Album: George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison
Style: pop/rock/uptempo soul
Performed: George Fest tribute concert on September 28, 2014
The first song on this list that was not written (at least in part) by Weird Al. Weird Al performed this at the George Fest tribute concert at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. Al was one of several other performers covering tracks from the former Beatle. Al also sang on the version of The Traveling Wilburys’ song, “Handle With Care.” “What is Life” was one of my favorite Georege Harrison songs and seeing the live performance by Weird Al was a great addition to it for me.
It is a straight cover of the song, without any comedic undertones.
Lyrics
What I feel, I can’t say But my love is there for you anytime of day But if it’s not love that you need Then I’ll try my best to make everything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What I know, I can do If I give my love now to everyone like you But if it’s not love that you need Then I’ll try my best to make ev’rything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side Tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What I feel, I can’t say But my love is there for you any time of day But if it’s not love that you need Then I’ll try my best to make everything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side Oh tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What is my life without your love Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
[fade:] Oh tell me, what is my life without your love Tell me who am I without you by my side
I went downtown today to see an art exhibit opening at the Maquoketa Art Experience. This would not typically be something that would attract my attention. However, one of the main topics of the exhibit really appealed to my geeky side.
I also knew the artists of the works. James Tenney is the school resource officer for the school district where I work and we have a connection with our love of geek culture. Tenney was a big fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so I wore my TMNT shirt in his honor. The first he said to me today, after thanking me for coming, was “great shirt!” He then proudly showed me his TMNT socks, his Spider-Man tie and his Star Trek tie pin.
Officer Tenney has worked at the Maquoketa school for several years now. My friend Darin directed him towards me when he first started because of the similarity of our fandom. Darin had told me that Tenney was an artist, but I had no idea at what level he was.
Just the other day, we were both outside with a group of kids at the middle school and Officer Tenney called me over. There was a student of mine there with him. He asked me if she had been behaving herself lately, and when I said that she had been much better lately, Tenney pulled out a small box where he kept the small sketch pad and he sketched her a quick drawing of Batman. She was excited over the drawing, the doodle took about a minute or so to finish. I know he has done this for many other students, quickly sketching characters such as Wolverine, Spider-Man or such. He uses it as a great way to build that rapport with kids who are excited about the small treasure he provided them with.
It was that day that Officer Tenney told me about his opening on Sunday at the Maquoketa Art Experience from 2-4 and invited me to come on down and see his art.
What is cool is that he was sharing the exhibit with his youngest daughter, MJ. They told a sweet story about how their art studios at their home were right next to each other. MJ’s work was less superhero-like and more of the dragon/anime work.
Water color was the answer James gave me as his favorite medium to work in, but he had several other examples of other styles including oils, ballpoint pen and computer graphic.
James told me a story at a comic con where he had his work being displayed of an older gentleman who came over to him and, in referencing his work, pointed out the strong jawlines he had on display and then the man told James that his work was like “Jack Kirby’s work.” Even today, you could see how that comment lit James up. There is not much more of a compliment you can give to a comic art fan than to compare him to the “King.”
There was a wide variety of subjects on the walls and tables of the Maquoketa Art Experience. There were pictures of Spider-Man, Venom, Hobgoblin, Loki, Godzilla, Thor (as a baby), Ghost Rider, Transformers, Turtles, Daffy Duck, Gambit, Slimer from Ghostbusters, Joe Fixit, as well as many others.
The exhibit will be up for the months of May and June at the Maquoketa Art Exhibit. It is an impressive display featuring some of the great characters of the 20th/21st Century. Superheroes are the present day mythology and it is awesome that there are people who love them enough to keep the energy going.
You should stop down and see the full collection if you have some time over the next couple of months.
Some images from the show:
One of his favorite pieces, James told me he spent many MCU moviescreating this artwork.
Another pair of tension-filled, anxiety-creating episodes in this Netflix limited series. I have been extremely creeped out by this show, especially episode 4.
