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I have been a fan of Weird Al Yankovic for many years now. The level of respect I have for the man ratcheted up several notches when I read his latest blog post. The story details his journey to create the first single on his upcoming new album, which is a parody of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” This song nearly didn’t make the album, though, due to Ms. Gaga’s disapproval.

Al has long held the belief that he should obtain permission from an artist before releasing a parody based on his work. Legally, he doesn’t have to do this. Morally, he feels it is his duty. Most singers are more than happy to allow the material. After all, it’s more press for them and perhaps even more sales. They all recognize King Yankovic isn’t trying to hurt them in any way. Parodies are fun, after all. His lyrics take a tongue-in-cheek poke at the lyrics of the other tune.

As per his usual way of doing things, his manager contacted Gaga’s handler, requesting permission to use his take on her song as the first single off the new record. The answer was a tad surprising: she wanted to “hear it” prior to agreeing. Thinking this a bit odd (usually people agree after reading the pitch), he agreed to write. Even though he was smack in the middle of his Australian tour, he busted his rump getting the wording just right. The finished song was sent to hers truly in order to read over.

Al sat on pins and needles for several days, praying for the green light. This last bit was all that the recording and release of his new album was waiting on. Sadly, the answer which came back was even more strange than the first: “She actually needs to hear it. Otherwise the answer is no.” Apparently, reading each and every lyric isn’t quite good enough.

The king of parodies locked himself in a studio, cutting short his family vacation. He again pushed himself beyond every limit in order to complete the work. He believed in this song THAT much. He knew in his heart it wouldn’t offend anyone, even though the “Born This Way” original takes a look at serious human rights issues. He even planned to donate all the money from sales of the song and music video to the Human Rights Campaign. That news, coupled with the finished single, made him sure he would get the approval he so craved.

It wasn’t meant to be. Ms. You-Know-Who decided for some reason she didn’t like it, and refused to agree. After all of his hard work – and pretty much being jerked around – Al was quite frustrated. He decided to release the song on YouTube and his own blog instead of including it on the album. This way, his hard work wasn’t for “nothing” and he is still holding to his standard of getting an artist’s approval prior to releasing on an album.

Interestingly enough, the blog post and video garnered enough positive attention that Ms. Yoo-Hoo has changed her tune. The song has been given her blessing, and will be the first single off of the upcoming “ALPOCALYPSE” album. Look for it in stores on June 21st.

Well played, sir Yankovic, well played.

Weird Al vs Lady Gaga: The Saga

Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff are creating some of the best parodies I’ve heard lately. This one is a take on Bohemian Rhapsody – Star Wars style!

You’ll find eighteen tracks on their CD, including titles such as DNA, Landing Party, Our Meds are Cheaper and I Am the Walmart. The titles alone are enough to make me grab my credit card… dude, I have to listen to these! As a long-time Weird Al fan, you know I’m going to love this stuff.

The question of the day is: Does the Light side matter to you?

Star Wars Parody Song – Midichlorian Rhapsody

My favorite palindrome is officially: “step on no pets.” What is a palindrome, you might ask? A palindrome is a word, phrase, number or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction. A palindrome is not necessarily a single word, such as the one I quoted at the beginning of this post. My hero, Weird Al, has a great list of palindrome’s that crack me up, and make me scratch my head.

I asked several people in the community what their favorite palindrome is, and the answers were surprising!

What is Your Favorite Palindrome?

Okay, what’s your favorite “Weird Al” song of all time? And if you don’t have one, WHY are you following me?! Mine would have to be ‘White and Nerdy‘.

shunn: “Genius in France.”

about 7 hours ago

Fri Feb 13 04:11:25 +0000 2009

MacSnapOn: My favorite Weird Al song is a tie between “Dare to Be Stupid” and “White and Nerdy”

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 00:54:17 +0000 2009

powerNglory: My favorite is Eat It. The music video for that still makes me laugh. Amish Paradise is my next best.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 21:08:14 +0000 2009

evilpatrick: Amish Paradise for the win! I still find myself rapping it in public quite often… I'm a loser.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 21:05:31 +0000 2009

Michael_downs: albuquerque

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 17:01:40 +0000 2009

dmarescajr: All About the Pentiums and White & Nerdy

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 16:33:20 +0000 2009

Arcnaver: That would have to be “Y O D A Yoda!”

