoin)? There's a great payment processor called GoCoin that allows you to easily take all three. I know that you are currently selling through iTunes, Amazon, and MyPlay Direct, but do you ever talk to them (mostly MyPlay Direct, the smallest but most malleable of the three companies for sure) about accepting new digital currencies?

can't wait for Al's bitcoin song

been around the world don't speak the language
but the bitcoin don't need explaining

I was thinking more "it's going down, I'm yelling bitcooooooin"

i got one more bitcoin without ya
i got one more bitcoin without ya
i got one more bitcoin without ya
i got one more one more biiiiitcoooooin

why you gotta be so rude
don't you know it's money too
why you gotta be so rude
it's a virtual currency

all of you OTM

Can I buy fedoras with this virtual coin
say yes, say yes, cuz i need to know
you say you'll never accept bitcoin till the day that you die
please shop Target, but the answer is no!

The Faux Fighters jammer is so perfect. Bemuda Schwartz nails Taylor Hawkins drum style

you could say it's

THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST

lol

lol.

these bitcoins ain't loyal

played a mix of nothing but the polkas this afternoon...pure bliss
new one is a jam

Yessss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0TEJMJOhk

that is perfect

Where's the National Medal of the Arts for this dude, seriously?

so goddamn awesome

i hope weird al lives forever

what if he does

poor Weird Al, cursed to watch all he loves age and die around him

Weird Al lives forever to parody an Oasis song

I just realized the first B-52's song I ever heard was probably "Mr. Popeil".

al is a better singer than pharrell

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

― mattresslessness, Tuesday, 15 July 2014 17:30 (Yesterday)

Even Moby sings better than Pharrell.

whoa hey now

I waited all day to watch that video, we're in a place in this house where the dinner hour is pretty high fucking octane

thank you weird al for an absolutely perfect remedy

Carl Wilson:

Fallon and Yankovic both seem childish when you compare them with the deftness of musical satirists such as the hip-hop-appropriating, adults-only, Saturday Night Live-sponsored Lonely Island, with half a dozen near-classics already behind them (including better grammar humor than “Word Crimes”); or understated New Zealand style-synthesizing-virtuosi imports Flight of the Conchords; or the polymath improvisational genius Reggie Watts.

Now, I love Carl, but "Weird Al" < Lonely Island, Flight of the Conchords?! WROONNNNG!

Fallon and Yankovic both seem childish when you compare them with the deftness of musical satirists such as the hip-hop-appropriating, adults-only, Saturday Night Live-sponsored Lonely Island, with half a dozen near-classics already behind them (including better grammar humor than “Word Crimes”)

Cursing! Rapping! You know, grown-up stuff! Totally unlike the childishness of singing corporate jargon in perfect CSN harmonies.

I can't think of a single Lonely Island song I've ever wanted to hear (or video I've wanted to watch) twice. Meanwhile, I've watched the "Foil" video about a half dozen times today.

Dude presumably meant kid-friendly more than childish

I mean, the idea that Andy samberg isn't childish