Before I go on, I want to look at episode four. We are in a flashback where we see Rachel’s very pregnant mother Alexandra and Jay, her father, recording everything on a video camera in the year 1997, and part of their trip where they were eloping was stopping for ice cream. The drive up ice cream shop had a guy at the window that scared Rachel’s mother badly. If I did not know better, I swear this character was Rick from the comic book, Ice Cream Man.
I wonder how much of an inspiration, if any at all, this character took from Rick. The character’s name was Larry and, technically, he only sold custard. I wonder if the producers changed it to custard to avoid any comparisons between Larry and Rick.
Larry could have been tied to the Larry Poole from the stories on the podcast in episode one. Producers have said that this character was just a red herring, helping to build the suspense of the episode.
The storyline of the Sorry Man has seemingly been wrapped as we discovered that Jules, as a kid, had witnessed Jay and Alexandra on their honeymoon, when she started hemorrhaging from her eyes and nose and died in Jay’s arms. Then, he cut open her stomach to pull baby Rachel out of the womb. Jules saw all this and, in his mind, made the whole thing into a serial killer thing/monster.
Episode 3 had some powerful moments too as Rachel called a “family meeting” and wanted everybody to deal with their trauma over Victoria’s upcoming death. Rachel gets called out for not being a therapist, but everyone seems to go along with what she wanted to do. So much so that Nell expressed surprise with how much Rachel is getting away with from this family. Of course, Nell just simulated drowning Jules in the bathtub before being caught by Rachel, so maybe she is not the best choice for reasonability.
So, after episode four, it seems like the story is heading in this curse way, and there are only two days until the “I dos” as the show keeps letting us know. This is the halfway point of the limited series so I wonder where this goes next.
As I was going through the list of songs on the Top 100, I discovered a mistake in the list. Instead of cutting a song that absolutely deserves its spot on the list, I decided to make this special exception for Weird Al and make it a Top 100 with 101 songs in it. Thus, Polka Power becomes the first ever 1/2 entry on our Daily Countdown lists and the only Daily Countdown Two-a-day.
Title: “Polka Power”
Album: Running With Scissors
Released: 1989
Genre: Polka/Comedy
Songs: “The Twelfth Street Rag,” “Wannabe,” “Flagpole Sitta,” “Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are),” “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” “Walkin’ On the Sun,” “Intergalactic,” “Tubthumping,” “Ray of Light,” “Push,” “Semi-Charmed Life,” “The Dope Show,” “MMMBop,” “Sex and Candy,” “Closing Time,” and “W.A.Y. Moby Polka.”
Lyrics
Yeah, well, I’ll tell ya what I want, what I really really want (So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want) I’ll tell ya what I want, what I really really want (So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want) I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha I want to really, really, really, want to zigga zigga, ah! If you want to be my lover, you gotta get with my friends Make it last forever, friendship never ends If you want to be my lover, you have got to give Taking is too easy, but that’s the way it is. Hey!
I’m not sick, but I’m not well. And I’m so hot, ’cause I’m in hell. I’m not sick, but I’m not well. And it’s a sin to live so well.
Ghetto superstar, that is what you are, Coming from afar, reaching for the stars. Run away with me, to another place We can rely on each other, uh huh From one corner to another, uh huh
Everybody (yeah) Rock your body (yeah) Everybody Rock your body right. Backstreet’s back, all right! All right!
So don’t delay, act now, supplies are running out But now, if you’re still alive, six to eight years to arrive And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow But if the offer’s shun, you might as well be walking on the sun Might as well be walking on the sun!
I get knocked down, but I get up again, You’re never gonna keep me down I get knocked down, but I get up again You’re never gonna keep me down I get knocked down, but I get up again You’re never gonna keep me down I get knocked down, but I get up again You’re never gonna keep me down
Quicker than a ray of light Quicker than a ray of light Quicker than a ray of light
I want to push you around, well I will, well I will I want to push you down, well I will, well I will I want to take you for granted I want to take you for granted Yeah, yeah, well I will
I want something else To get me through this semi-charmed kinda life, baby baby I want something else I’m not listening when you say good-bye.