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 16:29:52 +0000 2009

AlexDH92: Mine has to be Hardware Store – That bit near the end where he's saying everything fast is EPIC!

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:53:21 +0000 2009

msteechur: Mine is I love my Pancreas…because I love my pancreas. Yes I do.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:48:32 +0000 2009

fastmule: asshole son, take off from sound garden's Black Hole Sun… classic…

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:46:59 +0000 2009

happysteve: You seriously making me choose? I'd have to say Hardware Store, Pentiums, White & Nerdy, Twineball, Vanna White, Yoda, Mellow

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:31:02 +0000 2009

Labtec7: my fave weird all song would have to be Hardware Store

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:17:02 +0000 2009

hornsolo: Favorite Weird Al song: Amish Paradise

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:12:24 +0000 2009

darkdeva92: ebay song:D

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 15:00:27 +0000 2009

gwc11713: BTW, I have ALL of Weird Al's albums in my iPhone. Including his “Peter & The Wolf” album with Wendy Carlos. :D

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:59:49 +0000 2009

gwc11713: Easier question is my least favorite Weird Al song which is “Pretty Fly For A Rabbi”. I just find that one annoying.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:57:28 +0000 2009

Sculfy: Too many!Those were the good old days,Melanie,6 Words Long, Saga begins~Although I find myself quoting Lasagne most frequently

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:56:10 +0000 2009

gwc11713: I knew I liked you! ;) To pick only 1 Weird Al song as a favorite would be an injustice. I guess I'd choose “The Saga Begins”

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:55:56 +0000 2009

johnsj09: the only weird al song I've ever heard is “white and nerdy”

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:55:21 +0000 2009

Razor70: My favorite “AL” song would have to be..It's all about the Pentiums.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:52:36 +0000 2009

danielaspenback: My favorite Weird Al song is “Amish Paradise”..

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:51:07 +0000 2009

Chiron1: “Eat It” and “I Love Rocky Road” come to mind as two of my favorites. “Eat It” being the favored. (Weird Al song, BYW)

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:49:19 +0000 2009

JustinLizaso: favorite weird al song is “since you been gone”

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:46:49 +0000 2009

foodogtenchi: Gump, best song ever!!!

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:44:40 +0000 2009

LayersTV_RC: For me, I dont think it gets any better than white and nerdy :)

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:32:19 +0000 2009

leebennett: Weird Al: Probably I'd say The Saga Begins.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:15:33 +0000 2009

Tschet: White and Nerdy has got to be the best Weird Al song. http://tinyurl.com/f7fnr

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:08:03 +0000 2009

antoniwho: eat it!!!!!

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 14:05:11 +0000 2009

bls4design08: It has to be “Eat it”! Eat it, eat it, open up your mouth and feed it, have some more yogurt have some spam

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:54:06 +0000 2009

n3ost: I am going to say since I live in Amish country Lancaster CO PA AMISH Paradise!

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:47:22 +0000 2009

Ted_G: Amish Paradise

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:46:10 +0000 2009

sabshire: Another one rides the bus….

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:39:36 +0000 2009

marsacademy: I love Weird Al. Maybe “Eat It” or “Amish Paradise” for favorite, but how to pick? They're all genius

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:37:11 +0000 2009

feeish: My favorite weird al is Yoda

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:13:55 +0000 2009

GoldGlover39: mine has to be the devil went down to jamica or like a surgen.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:09:14 +0000 2009

ScribeJay: “Your Horoscope For Today,” with “Genius in France” and “White & Nerdy” close behind.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 13:06:50 +0000 2009

swecss: you don´t love me anymore by Al is the best one. I use to play that to my g/f and yes, she hates it :) And then she makes cofe

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 12:56:59 +0000 2009

EfrenR: Favorite Weird Al song would have to be “Dare to be Stupid” though “White and Nerdy” would be a close second

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 12:47:28 +0000 2009

Eowo: Mines has to be Angry White Boy Polka. I's a work of genius.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 12:44:16 +0000 2009

TimTheFoolMan: Favorite Weird Al song? No contest: “White & Nerdy”

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 12:44:10 +0000 2009

JBLenfestey: Amish Paradise is my favorite Weird Al song.

about a day ago

Wed Feb 11 12:16:49 +0000 2009

spamup94: my favorite weird al son would denfitley be another one rides the bus

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:58:26 +0000 2009

LostinSweden: Damn, that's like picking your favorite child. Mr Frump in the Iron Lung, Gump, Melanie, Buy Me a Condo, Here's Johnny, Bob

