Grex Music2 Conference

Item 57: "Weird Al" Yankovic item

Entered by tpryan on Mon Jul 14 22:38:19 1997:


        Made it to the "Weird Al" Yankovic show at the Fowlerville
 Fair last night.  A small venue, but I was happy with the 22nd row
 seats my sister & myself got.  She turned me onto to the concert out
 her way.
 
        Al opened the show with "Since you been gone" from 'Bad Hair
 Day'.  He soon was quickly into the "Alternative Polka", showing 
 how technically correct & co-ordinated he and his group can be.  The
 original artists videos where running the screen behind him, with
 Al and the group lip-synching to them all.  Others songs from this
 "Bad Hair Day" tour included "Gump", a new version of "Like A Surgen"
 and a long meldy of many Al songs.  The background video screen was
 put to good use, with Al interviews with various rock stars, using 
 the moment to get a breath, and costume change foor the next song.
 All and all, a well executed show, running close to two hours.
        He did perform at least two songs yet to be released:
"Chicken Pot Pie" and "I'll Repair For You" -- a proposed theme for
'Home Improvement' good, except it sounds like another TV theme, 
'Friends'
43 responses total.
#1 of 43 by lumen on Mon Jul 14 22:59:44 1997:

Eep, I've forgotten Weird Al is making an appearance near where I am, too!
I'm probably too late.

The correlation between 'Home Improvement' and 'Friends' in the song "I'll
Repair For You" is undoubtedly intentional-- it's hard to parody the 'Home
Improvement' theme song, which is an instrumental.  Weird Al has been known
to mix things together, at least in his latest parodies.

#2 of 43 by senna on Tue Jul 15 01:16:48 1997:

It happens.  Weird Al has been known to do some great musical meshes.

#3 of 43 by orinoco on Tue Jul 15 16:06:14 1997:

I've never been to a weird al show, but my little brother has:  If I can get
him to say something coherent I might post it here or something.

#4 of 43 by snowth on Tue Jul 22 16:52:51 1997:

Your brother? Coherent? Him? That's news.

#5 of 43 by bruin on Tue Jul 22 19:58:05 1997:

BTW, did you know that "Weird Al" is preparing a Saturday morning TV 
show similar in format to "Pee Wee's Playhouse?"

Check out the Music News section of the VH-1 web side (http://vh1.com) 
for more information.

#6 of 43 by senna on Wed Jul 23 19:33:10 1997:

Ouch, that's scary.

#7 of 43 by lumen on Wed Jul 30 08:23:24 1997:

Scary?  Nah.. Al Yankovic is more intelligent than Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee) is,
so it will likely be much more worth watching.  Besides, you have to admit
he parodied videos of songs as well as he did the songs themselves.  He's
hammy enough for the job.

#8 of 43 by pez on Sat Oct 3 19:44:16 1998:

I never saw that Weird Al TV show, but I have seen him in concert..
isn't he due for a new album
???

#9 of 43 by tpryan on Sun Oct 4 21:16:06 1998:

        Al has written for a new album this summer.  I take it he is
getting clearances/permissions for the parodies.
        His album making is usually to get the originals done first.
They take the most time.  The parodies, the band usually learn their
licks within a day, and have their tracks done quickly.  I'd guess
we will see an album when the right parody comes along.

        Can you think of any current hits that are ripe for being
Al-parodied??

#10 of 43 by bruin on Sun Oct 4 22:14:58 1998:

RE #9 I would like to have "Weird Al" do a parody of Celine Dion's "My 
Heart Will Go On" from the movie "Titanic".

#11 of 43 by lumen on Thu Oct 8 01:34:21 1998:

Hee hee hee hee hee!!
_Titanic_ was so overpublicized that it's definitely ripe.

#12 of 43 by orinoco on Sun Oct 11 00:53:37 1998:

That "Barbie Girl" song that was all over the radio a while back needs
parodying.

#13 of 43 by lumen on Sun Oct 11 22:23:54 1998:

Oh, but how do you parody a satire?  Haven't you seen the video?  It's mostly
a portrayal of how Barbie and Ken would look if they were dosed in reality--
Ken is bald and pudgy, they live in a messy house, and Barbie isn't a
yellow-haired blonde.  (Then there are the fantasy scenes, which are of how
they look as dolls.)

Besides, I remember a lot of the radio station DJs quickly got sick of it.

#14 of 43 by tpryan on Mon Oct 12 04:17:11 1998:

        Trying to make a funny tune out of a fun/funny tune is difficult.
Al's parody of "Lump" became "Gump".

#15 of 43 by lumen on Fri Oct 16 01:24:59 1998:

"Smarmy Girl," maybe?