There’s lots of pretty, pretty ones That want to get you high But all the pretty, pretty ones Will leave you low and blow your mind We’re all stars now in the dope show We’re all stars now in the dope show
Mmmbop, do floppa do wop Do be dop ah Do wap, do zap ah, do Yeah-ee yeah Mmmbop, do be ‘zap ah, do wop Do be dop ah Do wop, doom zap ah, do
I smell sex and candy here Who’s that lounging in my chair? Who’s that casting devious stares in my direction? Mama, this surely is a dream Yeah, yeah mama, this surely is a dream Dig it, yeah mama, this surely is
Closing time One last call for alcohol So finish your whiskey or beer Closing time You don’t have to go home But you can’t stay here I know who I want to take me home I know who I want to take me home I know who I want to take me home Take us home.
Released: As a theme song for his 1997 Saturday morning children’s TV show.
Album: Running With Scissors
Genre: pop/rock
This fell into the top 20 of the previous list, Top 100 TV Show Themes. When I first was creating that list, I almost didn’t think about it as a theme because it was more of a song than theme. Al has used this as an intro to his concerts since.
Lyrics
Oh, this is a story ’bout a guy named Al And he lived in a sewer with his hamster pal But the sanitation workers really didn’t approve So he packed up his accordion and had to move
To a city in Ohio where he lived in a tree And he worked in a nasal decongestant factory And he played on the company bowling team And every single night he had a strange, recurring dream
Where he was wearing leiderhosen in a vat of sour cream But that’s really not important to the story
Well, the very next year he met a dental hygenist With a spatula tattoed on her arm (on her arm) But he didn’t keep in touch, then he lost her number Then he got himself a job on a tater tot farm
And he spent his life savings on a split-level cave 20 miles below the surface of the Earth (of the Earth) And he really makes a mighty fine jelly bean and pickle sandwich For what it’s worth
Then one day Al was in the forest, trying to get a tan When he heard the tortured screaming of a funny little man He was caught in a bear trap and Al set him free And the guy that he rescued was as grateful as can be
And it turns out he’s a big-shot producer on TV So he gave Al a contract and what do you know? Now he’s got his own very Weird Al Show!
Performed: “Weird Al” Yankovic and Tress MacNeille
One of my earliest introductions to Weird Al. I remember this song from not only the Dr. Demento Show, but also the morning radio station I would listen to, KIIK 104 with Spike at the Mike.
Lyrics
Hey Lucy, I’m home
Oh Ricky, you’re so fine You’re so fine, you blow my mind Hey Ricky, hey Ricky
Oh Lucy, you’re so fine You’re so fine, you blow my mind Hey Lucy, hey Lucy
Oh Ricky, you’re so fine You play your bongos all the time Hey Ricky, hey Ricky
Oh Lucy, you’re so fine How I love to hear you whine Hey Lucy
Hey Ricky You always play your conga drums, you think you got the right You wake up little Ricky in the middle of the night Stop shakin’ your maraccas now and just turn out the light, Ricky
I’m sick of Fred and Ethel always coming over here ‘Cause Fred eats all our pretzel sticks, and then he spills his beer Why don’t you serve your casserole and make them disappear, Lucy?
Oh, Ricky, what’s a girl like me supposed to do? You really drive me wild when you sing your babalu
Oh Lucy, you’re so dizzy, don’t you have a clue Well, here’s to you, Lucy I love you too, Lucy, too Lucy, let’s babalu, Lucy
Hey, Ricky You’re always playing at the Club, you never let me go I’m begging, and I’m pleading, but you always tell me no Oh, please, honey, please let me be in your show, Ricky
You always burn the roast and you drop the dishes too You iron my new shirt, and you burn a hole right through You’re such a crazy redhead, I just don’t know what to do, Lucy
Oh, Ricky What a pity, don’t you understand That every day’s a rerun and the laughter’s always canned
Oh, Lucy I’m the Latin leader of the band So here’s to you, Lucy Let’s babalu, Lucy, too Lucy Everybody rumba!
Contains one of my favorite lines in any Al song- “Before it emails your grandma all your porn.” We can all relate, right….. no? Just me, huh?
