"All I got right now is this box of one dozen starving, crazed weasels."
January 19, 2014 2:58 PM Subscribe
Weird Al Yankovic's ridiculous 11-minute epic musical saga ALBUQUERQUE:
Animated in Flash
Mashed up with scenes from Breaking Bad
With lyrics
Bonus: Everything You Know Is Wrong
Lyrics in text
Animated in Flash
Mashed up with scenes from Breaking Bad
With lyrics
Bonus: Everything You Know Is Wrong
Lyrics in text
I don't believe so, and I've heard almost all of TMBG's output early-to-mid output. Weird Al sometimes does his own, non-parody songs, which both of these are examples.
posted by JHarris at 3:22 PM on January 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 3:22 PM on January 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
Every once in a while he will parody a band's style instead of a particular song such as the Devo-esque Dare to Be Stupid.
posted by cazoo at 3:33 PM on January 19, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by cazoo at 3:33 PM on January 19, 2014 [5 favorites]
Hmmmm, I get internal server errors with all the links--and the monkeys will do nothing.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:03 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by BlueHorse at 4:03 PM on January 19, 2014
?? But they're all YouTube links...? (Except for the text lyrics.)
posted by JHarris at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by JHarris at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2014
His first album had more original songs than strict parodies, FWIW.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Is "Everything You Know Is Wrong" poking fun at a generic (or specific) TMBG song?
Yes.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:09 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yes.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:09 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Running With Scissors was the first album I ever bought.
posted by Twain Device at 4:10 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by Twain Device at 4:10 PM on January 19, 2014
The text link I can get, but the YT, no. This makes me sad :(
posted by BlueHorse at 4:18 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by BlueHorse at 4:18 PM on January 19, 2014
Regarding ZenMasterThis, hmm, I don't know. It's not really a direct reference, is it? And TMBG is musically all over the map, it just seems likely to be coincidence to me.
Well, that's what I think.
posted by JHarris at 4:20 PM on January 19, 2014
Well, that's what I think.
posted by JHarris at 4:20 PM on January 19, 2014
BlueHorse, can you load other YouTube links? Can you watch any of these inline by clicking the little video icon? They all load fine for me. Maybe where you're browsing from is blocking YouTube?
posted by JHarris at 4:21 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by JHarris at 4:21 PM on January 19, 2014
JHarris: "Weird Al sometimes does his own, non-parody songs, which both of these are examples."
See, I thought Albuquerque was a parody of Dick's Automotive by The Rugburns.
posted by t3h933k at 4:23 PM on January 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
See, I thought Albuquerque was a parody of Dick's Automotive by The Rugburns.
posted by t3h933k at 4:23 PM on January 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
THREAD SUPPORT PERIOD UPDATE:
Halo 3 (so-so) - Lip-sync'd from memory (cool) - Live on stage pt.1 - pt.2 (wheee!)
posted by JHarris at 4:39 PM on January 19, 2014
Halo 3 (so-so) - Lip-sync'd from memory (cool) - Live on stage pt.1 - pt.2 (wheee!)
posted by JHarris at 4:39 PM on January 19, 2014
The related Neil Young style fried eggs and country ham song,
(With a sweet pedal steel solo, and unearthly vocal harmonies).
posted by ovvl at 4:50 PM on January 19, 2014
(With a sweet pedal steel solo, and unearthly vocal harmonies).
posted by ovvl at 4:50 PM on January 19, 2014
For "Everything You Know Is Wrong", Wikipedia, quoting Al in an AV Club interview: "Yankovic explained that he "tried to write a song sort of in their style, but perhaps even a little bit more twisted". For fans of They Might Be Giants, he put "little references in here and there, little allusions to other songs of theirs". Yankovic later admitted that it "is a little bit harder I think to decipher exactly where the inspiration is coming from."
As for "Albuquerque", it is acknowledged to be a Rugburns 'style parody'. He's enough of a 'musical chameleon' and ungrounded in any specific style so that everything original he does will contain serious inspirations from somewhere.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 PM on January 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
As for "Albuquerque", it is acknowledged to be a Rugburns 'style parody'. He's enough of a 'musical chameleon' and ungrounded in any specific style so that everything original he does will contain serious inspirations from somewhere.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 PM on January 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
The second half of the instrumental section in "Everything You Know Is Wrong" has always reminded me of the TMBG rarity Siftin', especially toward the second half, borrowing the spooky qualities of its ending choral melody and marrying them to the short passage where the baritone sax takes the lead. The first half of "Everything"s instrumental section has the essential beat from "Purple Toupee" and resembles the frantic accordion playing from "The Famous Polka" but far more intricate and virtuosic. The rest is typical Al, sounding a lot like he did on Even Worse in fact, with some TMBG signature snare-drum-on-the-downbeat and stabbing guitar punches thrown in here and there.
posted by scrowdid at 6:15 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by scrowdid at 6:15 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Regarding the Rugburns, I can confirm it was a mistake to pick up Hitchhiker Joe.
posted by maxwelton at 8:17 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by maxwelton at 8:17 PM on January 19, 2014
I saw Wierd Al in concert last year -- it was one of the most rollickin' concerts I'd ever been to. He knows how to put on a show. That is all.
posted by not_on_display at 9:19 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by not_on_display at 9:19 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Every once in a while he will parody a band's style instead of a particular song such as the Devo-esque Dare to Be Stupid.