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:49:41 +0000 2009

antgly: Like a Surgeon is my favorite, 2nd is White and Nerdy

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:44:15 +0000 2009

ed671: Livin in an Ahmish Paradise & Beverly Hillbillies! either always makes me laugh no matter how bad a day it is. :D

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:37:10 +0000 2009

kboesel: there are so many, but White and Nerdy is way up there

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:26:17 +0000 2009

JeffWoronick: white and nerdy

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:20:39 +0000 2009

interneth3ro: I would have to go with Like A Surgeon or Amish Paradise, myself.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:16:30 +0000 2009

tartanspartan7: I liked the star wars ones he done, like yoda and the saga begins. White and nerdy & trapped in the drive thru were great too.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:14:57 +0000 2009

bgiese: “The Saga Begins” #favorite-weird-al

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 11:13:12 +0000 2009

lisarahmat: Tie between White and Nerdy and Amish Paradise.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 10:09:23 +0000 2009

GeorgeMathieson: Has to be White and Nerdy

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 10:09:14 +0000 2009

caedy: What's yours?!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 10:02:33 +0000 2009

Sam_Ho: Trash Day!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 10:02:19 +0000 2009

caedy: My favorite “Weird Al” song…hrm…wait?! Do I have to have ONE favorite of all time? Okay..”Your Horoscope for Today”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 10:01:42 +0000 2009

danadearmond: Amish paradise. Fully.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:55:28 +0000 2009

ChuckSmith: White & Nerdy and Amish Paradise (I'm from PA)

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:52:45 +0000 2009

rchiswell: Mine (and my partner's) is Do I Creep You Out. We're planning on getting married with it as she goes down the aisle.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:48:03 +0000 2009

glen10982: mine has to be amish paradise chris…

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:47:03 +0000 2009

ZuneFAQAH: Probably 'Whatever You Like'

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:42:21 +0000 2009

andrewturner: My favourite Weird Al song would be dirty deeds done with sheep :P

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:41:07 +0000 2009

AppleFan08: The ebay song, with Wihte and Nerdy a close second

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:30:48 +0000 2009

TreyRust: then should I unfollow you?

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:26:45 +0000 2009

Derickam: Weird Al fav is “When I was your age.”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:25:47 +0000 2009

Solimander: My first Weird Al song was “Amish Paradise”, but my favorite is “White and Nerdy”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:25:20 +0000 2009

BigRedPimp: Beverly Hillbillies or The Saga Begins

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:24:35 +0000 2009

stephenaevans: Eat It

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:23:36 +0000 2009

Billium: Oooh, I forgot about Nature Trail to Hell (in 3-D)

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:22:55 +0000 2009

householdhacker: White and Nerdy, hands down. His older stuff was fantastic too!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:21:00 +0000 2009

scottbird: Fat…

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:20:13 +0000 2009

shaundunne: Loved White and Nerdy, but its so hard to choose. Maybe “I bought it on ebay” or “Eat it”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:19:47 +0000 2009

TSStechAngel: Aww, do I have to pick a favorite? :(

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:19:23 +0000 2009

Alexlayton: My favourite is either White N Nerdy, or Amish Paradise.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:16:34 +0000 2009

MaurerMarketing: The pisstake of Riding Dirty…”Riding Nerdy”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:16:02 +0000 2009

James_W: My favorite Weird Al song is Barneys on fire :p

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:15:14 +0000 2009

HarveyFrank: I like his new one White and nerdy and also your fat

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:14:45 +0000 2009

DavidShears: – The saga begins!!! My, my, this here anikin guy, maybe vader someday later, now he's just a small fry

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:14:14 +0000 2009

thirddesign: amish paradise

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:12:38 +0000 2009

datalore_tv: Make a playlist on GrooveShark of your top Ten Weird Al songs, so we can see how demented you are!!!! HAHAHA LOL!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:12:34 +0000 2009

WBPodcast: White and Nerdy is my recent favorate….but my all time fave must be Dare to be Stupid