#16 of 43 by bookworm on Fri Mar 12 06:10:49 1999:

I've actually gotten to meet "Weird Al" himself.  He shook my right hand 
and asked me about my profession. He also autographed by first book of 
poetry.  I like all his music a whole lot, but my fave is "Another One 
Rides the Bus" from his first album.

#17 of 43 by lumen on Fri Mar 12 06:34:36 1999:

I still want to hear "My Bologna."  Weird Al made his debut with this 
song on the Dr. Demento Show.

#18 of 43 by cloud on Fri Mar 12 23:19:02 1999:

I found "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," in its entirety, on a
website.  It was RA 'though, so the sound quality was low.

#19 of 43 by tpryan on Sun Mar 21 15:14:46 1999:

        From above, I'd rather hear Howie Mandel parodie "Barbie Girl",
because I think (well I tried) it can be turned to a "(It's) Bobbie's
World".

        I met and chatted with Weird Al at the first ever fan run
convention for "Weird Al" Yankovic.  Actually, the treat was to 
talk to Alfred Yankovic, as he enjoyed the tribute enough to attend,
then to talk to the attending fans as himself instead of stayin in
character.  He autographed a copy of *his* songbook, now available,
for me.
        Hmmm, seems like we should be seeing that new ALbum anytime
time now.

#20 of 43 by lumen on Wed Mar 31 05:02:32 1999:

I can tell he's a thoughtful and intelligent man.  It must have been a 
wonderful experience.  Myself, I've always dreamed of meeting stars I 
admire *not* because they are stars, but just to discuss their work with 
them-- what the business is like, how they got their inspiration-- how 
they built their artistic skills, etc.

#21 of 43 by tpryan on Sat Apr 3 04:40:06 1999:

        The recording of me, that I was just listening to, was recorded
at that AlCon last summer.  I just got a copy this past weekend when
the AlCon refugees meet in OsKosh to see the Dr. Demento road show.
Dr. D now has a copy of me for his library.

#22 of 43 by lumen on Wed Apr 7 04:48:27 1999:

Quite an honor.

#23 of 43 by carla on Fri Apr 9 00:20:11 1999:

Isn't he also a really good architect?
<someone prolly has already mentioned this but I don't have the patience to

read every item here.

#24 of 43 by bookworm on Tue Apr 13 04:11:27 1999:

I understand completely.  

It's hard not to be able to get on for a while.

Then you return and, suddenly, you're swamped with replies.

This in not to say that I think people should not reply, I just plan not 
to reply if the counter thingee says any number over 40.

#25 of 43 by tpryan on Sun Jun 27 13:48:32 1999:

        The new Weird Al CD 'Running with scissors" is due out this 
Tuesday.  The "single" (first tune promoed) is "The Saga Begins".
Hey, Weird Al is filking again!  A song about SW:The Phantom Meanace.
It was distributed to radio stations to begin airplay this past 
Thursday. 
        More at weirdal.com.  If you use lynx, like me, you will have
to keep on entering to get to the text content.

#26 of 43 by albaugh on Mon Jun 28 21:38:50 1999:

Also, someone told me about http://www.sagabegins.com where Weird Al has
created some Phantom Menace lyrics set to "American Pie".  I have been trying
to get stuff set up to hear it, no success yet.  YMMV...

#27 of 43 by lumen on Mon Jun 28 21:46:48 1999:

"Behind The Music" on VH1 will feature the premiere of the "Weird Al" 
Yankovic story over the Independence Day weekend.

#28 of 43 by gnat on Tue Jun 29 12:57:16 1999:

Did Weird Al "hit rock bottom" like everyone else on "Behind the Music"?
I didn't know he was tormented enough to be on that show.

(I liked the Iggy Pop "Behind the Music" the best - "He hit rock
bottom... then he hit rock bottom again... then his son hit rock 
bottom...")

#29 of 43 by bruin on Tue Jun 29 16:43:07 1999:

RE #28 As "Weird Al's" last CD was his first in the Top 20 of Billboard's
album charts, I doubt that he "hit rock bottom."

BTW, I did see the lyrics for "The Saga Begins" and may want to get me a copy
for the bimonthly music night sometime soon.  (We do have the lyrics to
"American Pie," so that would take care of the chords and such.)

#30 of 43 by tpryan on Fri Jul 2 21:49:25 1999:

        I got the CD and gave three or five listens.  "The Saga Begins"
is indeed very filky.  Seems to wander from Ben Kenobi as point of view
narrator to fan narrator.  "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi"--Al takes all things
jewish and they end up in this song.  (I am also of the opionion that
Al's song "Spam" is funny becauseothers have made Spam funny).  The
little jewel on this CD is "The Weird Al Show Theme".  I think somewhere
we speculated that AL would parody REMs "One Week".  He did so here
with "jerry Springer".  Watch out for that chair!  Decent polka medly.
The "Truck Driving Song" has it's twist.  "Alburquerque"--??Al doing
Mojo Nixon??  A long rant of a song.  Got less funny on the fifth
listening.  Glad that is the last track, CD will, at times, get 
gonged when this one comes on.
        Overall, nothing that hurts my ears.  Nothing that seems to 
scream 'unique comic genius'.
        What say you?

