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Author Topic: Weird Al parodies "Smile"!  (Read 4383 times)
TheLazenby
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« on: September 07, 2006, 06:58:52 PM »

Just heard Weird Al's new album, "Straight Outta Lynwood"... the track "Pancreas" is a DEFINITELY style parody of 'Smile'!  It's a bunch of little vignettes (about the pancreas, obviously), parodying...

* Our Prayer
* I'm In Great Shape
* Wind Chimes
* Roll Plymouth Rock
* Good Vibrations

And there's also some "God Only Knows" in there too.  It's AWESOME!!
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Ron
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« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2006, 08:34:02 PM »

In my opinion, having your song parodied by Weird Al Yankovich is one of the highest compliments you can receive as a songwriter.  LOL. 

I read up on some of his stuff once.... he's had problems with songs about 3 times.  Once, Coolio got in a heated discussion with him for making "Amish Paradise" (gangsta's paradise).  Another time, Weezer refused to let him parody "Buddy Holly" in his Alternative Polka.... and most recently, Eminem refused to let him make a video paroding Eminem's song "Lose It".  I can't believe Eminem (who made a career out of imitating people in videos) wouldn't let Weird Al do him in a video.  What a loser.

He also one time asked Mick Jagger if he could parody a song Mick wrote for a movie... Mick told him to go ahead... and then the stones song was never released, and the movie was never released (or something like that).... Weird Al did the parody anyways (even though nobody knew what the hell it was about and had never heard the original song) because Weird Al (being the gentleman that he is) thought it would be bad taste to ask permission then not make the song. 

Didn't Weird Al's parents get murdered a couple years ago? 
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TheLazenby
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« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2006, 09:32:26 PM »

Not quite - Nick and Mary Yankovic died from carbon monoxide poisoning after lighting the fireplace and forgetting to open the flue.  And of course, the media immediately made wrong conclusions - I definitely remember one report that this happened because Nick (I think) was suffering from Alzheimers, which wasn't even true.

And the Mick Jagger thing isn't quite like that either; Al wanted to parody "Ruthless People" because he was sure that it would become a hit song.  The song actually flopped, but since Al got permission, he went and recorded "Toothless People" anyway.  Today, most people aren't even aware that Al's song is a parody...
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« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2006, 10:35:01 PM »

An old book and documentary called the Complete Al has him totally having fun with Smile mythos. The joke was that he went crazy, made a far out album called "Me, Myself, and I, and then accidently erased it in an airport xray machine. He gets sane again by being dunked in yogert.
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PapaNez22
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« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2006, 10:45:20 PM »

Just heard Weird Al's new album, "Straight Outta Lynwood"... the track "Pancreas" is a DEFINITELY style parody of 'Smile'!  It's a bunch of little vignettes (about the pancreas, obviously), parodying...

* Our Prayer
* I'm In Great Shape
* Wind Chimes
* Roll Plymouth Rock
* Good Vibrations

And there's also some "God Only Knows" in there too.  It's AWESOME!!

merda man! Where'd you hear the record already? I just found out about it the other day and saw the video for 'Don't Download This Song' on youtube. That's awesome that he parodies some SMiLE bits in there. And how is Canadian Idiot? I'm very pumped to hear how that bitch turned out. I'm really excited about this record after the crapfest that was Poodle Hat. I haven't been able to stop listening to Weird Al since I was 4 and heard Dare To Be Stupid for the first time. I'm more than glad he's still around and doing his thing. Now I just have to wait until late September to hear this record!

Midnight Star (TheLazenby in this case), I wanna know, I wanna know!
« Last Edit: September 07, 2006, 10:46:57 PM by PapaNez22 » Logged
Don't Back Down
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« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2006, 11:22:40 PM »

*never mind

Weird Al also listed "Vega-tables" from BWPS in his Celebrity Playlist on iTunes.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2006, 11:23:47 PM by Don't Back Down » Logged

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TheLazenby
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« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2006, 11:49:05 PM »

Someone on Al's forum snuck copies to a bunch of people, including myself.  And no, you can't hear it yet......

But it's definitely my favorite on that album!  I started laughing hysterically as soon as it came on, because I knew it was a Brian spoof, but I didn't expect a choir of Als to start singing "Our Prayer"  Grin

But since someone asked, I'll run through the whole thing:

* "White And Nerdy" - You can hear this on Chamillionaire's MySpace now.  I like this, because I like "Ridin' Dirty".  It takes several listens to catch all the references (Wikipedia gets a nod) but it's worth it.

* "Pancreas" - as I said, I LOVE IT!  I mean, where else can you hear Al sing about pancreatic juices in the style of "Good Vibrations"??