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:08:59 +0000 2009

johnerobinson: I think it's a toss-up between “One More Minute” and “This is the Life” both off the Dare to Be Stupid album.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:08:47 +0000 2009

ehson: Favorite Weird Al Song would be “Albuquerque.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:07:00 +0000 2009

onekopaka: it's a tough choice. White & Nerdy and Fat describe me. So I'll pick those.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:06:34 +0000 2009

scottmalthouse: pretty much every Star Wars parody

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:05:47 +0000 2009

jadegordon: My favorite “Weird Al” song is any a dear friend should wish to sing around me. Those who know this friend cringe w/notion.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:04:48 +0000 2009

suddenlydazed: Has to be The Saga Begins.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:04:45 +0000 2009

MikeLanders: Amish Paradise is the best Weird Al song from my youth

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:04:23 +0000 2009

steven_nishida: I'd have to say…”Hey, Ricky!”, because any nod to Ricky Ricardo is awesome.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:04:05 +0000 2009

NeeNee0161: My all time fav Weird Al song is “Eat It”. The way he copied the original, down to hiring the same dancers is priceless.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:03:13 +0000 2009

DannyMinick: Did you just change your twitter pic? Your logo looks sharper.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:02:19 +0000 2009

sbushfan11: My Favorite Weird Al Songs are Eat It, Amish Paradise, White and Nerdy, and The Saga Begins

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:01:37 +0000 2009

bgramer: Eat it! is definitely up there.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:01:29 +0000 2009

fva: White & Nerdy. No competition!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:01:21 +0000 2009

joshua_w: Oh, and the Truck Driving song. Hell, I love all of them!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:01:17 +0000 2009

joshua_w: Ok, I've decided, my favorite(s) (couldn't pick just one): Virus Alert, Trapped in the Drive-thru, Horoscope for today.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:00:47 +0000 2009

spacks: mine is “It's all about the Pentiums”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:00:29 +0000 2009

a_williams: OOh, that's a tough one. Pretty fly for a Rabbi … The Saga Begins .. The Truck Driving Song .. Albuquerque .. how to choose?

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:00:03 +0000 2009

andrewtechhelp: weird al is awesome. My favourite would either be White & Nerdy or Microsoft Christmas

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 09:00:02 +0000 2009

radioproducer1: Hard to pick just one, though I do really like “This Is The Life” from “Johnny Dangerously”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:59:44 +0000 2009

lachryma: Smells Like Nirvana

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:58:49 +0000 2009

joshua_w: Favorite Weird Al song? Why do you have to ask such a hard damn question?!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:58:30 +0000 2009

odeon: on Twitter the answer better be 'All about the Pentiums'. best line: what kind of chip u got in there a Dorito?

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:58:14 +0000 2009

theLindblom: White and nerdy! :D

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:58:07 +0000 2009

igenexis: Definitely “White and Nerdy”. LOL

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:54 +0000 2009

UBUIBME: For me, it's a toss up between Eat it & Like a Surgeon.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:54 +0000 2009

kenbrady: Weird Al is a god. Albuquerque & One More Minute have special places in my heart. http://bit.ly/2mPEaQ

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:52 +0000 2009

Billium: YODA FTW!!!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:50 +0000 2009

JamesLS: My Fav #WeirdAl song would have to be “Just Eat It” or “The Ebay Song”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:26 +0000 2009

emc2serv: i'd have to say either One of those days, You Make Me or Good Old Days.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:25 +0000 2009

Terra111: Mine would have to be the Nirvana remake. Esp the video!

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:21 +0000 2009

jdhunter: What else could my favorite Weird Al song be other then “White and Nerdy!”

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:57:05 +0000 2009

SvenVollstag: jurassic park but you already played it, so play you dont love me anymore

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:56:58 +0000 2009

wardelldesign: So many good ones! I'd say it's a toss up between FAT and AMISH PARADISE

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:56:42 +0000 2009

sleeplessinsea: Is that even debatable? Eat it. Instant classic. http://tinyurl.com/67ryy8

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:56:22 +0000 2009

travelomo: That would be Stuck in a Closet with Vanna White.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:54 +0000 2009

graemehunter: it has to be It's all about the pentiums, almost the godfather of geekcore tracks

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:54 +0000 2009

Outsanity: Alternative Polka, Amish Paradise, Polkarama!, and Virus Alert

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:40 +0000 2009

MissSalina: Dare to be Stupid, duh

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:25 +0000 2009

JackFreedom: it's all about the pentiums, baby

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:20 +0000 2009

jtkennedy: Probably have to go with White & Nerdy, although Amish Paradise is pretty awesome too

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:55:15 +0000 2009

8bitjoystick: dare to be stupid

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:54:57 +0000 2009

simon_elliott: Would have to be the Avril Lavigne rip-off about constipation.