These are "style parodies." Other style parodies include:
"Gonna Buy Me a Condo" (Bob Marley,or maybe just reggae generally)
"Velvet Elvis" (The Police)
"Those Were the Good Old Days" (James Taylor)
"Germs" (NIN)
"Mr. Popeil" (B-52s)
"Trigger Happy" (Beach Boys)
"Frank's 2000 Inch TV" (REM)
And probably more.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:30 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
These are "style parodies." Other style parodies include:
"Gonna Buy Me a Condo" (Bob Marley,or maybe just reggae generally)
"Velvet Elvis" (The Police)
"Those Were the Good Old Days" (James Taylor)
"Germs" (NIN)
"Mr. Popeil" (B-52s)
"Trigger Happy" (Beach Boys)
"Frank's 2000 Inch TV" (REM)
And probably more.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:30 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Everything You Know Is Wrong struck me as a style parody written after consuming "The Statue Got Me High", "Turn Around", "Purple Toupee" (as noted above) and any/all of the more recent, child-oriented scientific albums.
posted by davejay at 9:37 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by davejay at 9:37 PM on January 19, 2014
I've heard all three of those and the similarity didn't catch with me, although it's been awhile since I heard them. Oh well.
posted by JHarris at 9:57 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by JHarris at 9:57 PM on January 19, 2014
I got to see Weird Al in concert at the Fair in my town. He is hilarious in concert. His accordion style is very Balkan. That is to be expected since he is half Croatian and half Slovenian. Just like Tito.
His accordion playing is brilliant.
There was another rather Balkan thing he did, slagging Albanians.
Seems like everyone BUT Albanians slag the Albanians.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 10:42 PM on January 19, 2014
His accordion playing is brilliant.
There was another rather Balkan thing he did, slagging Albanians.
Seems like everyone BUT Albanians slag the Albanians.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 10:42 PM on January 19, 2014
Yeah, Weird Al doing style-parodies is definitely a thing, and in "Everything You Know Is Wrong", he drops a couple of winking references (prosthetic lips, my evil twin).
Mark Mothersbaugh said "Dare To Be Stupid" was the perfect Devo song, better than he had been able to do.
The one that I'm amazed I only fairly recently realized was You Make Me. Back then I listened to A LOT of Boingo and Weird Al, and it is so obviously inspired by Grey Matter, with a bit of Wild Sex thrown in. Probably some Dead Man's Party horns, and some other bits of Boingo DNA. (I love when he throws in just a touch of an Elfman yodel).
Yet it totally blew my mind once I noticed it. Dude's fucking brilliant.
posted by team lowkey at 10:45 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mark Mothersbaugh said "Dare To Be Stupid" was the perfect Devo song, better than he had been able to do.
The one that I'm amazed I only fairly recently realized was You Make Me. Back then I listened to A LOT of Boingo and Weird Al, and it is so obviously inspired by Grey Matter, with a bit of Wild Sex thrown in. Probably some Dead Man's Party horns, and some other bits of Boingo DNA. (I love when he throws in just a touch of an Elfman yodel).
Yet it totally blew my mind once I noticed it. Dude's fucking brilliant.
posted by team lowkey at 10:45 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
style parodies
Also his Zappa pastiche, Genius in France, which while certainly not Al's finest lyrical moment, is pretty impressive as a musical statement.
posted by alex_reno at 10:46 PM on January 19, 2014
Also his Zappa pastiche, Genius in France, which while certainly not Al's finest lyrical moment, is pretty impressive as a musical statement.
posted by alex_reno at 10:46 PM on January 19, 2014
Hair the color of strained peaches...
posted by Navelgazer at 10:49 PM on January 19, 2014
posted by Navelgazer at 10:49 PM on January 19, 2014
Albuquerque used to be his encore in concert. That was good, but I preferred the most recent tour when he ended with the two Star Wars songs. They make the concert become more of a sing-a-long, where as Albuquerque just wears everyone out. The Saga Begins is also a fantastic song and the only good thing to come from the prequels that isn't making fun of how bad the prequels were.