Lyrics
Hey everyone, listen up, your attention if you please Really wanna give you a warning ’cause I found out this morning ‘Bout a dangerous, insidious computer virus If you should get an e-mail with the subject “Stinky Cheese” Better not go taking your chances Under no circumstances should you open it or else it will Translate your documents into Swahili Make your TV record Gigli Neuter your pets and give your laundry static cling
Look out, it’s gonna make your computer screen freeze Look out, erase the Easter eggs off your DVDs Look out, erase your hard drive and your backups too And the hard drive of anyone related to you
Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody
Soon, very soon, it will make all the paint peel off your walls It’ll make your keyboard all sticky, give your poodle a hickey And invest your cash in stock in Euro Disney Then, it will tie up your phone, making prank long-distance calls It’ll set your clocks back an hour and start clogging the shower So just trash it now, or else it will Decide to give you a permanent wedgie Legally change your name to Reggie Even mess up the pH balance in your pool
Look out, it’s gonna melt your face right off your skull Look out, and make your iPod only play Jethro Tull Look out, and tell you knock-knock jokes while you’re trying to sleep Look out, and make you physically attracted to sheep Look out, steal your identity and your credit card Look out, buy you a warehouse full of pink leotards Look out, then cause a major rift in time and space And leave a bunch of Twinkie wrappers all over the place That’s right, it’s a
Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody Warn all your friends, send this to everybody Tell everyone you know, tell everybody now
If you get infected, you’ll wish you had never been born So before it emails your grandmother all of your porn Turn off your computer and make sure it powers down Drop it in a 43-foot hole in the ground Bury it completely, rocks and boulders should be fine Then burn all the clothes you may have worn any time you were online
Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody Virus alert, delete immediately before someone gets hurt Forward this message on to everybody Warn all your friends, send this to everybody Tell everyone you know, tell everybody now
What are you waiting for? Just hurry up and forward this to every single person that you know Hit “Send” right now
Writers: Al Yankovic / Lee Oskar / Wayne Anthony Hector / Armando Christian Perez / Nile Rodgers / Lukasz Gottwald / Guy Manuel Homem Christo / Thomas Bangalter / Pharrell L. Williams / Jean Baptiste Kouame / Sacha Skarbek / Luiz Floriano Bonfa / William Adams / Julian C. Bunetta / Greg Errico / Jai Sang Park / Breyan Stanley Isaac / Stephan Moccio / Priscilla Renea Hamilton / Mark Foster / Kenny Oliver / Jef Martens / Edward James Drewett / Stefan Kendal Gordy / David Jamahl Listenbee / John Henry Ryan / Skyler Husten Gordy / Carly Rae Jepsen / Arthur Richardson / Ross Mac Lean / Ben Haggerty / Ryan S. Lewis / Jamie Michael Robert Sanderson / Joshua Keeler Ramsay / Maureen Anne Mcdonald / Henry Russell Walter / Erin Beck / Tavish Joseph Crowe / Walter Andre E. De Backer / Keon Yoo / George Matthew Robertson / Kesha Serbert / Keri Oscar
Album: Mandatory Fun
Released: 2014
Genre: Polka/Comedy
Medley Songs: “Wrecking Ball,” “Pumped Up Kicks,” “Best Song Ever,” “Gangham Style,” “Call Me Maybe,” “Scream & Shout,” “Somebody That I Used to Know,” “Timber,” “Sexy and I Know It,” “Thrift Shop,” “Get Lucky,” and “W.A.Y. Moby Polka.”
This polka’s title is a parody of the album series NOW That’s What I Call Music, a compilation of popular music of the past year.
