Considering how many different styles and artists Weird Al has parodied, it's truly impressive how well he's able to imitate them all while still putting his own spin on them. For this one in particular, Don McLean has said he sometimes has to catch himself during concerts because Al's lyrics pop into his head while he's singing "American Pie".
You haven't made it till Weird Al parodies you. He couldn't parody an obscure artist. I think the most obscure is his genius in France tip of the hat to Zappa. However that is a whole other level of epic.
" He is singing like a proper singer. " In order for Weird Al to be as successful as he has been doing the style of parodies he does, he actually has to be better than the original singers. Most people don't realize just how talented he truly is.
true, paradies dont work if the person cannot sell it as a actual song and Weird Al does that with flying colors. This is something you can laugh at and dance to at the same time... there will never be a better master of parodies than Al Yankovic.
Al has been doing this for 40 years, so yes - he is a proper singer and quite intelligent to come up with the lyrics to his parody songs and to mimic the singer and their musical styles. And I've been a fan of his since the early 80's.
What amazes me about Yankovic is how he easily could have been a blip of 80s humour and yet has had multiple hits in 90s, 00s and is relevant today. No one does music parody like him and built a 40 year career with it.
Some9ne else said 3rd artist in history to have A top 40 in 4 decades in a row, behind Michael Jackson & Madonna. 5 Grammies & 6 platinum albums. Weird Al is the G.O.A.T
Weird Al is a vocal chameleon. He matches style and tonality with the original songs singer. A perfect example of this is his parody of Nirvana's Smells like Team Spirit. Smells like Nirvana. You have to hear it to appreciate his vocal ability
That was the first time I heard him. I had a tape where one side was the never mind album and the other side was an album of weird Al where the first song was smells like Nirvana and he sounded really really good I was trying to compare to the original and it just sounded so good.
Weird Al is the consummate vocal chameleon. He's done everything from big band to gangsta rap. He's an amazing showman. I've seen him in concert 6 times, and his shows are super high energy, and great fun.
Consummate everything. He can take anyones song and sound like the original I don't think I've ever seen a reaction before. Well done Beth! You could have done Eat It, his Michael Jackson Beat It
Weird Al is such an underappreciated musical genius. His career has outlived most of those he parodies. On top of that, he is a class act and always gets permission from the original artist to parody their work, even though legally he does not have to.
@@michellebrodeur3880 he got permission from coolio’s record label, but not coolio himself. But….he cashed the royalty checks, so… The wiki page for the song goes into more detail, with coolio admitting his refusal was pretty dumb. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_Paradise
@@michellebrodeur3880 That's not a rumor. His people told him that he had gotten permission from Coolio, and thus he made the parody. Weird Al and Coolio have made up since, however.
@@DraconasLyrr Also, from that moment forward Al would never take the word of his record label or anyone else. He makes sure to contact the artist(s) directly and speak to them to get the ok for his parodies. At this point, though, he is such a legend that artists would have to be insane or have the stupidest stick up their ass to refuse him. As so many others have said, you know you've made it when Weird Al wants to parody you.
What I love reading in these comments is how everyone has a favorite Al parody and it's different from everyone else's. It speaks volumes to the high quality of his catalog.
He's also a master accordion player and plays a mean polka. I agree with everyone here. It would be awesome seeing you explore more of Al's music. He's a mad genius.
@@chrisclark7170 That's great as a parody piece, but for the purposes of showcasing his range as a singer it's not great. Pretty much any of his other polkas would be better used as an example, as he always covers several different styles of music done as Polka without losing the essence of the vocals in them, which is why the joke works well enough to be a running gag on his albums.
The part in Al's Trapped in the Drive-Thru (his parody of Trapped in the Closet), where he turns on the radio and Led Zeppelin's Black Dog plays? That's NOT Zeppelin, it's Al's band.
Indeed. Not only is it amazing that Al has kept the same backing band from basically the beginning (more or less, as his first album was less a rock album and more accordion-driven), but his band has amazing chops, being able to play basically anything, any genre. They're all incredible musicians.
Yeah, but you don't have to be a narc about it dude. We all know that in order to parody a song you DON'T HAVE to make an super quality vocal performance, unless you're parody is the vocal performance itself, and not even that much. Al uses the super famous songs to parody things that are going on in the culture, so the super quality vocal performances is just something he brings to the audience from his passion and commitment to a next level good work. ...like you didn't know.
The fact that Weird Al is mainly known for his parodies tends to undermine people's impressions about him. Truth is he's a damn good vocalist and lyricist in his own right... plus the man can rock the accordion like no one's business.
I always remember a documentary with Al's bandmates (who are AMAZING, in case you didn't notice!) mentioned that Al never gets enough credit for his actual vocals as a singer, because his singing abilities aren't highlighted as the comedy is the central part. That's always stayed with me. When you look at the range of the guy, and how he adapts from style to style --- the dude has one HELL of a voice. - Look up some of his actual covers if you can, they're amazing. :)
You need to go back to his early parodies -Amish Paradise, Like a Surgeon, Eat it, Christmas at ground zero, Then night santa went crazy and more to see how he does a range of styles.
Ive been listening to him for almost 40 years, he probably the most diverse artist Ive ever heard, he's parodied successfully, rock, rap, grunge, country, pretty much every genre of music.
Wow it’s hard to believe you’ve never heard him, even on accident. He’s amazing and actually a great musician in his own right, his ability to mimic other artists with different lyrics is incredible.
@@ChrisM-xx6cf I was hoping that wouldn't be noticed. I also didn't realize you could edit a comment after the fact. Now I know. I love auto correct....right up until I don't.
Weird Al is a super talented multi-instrumentalist who fully embraces his dorkiness with no apologies. His parodies are what he is famous for, but his own compositions are also quite good.