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:54:40 +0000 2009

Draconis: I'd have to say it's a cross between hardware store and the al yankovik show theme…

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:53:29 +0000 2009

deanperry: Mine has to be the eBay song :)

about 2 days ago

Wed Feb 11 08:53:06 +0000 2009

Weird Al

I’m not a professional music critic – and don’t pretend to be. However, I’ve gotta tell you that “Straight Outta Lynwood” [SOL] is one of the best albums that “Weird Al” Yankovic has produced to date. Yes, I’m biased – having been a fan of the band ever since the seventh grade. His originals finally, in many ways, outshine his parodies. SOL nails the melodies and harmonies, as expected.

SOL is a bargain at $15: “DualDisc includes PCM Stereo, 5.1 Surround and instrumental mixes of the entire album (with on-screen lyrics option), plus a 9-minute behind-the-scenes documentary and 6 brand new music videos.” I bet you wish your favorite artists did this, too. If there’s anything that’s going to keep physical media alive, it’s jam-packing titles with every bonus imaginable. A few weeks ago, Al unleashed the half-sactioned “You’re Pitiful” online. It isn’t included on the album, though the original artist gave Al permission to do so:

Yankovic recorded the song to be included on his Straight Outta Lynwood album after, according to Yankovic, having been given the James Blunt’s blessing to parody the song. However, following its recording, the artist’s record company, Atlantic Records, allegedly told Yankovic that he could not include the song.

Even after having publicly stated that the band doesn’t make much money from digital purchases (through iTunes or otherwise), Yankovic still treats his fans fairly – he knows that we’ll all buy whatever he creates. In fact, I’ve been known to buy his albums for friends – just because I think that as a serious and smart musician, “Weird Al” is underrated. His musical genius is fully exercised in a few SOL tracks – which won’t leave you SOL.