#31 of 43 by lumen on Wed Jul 14 23:31:21 1999:

REM's "One Week"?  Thought that was the song of the Barenaked Ladies.

#32 of 43 by tpryan on Fri Jul 16 16:56:34 1999:

        Whoever.

#33 of 43 by tpryan on Fri Jul 16 16:57:35 1999:

        Thank you.

#34 of 43 by lumen on Fri Jul 16 23:26:58 1999:

Welcome.  So, did you see the VH1 special, then?  I've never owned a 
Weird Al album, and this one sounds good although I might not be able to 
trace all the parodies.

#35 of 43 by tpryan on Sat Jul 17 15:56:58 1999:

        I viewed and tapes the VH1 specials and the video to "Saga" the
next Monday on their "New Video" show.  I need to do some cross taping.

#36 of 43 by lumen on Mon Jul 19 21:33:56 1999:

Noting that Al parodied "Lola" as "Yoda," is he going to be making a habit of
doing parodies with a Star Wars theme?

#37 of 43 by tpryan on Wed Jul 21 23:02:19 1999:

        I certainly hope so.  (A new hope, that is).

#38 of 43 by lumen on Tue Aug 3 21:56:52 1999:

VH1 is continuing the Weird Al theme with more "Behind the Music" 
re-runs and more programs with Weird Al.  He's been featured in the 
video timeline show, and just last night, he hosted a program featuring 
some of his best videos, including "The Saga Begins."

It's well worth watching, although the videos he's parodied (in parallel 
fashion, almost, with the songs) are no longer on MTV or VH1 rotation to 
compare to his silly video send-ups.

Love Weird Al vids?  Watch for repeats of the show.

#39 of 43 by tpryan on Sun Aug 15 20:20:33 1999:

        I went to the Meadowbrook theature for the Friday the 13th "Weird Al"
concert.  I was in the 27th row (AA) with a group of others I know from
the sci fi cons and from the AlCon in Chicago last year.
        He played a lot from the new album; using the theme to the TV show
to open the evening.  He uses a video screen behind him a lot, some of
it supporting the song in progress, other times to give the audience 
something to view while he makes a costume change.  Changes were made for:
"LIke A Surgeon", "Dare to be Stupid", "Sounds like Nirvona(?)", "Fat" and
"Saga Begins".
        The pavilion was sold out and it looked like the lawn was filled
well, though not shoulder to shoulder.  The rain came early and was 
clear by the time the comic started at 8pm.  Al was on at 8:40pm.
        Any Grexers go?

#40 of 43 by goose on Tue Aug 17 12:32:00 1999:

darn, I would have like to gone to this show.  I didn't even hear about it
until now.

#41 of 43 by tpryan on Fri Nov 12 00:24:31 1999:

        I got to see normal Alfred Yankovic at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor
after the "Weird Al" show.  Second time I got to meet him.  That was
neat.  He seemed to remember our previous meeting.
        Hill was not filled.  I did not hear any advertising for this
show, like the Meadowbrook show this summer.

"Weird Al" Yankovic 1999 Concert Line-up
 
Gump
Polka Power!
Jerry Springer
My Baby's in Love With Eddie Vedder
The Night Santa Went Crazy
Dare to be Stupid
It's All About The Pentiums
Germs
One More Minute
Like A Surgeon
Medley:
  Pretty Fly For A Rabbi
  Another One Rides The Bus
  I Love Rocky Road
  Achy Breaky Song
  Jurassic Park
  Grapefruit Diet
  I Lost On Jeopardy
  Eat It
Smells Like Nirvana
Bed Rock Anthem
Amish Paradise
Fat
The Saga Begins
Yoda

#42 of 43 by goose on Fri Nov 12 03:01:57 1999:

you missed the alanis morrisette parody, the "Thanks you" tune.  that's when
I arrived due to a late session.  This is the first concert that I've ever
had front row seats and I missed over half of it damnit.   All I wanted to
hear was JErry springer....

Even so, the show was great.

#43 of 43 by tpryan on Mon Jun 19 21:59:47 2000:

        "Weird AL" Yankovic play at Meadowbrook again this year,
June 30th, a Friday.  The pavilion is already sold out, lawn is
available.  I plan on going with same freinds as last summer.
        Anybody for also making it a Grexpodition?  I'll be the 
one in a Hawiian shirt in the audience.
        I wonder if he has a lampoon ready for Britney Spears?

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