Lyrics
We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain We jumped never asking why We kissed, I fell under your spell A love no one could deny
Don’t you ever say I just walked away I will always want you I can’t live a life, running for my life I will always want you
I came in like a wrecking ball I never hit so hard in love All I wanted was to break your walls All you ever did was wreck me Yeah, you wreck me
All the other kids with the pumped up picture You better run, better run, outrun my gun All the other kids with the pumped up picture You better run, better run faster than my bullet
And we danced all night to the best song ever We knew every line, now I can’t remember I think it went ooh eh ooh I think it went oohla eh ooh I think it goes eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh
Eh, sexy lady Po, po, po, po Polka Gangnam Style Eh, sexy lady Po, po, po, po Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh
Hey, I just met you And this is crazy But here’s my number So call me, maybe And all the other boys Try to chase me But here’s my number So call me, maybe
I wanna scream and shout (hey!) And let it all out And scream and shout (hey!) And let it out We sayin’, “Ohh, wee ohh, wee oh wee oh” We sayin’, “Ohh, wee ohh, wee oh wee oh wee ohh, wee oh wee oh”
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
It’s going down (hey!), I’m yelling timber You better move, you better dance Let’s make a night you won’t remember I’ll be the one you won’t forget (Timber! Timber!)
I’m sexy and I know it Girl look at that body (He’s sexy and he knows it)
I wear your grandad’s clothes I look incredible I’m in this big old coat From that thrift shop down the road (Hey!)
That’s right! (He looks incredible) I do! (He’s in that big old coat) It’s large! (From that thrift shop down the road) Hey, let’s go!
I’m gonna pop some tags Only got twenty dollars in my pocket I’m hunting, looking for a come-up This is super awesome
She’s up all night ’til the sun I’m up all night to get some She’s up all night for good fun I’m up all night to get lucky
We’re up all night ’til the sun We’re up all night to get some We’re up all night for good fun We’re up all night to get lucky
We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky Up all night to get lucky
Yes, we’re up all night to get Lucky (we’re gonna get lucky) Lucky (we’re gonna get lucky) Lucky (Let’s all get lucky) We’re up all night to get lucky! (Hey!)
I have had this limited series, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, on my Netflix queue for several weeks now. I had heard positives about the series that I wanted to watch it, but with the load of other TV and movies, not to mention comics and school, I was not sure when I could squeeze it into. However, I have gotten to a point where The Pitt, Invincible, Paradise, Shrinking were all done and Monarch is on its last episode. I only currently have Daredevil: Born Again and The Boys as active TV shows that I was watching, so I thought this was a good opportunity to start this show.
Man, what a creepy first episode.
It grabs you right away with a somewhat disturbing wedding and the reaction of the bride was unexpected. We then flash back five days prior to the wedding and things get even creepier.
The podcast they listened to in the car was unnerving too as it gave the story of Larry Poole, a man who sold custard and was a serial killer.
As this podcast was telling the story, we were suddenly at a rest stop and the story switched gears. Rachel and Nicky, who were the couple getting married, were driving to Nicky’s family cabin. Stopping at the rest stop, they find a baby inside a car, apparently deserted.
There were some real disturbing images at this rest stop including a dead fox in the women’s restroom. Rachel chose to go back and find a phone to call for help and Nicky would stay with the baby. This felt like a poor choice, but it is what happened.
Rachel found a bar that was mostly deserted, but the woman working there “Benjamin” was creepy and there was another man there who was apparently stalking Rachel. She ran off to her car after stabbing the man in the hand with her keys.
When she returned, the baby was gone and Nicky had been punched by the baby’s father, who thought Nicky was trying to steal the baby. The whole encounter with the parents happened off screen and something about it felt odd. There was a scream that Rachel had heard in the woods before Nicky came back.
They headed to the cabin, which is humongous. Rachel meets part of Nicky’s family when she was looking for ice for his head. Nicky’s sister, Portia, tells Rachel a story about when their brother Jules wound up lost in the woods as a child and supposedly saw the Sorry Man.
According to Jules, the Sorry Man came from Hell and murdered women by slitting them open and turning them inside out, trying to find his lost wife inside them. Rachel also mentioned a scream from the woods, which made me think about that rest stop and how the parents of that deserted baby had taken a stroll in the woods.
Things only got creepier as Rachel woke up with a bloody nose and wandered off to find Nicky’s mother who said that they would not be seeing each other very much. Rachel found a returned wedding invitation on the floor with the words “Don’t marry him” scribbled on the back.