1. White and Nerdy: Computer geeks should love these lyrics twice as much as they did “It’s All About the Pentiums” – with references to Wikipedia and MySpace included. Even if you don’t like “rap,” you’re going to love these lyrics. And honestly, which one of us isn’t white and nerdy?! I think I have a new personal theme song. Great way to start the album. Even Ponzi LOL’ed a few times when she first heard it. Five stars.
2. Pancreas: Out of all the songs on SOL, this one is probably my favorite. It begins a capella, flowing and weaving in a classic “Beach Boys” sound. I’m not sure I’d consider this a complete style parody, though I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear something similar on a TMBG album – which is probably why I love this track so much. If you don’t find yourself strangely attracted to the final refrains, there’s something seriously wrong with you. “Insulin, Glucagon, Coming from the islets of Langerhans.” I can’t get it out of my head. Er, pancreas – if you will. Five stars.
3. Canadian Idiot: For the second parody on SOL, we have a parody of Green Day’s “American Idiot.” Much like in “Lasagna” and “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi,” Al is finding gold in stereotypes. It’s a fun song, though I must admit that I find myself enjoying the R&B parodies more than punk/rock music these days. Still, I’m not anxious to skip to the next track – if only because the original song is catchy to begin with. If you don’t know anything about Canadian culture, you probably won’t be impressed by this tune (but I bet your Canadian friends will be). Four stars.
4. I’ll Sue Ya: Speaking to the trend of crazy lawsuits appearing in the headlines every other week, Al gives us a “Kid Rock” style emulation – littered with popular brand names and outlandish experiences with them. I’ve never been attracted to “angsty” music, but this beat is to my liking (far more than an earlier “Young, Dumb, and Ugly”). If there’s a low point on the album, I’d say this is it – unless you happen to be a fan of the genre. Despite my indifference, I don’t consider it to be a “skip track.” I wholly expect these lyrics to show up in a future email joke thread – and please don’t take that as a suggestion. Three stars.
5. Polkarama!: I look forward to the polkas on every album, always believing they’re not long enough. This accordion-heavy montage does not disappoint. While I couldn’t necessarily name every polkafied artist strewn throughout, I was definitely familiar with every lifted lyric. I think his combination and range of styles (R&B, Rock, Alternative) speaks to Yankovic’s continued range expansion and broad appeal. If you’re not into a wide range of pop music, you might not appreciate Polkarama! half as much. It’s not my favorite polka (as I appreciate his classics more than the newer ones). However, it’ll certainly satiate my polkanerve until the next one bounces in. Four stars.
6. Virus Alert: Another Yankovic classic has been born – very upbeat, very addictive, original, and extremely replayable. If I played this tune back-to-back with “Hardware Store,” it’d make for a smart mix. Al’s falsetto feels natural and really fits inside this composition – with the lyrics being equally as amazing as the music itself. I find myself hitting the rewind button for this one – and not just because it’s about technology. I’m blown away by the song’s entire structure, particularly during “If you even get infected. turn off your computer, and make sure it powers down..” Can’t help but sing along. Too much fun. Five stars.
7. Confessions Part III: You might remember Confessions part I & II, so this is. what you’d never expect from a third one. Usher probably should have stopped with one, but I’m glad that Al made it a soul-bearing hat trick. The original song was ripe for satire – strong enough to support a parody. We’ve all been in love, and we’ve all done wacky (read: inexplicable) things in those relationships. Of course, I don’t know if any of you like to dress up like Shirley Temple and beat yourselves with a hockey stick – but you should enjoy the open confessional nonetheless. Four stars.
8. Weasel Stomping Day: Oh. My. God. This is Dr. Seuss in Bizzaro World! Close your eyes and try to imagine this one, folks. Not sure why Al references mayonnaise for the second time on the same album, but. that’s not the point. What sound does a weasel make when it’s stomped? There’s no safer way of finding out, I can assure you. The song is festive, but leaves the listener with a gigantic question: just exactly when is Weasel Stomping Day? I’d personally like to nominate July 27th if it hasn’t already been suggested. Let’s all celebrate! Five stars.
9. Close But No Cigar: Another Yankovic original – and likely his best non-parody relationship-centric song to date. “And I loved her even more than Marlon Brando loved souffl‚.” “And I was crazy like Manson about her…” “She got me all choked up like Mama Cass.” – Dennis Miller would be proud. The music, in and of itself, has an addictive pop quality to it. Then again, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. I really like it, but I don’t think I love it. Four stars.
10. Do I Creep You Out: I make it a point to watch the first few episodes of every American Idol season. Taylor Hicks kinda looks like Jeff Barr to me, though. I enjoy a good ballad every once in a while, so this serves my ears well. It’s over in less than three minutes, which is fine by me. My guess is that this track served as a substitute for the Blunt parody, though. I wanna lip sync this at my wedding reception – if only for shock value. Four stars.
11. Trapped in the Drive-Thru: You can always count on one extended track on a Weird Al album. This time, it was a pointed parody of a pointless R. Kelly rambling. In many ways, Yankovic did a better job with it! I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some of these lyrics were based on actual events in Al’s life. I can tell you that Ponzi and I had the “Olive Garden” argument recently. Art imitates life. Although, Ponzi sold my bunny slippers on eBay last week. Five stars.
12. Don’t Download This Song: Yes, it’s what you think. Imagine if “We Are The World” was dedicated to the plight of the millionaire musician. The anthem is long overdue. You might have seen the video when it was uploaded to the Internet a few weeks ago. Aptly, you couldn’t easily download the encoded video. Listen to the very end – he screams “Ya cheap bastard!” Heh. The physical media was quite affordable, actually – filled to the edge with value. Four stars.
13. You’re Pitiful (Unreleased): He starts singing early, but that flub wasn’t edited out before the song was released and distributed to fans (in an unofficial capacity, as mentioned earlier). It’s too bad Atlantic had a stick up their ass about not including this in SOL, because it would have fit in well. Since I don’t listen to much popular music these days, I wasn’t tired of the “You’re Beautiful” sound by the time I heard this track. Xbox geeks will love the Halo 2 reference, but I still crack up every time I hear “farty pants.” Five stars.

Ponzi listens to artists like Chamillionaire, R. Kelly, and Usher all the time – so hip hop music regularly flows through our halls at home. It’s because of this that I find SOL so interesting and fun. Had my tastes not been influenced by my fiance’s choice of music, I don’t know how I’d feel about the album.