Speaking of "You Make Me", he played that last time I saw him as well. It was a surprising song to pull out of the back catalog. In fact, if you include the medley, his latest setlist includes songs from every album except Polka Party! and Alapalooza (although, I think Harvey the Wonder Hamster is played in one of the tv clips they play between songs).
posted by Gary at 12:20 AM on January 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Speaking of "You Make Me", he played that last time I saw him as well. It was a surprising song to pull out of the back catalog. In fact, if you include the medley, his latest setlist includes songs from every album except Polka Party! and Alapalooza (although, I think Harvey the Wonder Hamster is played in one of the tv clips they play between songs).
posted by Gary at 12:20 AM on January 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
His accordion style is very Balkan. That is to be expected since he is half Croatian and half Slovenian. Just like Tito.
That... was a comparison that I'd have never expected.
posted by Halloween Jack at 4:51 AM on January 20, 2014
That... was a comparison that I'd have never expected.
posted by Halloween Jack at 4:51 AM on January 20, 2014
He made a benefit appearance at a Rhode Island Dunkin Donuts for a charity to benefit the victims of a nightclub fire.
1) It was a horrific fire with a lot of casualties and life-altering injuries, mostly working class folks. The survivors needed all the help they could get.
2) Dunkin. Donuts. Does this man know his audience or what?
So, yeah, "nerd hero" is as apt a term as I can think of.
posted by Slap*Happy at 5:27 AM on January 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
1) It was a horrific fire with a lot of casualties and life-altering injuries, mostly working class folks. The survivors needed all the help they could get.
2) Dunkin. Donuts. Does this man know his audience or what?
So, yeah, "nerd hero" is as apt a term as I can think of.
posted by Slap*Happy at 5:27 AM on January 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
That... was a comparison that I'd have never expected.
You didn't know that Tito's according style is also very Balkan?
posted by eriko at 5:45 AM on January 20, 2014
You didn't know that Tito's according style is also very Balkan?
posted by eriko at 5:45 AM on January 20, 2014
2) Dunkin. Donuts. Does this man know his audience or what?
God, I hope they had bear claws.
posted by eriko at 5:46 AM on January 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
God, I hope they had bear claws.
posted by eriko at 5:46 AM on January 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
Another beautifully obvious style parody is "Close, But No Cigar" which is, other than Al's voice, nearly indistinguishable from Cake (imo).
posted by Hamadryad at 6:01 AM on January 20, 2014
posted by Hamadryad at 6:01 AM on January 20, 2014
I saw Wierd Al in concert last year -- it was one of the most rollickin' concerts I'd ever been to. He knows how to put on a show. That is all.
Agreed, completely. Went to see him a couple of years ago, saw the "Yoda Chant" for the first time. Mind. Completely. Blown.
posted by Melismata at 8:16 AM on January 20, 2014
Agreed, completely. Went to see him a couple of years ago, saw the "Yoda Chant" for the first time. Mind. Completely. Blown.
posted by Melismata at 8:16 AM on January 20, 2014
"Frank's 2000 Inch TV" (REM)
Somehow I had never known about this style parody - which is strange, since I was a huge REM fan at that point.
I played it on Spotify, and just the first few notes made it immediately clear what he was doing. Just a spot-on perfect fit for Out of Time-era REM.
posted by evilangela at 9:27 AM on January 20, 2014
Somehow I had never known about this style parody - which is strange, since I was a huge REM fan at that point.
I played it on Spotify, and just the first few notes made it immediately clear what he was doing. Just a spot-on perfect fit for Out of Time-era REM.
posted by evilangela at 9:27 AM on January 20, 2014
It's a strange world, where Rothko paintings can sell for $87 million while Weird Al's Albuquerque gets labelled "ridiculous".
posted by fredludd at 10:12 AM on January 20, 2014
posted by fredludd at 10:12 AM on January 20, 2014
Weird Al's Albuquerque gets labelled "ridiculous"
One meaning of "ridiculous" is absurd.
posted by JHarris at 10:49 AM on January 20, 2014
One meaning of "ridiculous" is absurd.
posted by JHarris at 10:49 AM on January 20, 2014
Style parody... that just opened up a new world of Weird Al for me.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:56 AM on January 20, 2014
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:56 AM on January 20, 2014
I'm showing my age but when I see "Everything You Know Is Wrong" the first thing that pops into my head is Sheriff Luger Axehandle's comment that "I'm not a drinking man on duty, Mr Cox!" But that's the Firesign Theater. And, by heaven, the Firesign Theater OWNS absurd!
posted by TDavis at 11:34 AM on January 20, 2014
posted by TDavis at 11:34 AM on January 20, 2014
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( a bit like Close But No Cigar and any given Cake song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtMU8nvZzOs )
posted by atomo at 3:20 PM on January 19, 2014