There are so many weird and bizarre things happening that it truly did a great job of making me anxious as I watched it. The music was excellent in that manner too. I was full of suspense and I was feeling scared. Most of the time, scary things do not bother me that much, but I have to say that this really kept me on edge. I am excited to continue this limited series later in the week.
The song is fun as a satirical look at the paparazzi and entertainment news outlets like TMZ, but also take the other side of the fence with celebrities aren’t always great either.
Lyrics
You’re sort of famous A minor celebrity And so it only makes sense The world would be obsessed with every single thing you do
They’re running ’round With their camcorders in the night They lurk impatiently In hope in that they just might See something real embarrassing you do
The bad hair day and sweat-stained t-shirt That’s the story that They’re gonna feature With exclusive pics Of your flabby behind You think you’re all alone But that’s right when you’ll find
A bunch of paparazzi Popping out of nowhere Cameras in your face And then suddenly You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ
Following you When you’re walking down the street And asking stupid questions While you’re trying to eat So you cover your face Thinking to yourself “Hey, isn’t this creepy?”
And they’re out there praying You’ll have a big meltdown And take ’em on a little car chase Through this whole town They’ll be there with you When you’re going to jail First on the scene For every wardrobe fail
You just picked up some transvestite Seconds later It’s up on the website Get a vegas wedding A quickie divorce And they’ll be sneaking in Snapping pictures, of course
And if they ever catch you Picking your nose Or stumbling down the street On a drunken spree You’re on TMZ Stalking you, just waiting by your front door Trailing you through airport security They’re with TMZ They’re with TMZ
Oh, let me tell you It’s getting to the point Where a famous person can’t Even get a D.U.I Or go on a racist rant Those guys are all around So you really shouldn’t dare Go to every club in town If you’ve lost your underwear
Seems that every single time A star decides to shave her head Or ram their car into a tree They’re on TMZ If they catch you peeing in the bushes Later on, that night Well, I guarantee You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ Every single celebrity Knows they’re gonna be There on TMZ
This upbeat original song is about the type of tabloid newspapers that were such a huge thing during the 1980s.
Lyrics
I was waiting in the express lane With my twelve items or less At the checkout counter at the local grocery store I was only passin’ by
But a paper caught my eye And I learned a few things I never knew before It said
Your pet may be an extra-terrestrial It said The ghost of Elvis is living in my den You can learn to cope with stress And you can beat the IRS
And the Incredible Frog Boy is on the loose again Ohhh Midnight Star It’s in the weekly Midnight Star Aliens from outer space are sleeping in my car Midnight Star, I wanna know, I wanna know!
Eat jelly doughnuts and lose twenty pounds a day Hear the story of the man born without a head And top psychics all agree
That the telephone company
Will have a brand new service that lets you talk to the dead
Ohhh Midnight Star
You can believe it if you read it in the weekly Midnight Star
They’re keeping Hitler’s brain alive inside a jar Midnight Star, I wanna know, I wanna know!
Midnight Star I wanna know Ohhh Midnight Star Well don’t ya know that I read it, I read it in the weekly Midnight Star?
The UFOs have landed, and we’ll tell you where they are Midnight Star I wanna know I wanna know Ohhh Midnight Star Well, you can read all about it in the weekly Midnight Star
You can use your ESP to learn to play guitar I wanna know I wanna know (Ahhh Midnight Star) I wanna know I wanna know
I wanna know I wanna know (Ahhh Midnight Star) I wanna know I wanna know
Enquiring minds like mine wanna know (You can read it you can read it you can read it in the Midnight Star) I wanna know I wanna know
I wanna know I wanna know (You can read it you can read it you can read it in the Midnight Star) I wanna know I wanna know
I wanna know I wanna know (You can read it you can read it you can read it in the Midnight Star) I wanna know I wanna know
I wanna know I wanna know (You can read it you can read it you can read it in the Midnight Star)
Written: Lady Gaga /Jeppe Laursen/ Fernando Garibay/Paul “DJ White Shadow” Blair/Al Yankovic
Album: Alpocalypse
Released: 2011
Parody: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
A parody that almost did not happen. Al had sent the parody to Lady Gaga’s people, but they rejected it without Lady Gaga hearing it. When Lady Gaga did hear the parody, she gave her blessing. While Weird Al does not have to get artists permission to do a parody, he always apporached the aritst/company as a sign of respect.