The included videos are somewhat fun; “Weasel Stomping Day” (Robot Chicken) and “Close But No Cigar” (Kricfalusi!) really hit it out of the park. I’m disappointed that “White and Nerdy” didn’t make the DualDisc, though – I was hoping to watch a higher quality version of it. If the visual extras don’t win you over, then perhaps the instrumental tracks and 5.1 surround sound recordings will. SOL is an absolute bargain at $15.

Perhaps other artists should start copying Al – filling their physical albums to the brim with value. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?

Don’t Download This Album

Stumbled into this “gift” accidentally while assembling a total Yankovic playlist this afternoon. You can hear :30 teasers for each Straight Outta Lynwood track, so long as you have URGE and WMP11 installed (Windows only). No account necessary. MTV must’ve added his new album at some point in the past day. Do an Artist search for Yankovic (in URGE) and you should see SOL top the list. Select the album tracks as well as another track from another album (like Couch Potato from Poodle Hat), then right-click the non-SOL track and select “Play” from the context menu. This should tide you over until Tuesday morning – which is when you’ll buy the full album:

Featuring parodies of Chamillionaire, Green Day, Usher, R. Kelly and Taylor Hicks! DualDisc includes PCM Stereo, 5.1 Surround and instrumental mixes of the entire album (with on-screen lyrics option), plus a 9-minute behind-the-scenes documentary and 6 BRAND NEW MUSIC VIDEOS!

If you don’t buy the album, I’m going to rip your heart right out of your rib cage with my bare hands and then throw it on the floor and stomp on it ’til you die – especially if you’re white and nerdy.

Free Preview of New Weird Al Album

Dude. I don’t know how this bit of news slipped past my radar:

The first single from “Straight Outta Lynwood” will World Premiere on Al’s MySpace page on Monday, August 21 at 6 PM Pacific time (9 PM Eastern)! And because Al’s feeling so darn generous, he’s going to make THIS song a free download TOO!

And…

Al’s video for “Don’t Download This Song�? will be shown on Yahoo! Music Video Premieres this Wednesday, August 23! For those not keeping up with all the spoilers, this video is expected to be animated by Bill Plympton, and the music is expected to be in the style of the great ’80s charity song, “We Are The World.�?

And…

The New Album – In Stores September 26. PRE-ORDER NOW! Featuring parodies of Chamillionaire, Green Day, Usher, R. Kelly and Taylor Hicks! DualDisc includes PCM Stereo, 5.1 Surround and instrumental mixes of the entire album (with on-screen lyrics option), plus a 9-minute behind-the-scenes documentary and 6 BRAND NEW MUSIC VIDEOS!

Yes! Wicked! Awesome! Sweet!

Weird Al: Straight Outta Lynwood

I’ve died and gone to heaven. Over there on WeirdAl.com, they’ve posted a free MP3 download (192kbps). According to the filename, the new song is titled “You’re Pitiful.” No word on whether this track will be on his upcoming album, but we diehard Weird Al fans will love it no matter what! Their server seems to be getting slammed right now – so be patient. It’s a parody of the famous James Blunt song (You’re Beautiful). Here are the lyrics, after giving it a few good listens. Amazing, Al – amazing. Thanks for doing this!!!

My life is brilliant

[What, was I too early -
Oh, sorry, should I -
Do you want to start over, or -
Keep going - okay... now, now?]

My life is brilliant
Your life’s a joke
You’re just pathetic
You’re always broke
Your homemade Star Trek uniform
Really ain’t impressin’ me
You’re sufferin’ from delusions of adequacy

You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful, it’s true

Never had a date
That you couldn’t inflate
And you smell repulsive, too
What a bummer bein’ you

Well you just can’t dance
And forget romance
Everybody you know still calls ya
Farty pants
But you’ll always have a job
Well, I mean…
As long as you still can work that Slurpie machine

You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful, it’s true

You’re half undressed
Eating chips off your chest
While you’re playin’ Halo 2
No one’s classier than you

La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la loser

You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful
You’re pitiful, it’s true

Your dog would much rather
Play fetch by itself
You still live with your mom and you’re 42
Guess you’ll never grow a clue

Well, it just sucks to be you

I’ve been a Weird Al Yankovic fan since the seventh grade. He even came on the Helpathon I did a few years ago – just to say “hello.” Releasing this track on the ‘Net before the album’s official release is really, really cool. I wonder what other parodies he has up his sleeve? His originals have been equally amazing in recent albums, too. Hat tip to Happy for the heads-up!

Weird Al Yankovic Releases Free MP3