Weird Al Yankovic is the Shakespeare of Modern Music (1 Viewer)

[Bob Lee Swagger]

For real, no one comes up with better stuff when confined to very, very specific conventions. I defy Shakespeare to write a better parody song than Weird Al, given the same structure and form--essentially it comes down to the fact that Weird Al could write a better sonnet than Shakespeare could a parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Also, I think The Bard would probably blow at playing the accordion.

Bring it on, Billy!

 

[Bob Lee Swagger]

Exhibit A:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Who's that waddlin' down the street?

It's just me 'cause I love to eat.

Fudge and Twinkies and deviled ham,

Who's real flabby? Yes, I am!

Every picture of me's

Gotta be an aerial view,

Now my doctor tells me

There's just one thing left to do!

Grapefruit Diet (Diet!)

Throw out the pizza and beer,

Grapefruit Diet (Diet!)

Oh, get those jelly donuts out of here.

Grapefruit Diet (Diet!)

Might seem a little severe.

 

[Bob Lee Swagger]

Exhibit B:

Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands,

organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same

food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,

heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter

and summer, as a Christian is? If you ##### us, do we not bleed? If

you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?

And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in the

rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what

is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his

sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you

teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Our temple's had a fair share of rabbis in the past,

But most of 'em were nudniks, and none of 'em would last,

But our new guy's real kosher, I think he'll do the trick--

I tell ya, he's to dies for, he really knows his shtick!

So how's 'bout you? Have you seen this Jew?

Reads the Torah, does his own accounting too.

Workin' like a dog at the synagogue,

He's there all day, he's there all day!

Just say "Vey iz mir!" and he'll kick into gear,

He'll bring you lots of cheer and maybe bagels with some shmeer!

Just grab your yarmulke and

Hey! Hey! Do that Hebrew thing!

Seriously? #####?

 

[PIK95]

He's was great as the Circus guy on Yo Gabba Gabba.

 

[Rayderr]

Going to see him in concert next Friday. (This will actually be my 3rd time seeing him. Yes, I'm a geek.)

 

[ScottyFargo]

He is a genius.

 

[Agent 47]

Big fan.

 

[Iraqi Information Minister]

I wish Weasel Stomping Day was an actual holiday.

 

[jamny]

He's no Zappa.

 

[PatriotJohn]

Saw him in Dayton last night. Excellent show for the entire family. If you know anything about his work you will be thoroughly entertained.

 

[The Man With No Name]

When Weird Al grows up

 

[Wingnut]

Weird Al has a new release...and he's releasing 8 new videos from the album in 8 days.

Tacky (Parody of Pharrell's Happy), the video is one tracking shot:

http://youtu.be/XsWo8apgLys

Word Crimes (Blurred Lines parody and a grammar Nazi anthem):

http://youtu.be/8Gv0H-vPoDc

 

[Wingnut]

FOIL (Royals parody)

http://youtu.be/w-0TEJMJOhk

 

[Leroy Hoard]

He's no Zappa.

I'd rank him ahead of Moon Unit.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Al rules.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I defy Shakespeare to write a better parody song than Weird Al, given the same structure and form

I'm betting the house that Shakespeare can't do it.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

As a card carrying Grammar Nazi...I approve of Word Crimes.

 

[Al O'Pecia]

As a card carrying Grammar Nazi...I approve of Word Crimes.

Your right. Its great.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

As a card carrying Grammar Nazi...I approve of Word Crimes.

Your right. Its great.

<_<

You vill be pewnished.

 

[Rayderr]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Mission Statement is clever.

 

[Drifter]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

 

[GoFishTN]

FOIL (Royals parody)

http://youtu.be/w-0TEJMJOhk

 

[TheIronSheik]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

Beethoven's 5th

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Jackson Park Express...

"Oh, I'd like to remove all your skin, and wear your skin, over my own skin...But not in a creepy way"

 

[Rayderr]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

I know Happy has been used in a commercial. Didn't know the name or artist. Blurred lines, never heard the song, but from what I recall, it's what Miley Twerked to. Royals... no idea.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

One of my favorite classic Onion articles. If only because I can picture Weird Al reading it, and going "S**t!" as he tossed a few pages into a trashcan.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

Sorry, but I only listen to popular groups like Van Halen and Steve Miller Band.

 

[Drifter]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

Sorry, but I only listen to popular groups like Van Halen and Steve Miller Band.

Regardless of your musical interests, those three songs have gotten an unreal amount of airtime across a very wide array of media in the past year.

 

[Rove!]

His best work in years...

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I have to admit, I could see old Will enjoying:

In case an alien's inclined

to probe your butt or read your mind.

 

[Rayderr]

His best work in years...

In an NPR interview, he stated that because of internet and specifically youtube, the obvious ideas are quickly taken so he was to think way outside the box for the parodies. I do think this has really helped make him even better.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Weird Al did an AMA on Reddit yesterday.

Among the highlights:

Song parodies are so widespread and easy to distribute now, he has to frequently check YouTube to make sure someone hasn't already beat him to the punch. For example, he had a parody of "Let It Go" in development about Star Trek: The Next Generation called "Make It So", but abandoned the song when he saw the premise had already been executed, so well Disney asked the creators to take it down.