Lyrics
My mama told me when I was hatched Act like a superstar Save your allowance, buy a bubble dress And someday you will go far Now on red carpets, well, I’m hard to miss The press follows everywhere I go I’ll poke your eye out with a dress like this Back off and enjoy the show!
I’m sure my critics will say it’s a grotesque display Well they can bite me, baby, I perform this way I might be wearin’ Swiss cheese or maybe covered with bees It doesn’t mean I’m crazy, I perform this way (‘from this way)
Ooh, my little monsters pay lots ’cause I perform this way Baby, I perform this way (perform this way) Ooh, don’t worry, I’m okay, hey, I just perform this way I’m not crazy, I perform this way
I’ll be a troll or evil queen I’ll be a human jelly bean ‘Cause every day is Halloween for me
I’m so completely original My new look is all the rage I’ll wrap my small intestines ’round my neck And set fire to myself on stage I’ll wear a porcupine on my head On a W-H-I-M And for no reason now I’ll sing in French Excusez-moi, qui a PT (express yourself)
Got my straight jacket today, its made of gold lame No, not because I’m crazy, I perform this way I strap prime rib to my feet, cover myself with raw meat I’ll bet you’ve never seen a skirt steak worn this way
Don’t be offended when you see My latest pop monstrosity I’m strange, weird, shocking, odd, bizarre I’m Frankenstein, I’m Avatar There’s nothing too embarrassing I’ll honestly do anything But wear white after Labor Day ‘Cause baby, I perform this way
Hope you won’t think it’s cliche if I go nude today Don’t call the cops, now, baby, I perform this way No reason I should regret all the attention I get I’m not completely crazy, I perform this way, yeah
I perform this way-hey, I perform this way-hey I’m always deviating from the norm this way-hey I perform this way-hey, I perform this way-hey I’m really not insane, I just perform this way-hey
Songs: “Cradle of Love,” “Tom’s Diner,” “Love Shack,” “Clarinet Polka,” “Pump Up the Jam,” “Losing My Religion,” “Unbelievable,” “Do Me!,” “Enter Sandman,” “Humpty Dance,” “Cherry Pie,” “Miss You Much,” “I Touch Myself,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Ice Ice Baby,” “Ear Booger Polka.”
Another polka medley appers in the Top 100.
Lyrics
Rock the cradle of love. Rock the cradle of love Yes, the cradle of love Don’t rock easy, it’s true Rock the cradle of love I rocked the cradle of love Yes, the cradle of love Don’t rock easy, it’s true
The Love Shack is a little old place where We can get together Love Shack, baby (Love Shack, baby, Love Shack) Hey!
Pump up the jam (hey!). Pump up the jam (hey!) Pump up the jam, pump it up!
That’s me in the corner That’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion Trying to keep a view And I don’t know if I can to it Oh no, I’ve said too much I haven’t said enough
The things you say Your purple prose just gives you away The things you say You’re unbelieveable (Oh!)
Do me, baby. Do me, baby You can do me in the morning, you can do me in the night You can do me when you want to do me Yodalodaladyhoo!
Exit light Enter night Take my hand Off to never never land
The Humpty Dance is your chance to do the Hump Do me, baby Do the Humpty Hump, do the Humpty Hump Do me, baby Do the Humpty Hump, come on and do the Humpty Hump
She’s my cherry pie Put a smile on your face ten miles wide Look so good, make a grown man cry Sweet cherry pie-yi-yi Woo!
Drum solo!
I miss you so much (M-O-I miss you so much) I really miss you much (M-I-S-S you so much) I miss you so much (M-O-I miss you so much) I really miss you much
Hey, I don’t want anybody else When I think about you I touch myself Oh, I don’t want anybody else Oh no, oh no, oh no no no
He’s the one they call Dr. Feelgood He’s the one that makes you fell all right He’s the one they call Dr. Feelgood He’s gonna be your Frankenstein
Let’s kick it! If you got a problem, (yo!) I’ll solve it Check out the beat while the DJ revolves it Ice ice baby Ice ice baby… Word to your mother! Ice ice baby Ice ice baby forever I’ll be your ife… ice… baby! Hey!