* "Canadian Idiot" - I've never heard Green Day's version, but this one was alright.  Kind of predictable though; it's basically just jabs at Canadian stereotypes, such as saying 'aboot'.

* "I'll Sue Ya!" - Al rattles off a list of a bunch of stupid lawsuits he wants to do, such as suing Coke because he stuck his finger in a bottle and got it stuck.  I liked this one. 

* "Polkarama" - One of my favorites on the album.  This time, Al does polka renditions of songs like "Take Me Out", "Gold Digger", "Candy Shop", "Let's Get It Started", and best of all, a hilarious version of "Drop It Like It's Hot".

* "Virus Alert" - This song sounds to me like it would belong on one of his 80's albums... it just has that vibe.  But anyway, it's a funny song about this virus on the loose that does all sorts of malicious things, like emailing all your porn to your grandma.

* "Confessions Part 3" - A parody of Usher's "Confessions Part 2".  As you can tell by the lame title, it's not a very clever parody; in fact, probably one of Al's weakest ever.  Continuing Usher's trend, Al confesses his deepest secrets to his girlfriend, including using her nose clipper and giving her herpes.  I didn't like it.

* "Weasel Stomping Day" - Probably one of the most hilariously disturbing songs in Al's canon!  This brief one minute ditty cheerily describes the joys of stomping weasels to death, with accompanying sound effects.  It was made for a cartoon ("Robot Chicken") and that's obvious... but it's still typical Al.

* "Close, But No Cigar" - One of the more anticipated songs, and pretty much a big disappointment.  This actually sounds like Al's attempt to write a REAL pop song, and it just comes off awkward.  Basically, it's a list of girls he's liked in the past, and what was wrong with them that turned him off.  Could've been better, especially after the hype.

* "Do I Creep You Out?" - A Taylor Hicks parody, and the ultimate 'creepy stalker Al' song.  Al serenades a girl about all the weird stuff he wants to do, such as putting her fingers in his mouth.  Unsettling enough to be hilarious. :-)

* "Trapped In The Drive Thru" - The crowning achievement of the album; Al's 10 minute take on "Trapped In The Closet".  I know that has been spoofed endlessly, but Al's is PERFECT, hitting on every little detail of R. Kelly's version, including the stupid echoing cliffhangers.  Probably the first Al song that made me laugh out loud the first time i heard it.

* "Don't Download This Song" - Nothing different from the version that's all over the 'net now (that's right kids, Al still says "bastard"  Roll Eyes) but I like this song, so I don't mind having to hear it again.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2006, 12:00:31 AM by TheLazenby » Logged
matt-zeus
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« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2006, 02:56:44 AM »

Didn't Weird AL contribute to Sweet Insanity?
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Swamp Pirate
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« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2006, 03:46:58 AM »

Didn't Bruce Willis do the same thing in "Return of Bruno?"  (Brian did a cameo for that)  It was the funniest part of that special.
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Ron
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« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2006, 06:12:49 AM »

Not quite - Nick and Mary Yankovic died from carbon monoxide poisoning after lighting the fireplace and forgetting to open the flue.  And of course, the media immediately made wrong conclusions - I definitely remember one report that this happened because Nick (I think) was suffering from Alzheimers, which wasn't even true.

And the Mick Jagger thing isn't quite like that either; Al wanted to parody "Ruthless People" because he was sure that it would become a hit song.  The song actually flopped, but since Al got permission, he went and recorded "Toothless People" anyway.  Today, most people aren't even aware that Al's song is a parody...

Nice, thanks for the clarification.
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37!ws
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« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2006, 07:57:49 AM »

1) Yes, Weird Al did contribute to Sweet Insanity -- he played accordion on "Let's Stick Together."

2) Al also had problems with doing James Blunt's "You're Beautiful." Now....he is not required to get permission from the artists he parodies, but he does so as a courtesy. James Blunt gave him his blessing to do "You're Pitiful" [downloadable for free on Al's web site], but Blunt's label didn't. There's word going around that Al's actually being sued by James Blunt's label, but I've seen no evidence that it's true.

3) Another artist who wouldn't give Weird Al his blessings: Paul McCartney. Any of you who have been to a Weird Al concert may remember "Chicken Pot Pie" from the food medley. Those of you who never have been to/seen an Al concert -- "Chicken Pot Pie" is a parody of "Live And Let Die." Macca's reasoning for not letting Al release the parody: the vegetarian thing. Of course, Al is also a vegetarian...
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37!ws
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« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2006, 08:51:22 AM »

BTW -- I notice that the new Al album with the Smile parody comes out pretty much on the second anniversary of Smile...
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TheLazenby
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« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2006, 11:53:04 AM »

It actually occured to me that the one part is NOT parodying "I'm In Great Shape", but rather, the 'cantina' bit...
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