Artists are generally flattered when asked for permission to parody their songs. When Weird Al's team approached Mark Knopler about a parody of "Money For Nothing", Knopler asked if he could play guitar on the parody track. Chamillionaire told him "White & Nerdy" was what really made him feel like he had the Rap Song Of The Year, and this was at the Grammys ceremony when he won Rap Song Of The Year. Long list of pop stars telling him they felt like they had really made it as artists when they got the Weird Al treatment.

The only major artist to consistently turn down parody requests over the years is Prince.

The "Tacky" video really is done in one shot. Al had to run down five flights of stairs while changing clothes to hit his re-entry mark later in the video.

He's convinced the accordion was the key to breaking into the music business. No way Dr. Demento puts his homemade tapes on the air if he recorded them with an acoustic guitar. Instead of just another college kid doing some parodies, Weird Al was a college kid playing the accordion as the lead instrument for his song parodies, making his songs stand out.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

His best work in years...

I feel like this run of videos is also a tribute to his career. All these actors and musicians making cameos in these new videos are all people who grew up listening to his music. Really cool to see these unfold, though realizing I've been a fan of his music for over 30 years makes me feel a little older than I want to feel today.

 

[SeaDogStat]

Word Crimes was phenomenal and better than Blurred Lines, which I had to look up on youtube to hear.

 

[JZilla]

And the next generation's Weird Al is... still Weird Al!

Wish he'd do more AL TV

 

[Jaysus]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

 

[TheIronSheik]

And the next generation's Weird Al is... still Weird Al!

Wish he'd do more AL TV

UHF 2: Electric Boogaloo

 

[TheIronSheik]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

And the next generation's Weird Al is... still Weird Al!

Wish he'd do more AL TV

UHF 2: Electric Boogaloo

I'm pretty sure Michael Richards can clear his schedule to reprise Stanley Spedowski.

Victoria Jackson is probably available, too.

 

[JZilla]

Trotting out Crazypants Victoria Jackson would be excellent schtick

 

[TheIronSheik]

And the next generation's Weird Al is... still Weird Al!

Wish he'd do more AL TV

UHF 2: Electric Boogaloo

I'm pretty sure Michael Richards can clear his schedule to reprise Stanley Spedowski.

Victoria Jackson is probably available, too.

I bet when they ask Gedde Watanabe, he'll be SUPPLIESed.

 

[dgreen]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

I showed my kids Fat a couple years ago. That's good stuff even if you don't know Bad.

 

[TheIronSheik]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

I showed my kids Fat a couple years ago. That's good stuff even if you don't know Bad.

That's the one I showed. She was like "ehh" I was sure it would be comedy gold to her.

 

[dgreen]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

I showed my kids Fat a couple years ago. That's good stuff even if you don't know Bad.

That's the one I showed. She was like "ehh" I was sure it would be comedy gold to her.

I've also shown my kids clips from UHF. Their favorite is Raul's Wild Kingdom.

"Today, we're going to teach poodles how to fly."

 

[TheIronSheik]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

I showed my kids Fat a couple years ago. That's good stuff even if you don't know Bad.

That's the one I showed. She was like "ehh" I was sure it would be comedy gold to her.

I've also shown my kids clips from UHF. Their favorite is Raul's Wild Kingdom.

"Today, we're going to teach poodles how to fly."

We've taken same paths, but got different results. I showed her parts, too, including my favorite - Spatula City! It just didn't click with her. And she usually loves the same type of humor I like.

 

[Joe Summer]

And the next generation's Weird Al is... still Weird Al!

Wish he'd do more AL TV

UHF 2: Al-ectric Boog-Al-oo

Fixed.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

blackdot

I am thinking of picking up this album for my daughter.

I'm looking forward to showing my daughter tonight. I was explaining him to her a while back and she just couldn't relate to it. She didn't know the songs, so it was just some weird looking dude singing a strange song.

But now, I think she'll finally get to experience the true humor of hearing Weird Al.

I showed my kids Fat a couple years ago. That's good stuff even if you don't know Bad.

That's the one I showed. She was like "ehh" I was sure it would be comedy gold to her.

I've also shown my kids clips from UHF. Their favorite is Raul's Wild Kingdom.

"Today, we're going to teach poodles how to fly."

"WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BADGERS!"

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

I'd never heard any of those three, or at least I didn't remember them well enough to realize that the three Weird Al songs were parodies rather than originals. (Usually, his albums are nearly half originals, but it's generally the parodies that get airplay.)

 

[TheIronSheik]

I don't even know the songs he's parodying, yet I still find it hilariously awesome.

You pretty much have to have lived under a rock for the last year to not heard Blurred Lines, Royals and Happy somewhere.

I'd never heard any of those three, or at least I didn't remember them well enough to realize that the three Weird Al songs were parodies rather than originals. (Usually, his albums are nearly half originals, but it's generally the parodies that get airplay.)

My first thought was "How can you have not heard these?" But I think without a 10 year old daughter, there's probably a good chance I probably wouldn't have heard of them either.