Style Parody: 1960s Surf rock like the beach Boys or Jan and Dean.
This one may not have aged well. It is a satire of the American gun culture, but with the accumulation of shooters in the country, the joke might hit harder than intended. It is still quite funny with the juxtaposition of the ark lyrics and the upbeat, sunny music.
Lyrics
Got an AK-47, well you know it makes me feel alright Got an Uzi by my pillow, helps me sleep a little better at night There’s no feeling any greater Than to shoot first and ask questions later Now I’m trigger happy, trigger happy every day
Well, you can’t take my guns away, I got a constitutional right Yeah, I gotta be ready if the Commies attack us tonight I’ll blow their brains out with my Smith and Wesson That ought to teach them all a darn good lesson Now I’m trigger happy, trigger happy every day
Oh, I accidently shot daddy last night in the den I mistook him in the dark for a drug-crazed Nazi again Now why’d you have to get so mad? It was just a lousy flesh wound, Dad You know, I’m trigger happy, trigger happy every day
Oh, I still haven’t figured out the safety on my rifle yet Little Fluffy took a round, better take him to the vet I filled that kitty cat so full of lead We’ll have to use him for a pencil instead Well, I’m so trigger happy, trigger happy every day
Come on and grab your ammo What have you got to lose? We’ll get all liquored up And shoot at anything that moves
Got a brand new semi-automatic weapon with a laser sight Oh, I’m prayin’ somebody tries to break in here tonight I always keep a Magnum in my trunk You better ask yourself, do you feel lucky, punk? Because I’m trigger happy, trigger happy every day
trigger, trigger happy Yes I’m trigger, trigger happy (Oh baby, I’m) trigger, trigger happy Yes I’m trigger, trigger happy (Oh I’m so) trigger, trigger happy Yes I’m trigger, trigger happy Better watch out, punk, or I’m gonna have to blow you away Better watch out, punk, or I’m gonna have to blow you away Better watch out, punk, or I’m gonna have to blow you away Better watch out, punk, or I’m gonna have to blow you away
Songs: “Sledgehammer,” “Sussudio,” “Party All the Time,” “Say You, Say Me,” “Freeway of Love,” “What You Need,” “Harlem Shuffle,” “Venus,” “Nasty,” “Rock Me Amadeus,” “Shout,” “Papa Don’t Preach.”
I listened to this one forever during my college days.
Lyrics
You could have a big dipper Going up and down all around the bends You could have a bumper car bumping This amusement never ends
I wanna be your sledgehammer Why don’t you call my name? Oh, let me be your sledgehammer This will be my testimony, yeah, yeah
There’s a girl that’s been on my mind all the time Su-su-sudio, oh-oh Now she don’t even know my name But I think she likes me just the same Su-su-sudio, whoa-oh
And my girl wants to party all the time Party all the time, party all the time My girl wants to party all the time, party all the time She parties all the time
Say you, say me Say it for always, that’s the way it should be Say you, say me Say it together naturally
We’re going riding on the freeway of love Wind’s against our back We’re going riding on the freeway of love In a big Cadillac
That’s why you need, ooh That’s why this what you need, I’ll give you what you need
Yah, yah, yah, do the Harlem polka, everybody now Yah, yah, yah, do the Harlem polka
She’s got it, yeah baby, she’s got it Well, I’m your Venus, I’m your fire What’s your desire?
Nasty, nasty boys don’t mean a thing Oh, you nasty boys Nasty, nasty boys don’t ever change Oh, you nasty boys
I like this part
Ooh, rock me Amadeus Ooh, rock me Amadeus Ooh, rock me Amadeus, ooh
Shout, shout, let it all out These are the things I can do without, come on I’m talking to you, come on
Please papa don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep Papa don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep But I’ve made up my mind, I’m keeping my baby Oh, I’m gonna keep my baby I’m gonna keep my baby
EYG- Embrace Your Geekness 