You say he's a multi-instrumentalist but when I asked him, he said the only instrument he's good at is the accordion! (Though he has been known to play the keyboard well, but he doesn't admit that one!)
@@singemfrc I agree. For me, his originals from Bad Hair Day onwards really began to outshine his parodies. His pastiches really showcase his versatility. I always thought Genius in France was pretty good until I started listening to Frank Zappa. Then I was able to really appreciate the bizarre genius to that song. Bob is another brilliant example.
His "style parodies" are often my favorite songs "by" the group he's mimicking: "Germs" is my favorite Nine Inch Nails song, and "Dare To Be Stupid" is my favorite Devo song (which I understand Devo lovingly play in their own concerts!)
It broke my heart, that Al came to Houston right after we moved her and I couldn't afford to go. Especially, since it was the tour of all original tunes.
His singing, his humor, his lyrics, his presentation and style, his chameleon ability to replicate any style of song, he is a unique gift to the musical world, and a treasure that I don't think many people truly appreciate, who just think of him as Weird Al the singer and don't know more.
I remember when I was a kid, listening to the Dr Demento show on my radio when I was supposed to be sleeping, and hearing My Bologna (My Sharona) and Another One Rides The Bus (Another One Bites the Dust), two of his earliest projects.
Hello, I want you to know just how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you for your love and support. You are a true fan, and I am so grateful for that. You cannot imagine how much strength your support has given me during a difficult time. I appreciate you more than words can say. I hope you keep being a great fan!❤️☺️ Where are you following from?☺️
Weird Al has an incredible range, from 'Living with a Hernia' to 'Fat' to 'White and Nerdy' to 'Aluminum Foil'... You could react to almost every song of his and still have more to talk about.
What's scarier is how much hair product he must be using. Remember his older videos where he has that huge afro of curly hair? Yes, his hair is naturally super-curly.
I lived in Japan in the mid-90s and used to go to a department store quite regularly. They always had a Weird Al album playing and I think they genuinely believed it was a regular compilation album. I still hear TLC’s Waterfalls as Phony Calls.
I think you're the first vocal coach on TH-cam I've seen who broke down one of Weird Al's songs. Awesome job. If you ever have the chance, catch him live. I've been to three of his concert's and the guy puts on a show, not just with music, but with costume changes and video segments. Totally entertaining.
I saw this at the Running with Scissors tour. everybody cheered when "Some Gungans died". We managed to crack Al up. You should really give "Amish Paradise" a listen if you liked this.
Given this will be a Vocal analysis review, there's probably a pretty good argument for songs like "Pancreas", "One More Minute", "Hardware Store", or "Mission Statement" which aren't like crazy popular, but really feature his chops. (Especially Pancreas where it's super obvious he's doing all ~8 tracks)
It's a badge of honor to be parodied by Weird Al. He doesn't get enough credit for his talent. He's such a brilliant musician and lyricist. I heard him when I was a kid in the 70's with "Another One Rides the Bus". I've followed him my entire life and he's truly one of my favorite artists. If you can see him live, treat yourself. Last time I saw him he did this song and "Yoda" as his encore.
I mean when you think about it, there's a lot of musical careers that don't even last that long. Or like, their careers are set in their "heyday" and then they wind up singing the same songs for ages and ages... And then there's Weird Al, who has been making parodies for literal decades, and while it's been a few years since he made anything new, people still love stuff from all over his career timeline.
I heard an interview where he said the number 27 is frequently used in parodies because so much music is written in 4/4 time, and it’s the smallest number with four syllables. He heard that people were paying more attention to where he used 27 instead of just listening to the whole songs, so in “Albuquerque” he used 26½ just to mess with them!
He’s an absolute genius, he has so many hits that it’s damn near offensive he’s not in the rock and roll hall of fame. I’m gonna have to subscribe now.
Al is a musical genius. I've loved him since the "Eat It" days, and he never disappoints. I'm grateful to his late parents every day, for buying him his first accordian as a child 🙂
Weird Al is such an underrated musician. People just laugh at his parodies without truly understanding how much work it takes to make it his own, AND keep it true to the original. He's a multi-instrument musician, an accomplished singer, songwriter, and entertainer. There's not many of those in the world ever. This is my favorite that he's done, and I'm glad you covered it!
I'm glad you did this one. It's nice to see a pro recognize an unsung genius. Most people get as far as "Al does funny songs." They don't notice that Al and his band, most of which have been with him since the 80's, have spent decades doing an astonishingly wide variety of musical styles, often better than the original artist.
He doesn't sing "like" a proper singer, he *is* a proper singer. And his band are incredible talented musicians. You gotta admire such dedicated artists in any genre.
Weird Al is a highly skilled musical mastermind. Lets not forget he did a Devo-style song "Dare to Be Stupid" that Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo) claimed was so good that he hated it. Also his song "CNR" is a spot-on interpretation of the White Stripes. The guy has some serious musical talent.
Hello, I want you to know just how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you for your love and support. You are a true fan, and I am so grateful for that. You cannot imagine how much strength your support has given me during a difficult time. I appreciate you more than words can say. I hope you keep being a great fan!❤️☺️ Where are you following from?☺️❤
If y’all like this, and get ever get the chance, see Weird Al live. He’s one of the few artists that sounds as fantastic live as in studio, and his shows are amazing!
I was fortunate enough to see him on the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour in Grand Rapids. It was the only time I've seen him live, and it was exactly the sort of experience I was looking for (for my own tastes.) Other folks love the theatrics, the costumes, the big show... but this tour was just him, his musicians, and some stools on the stage, singing (original) songs and telling stories. The only thing that would have made it even better for me was if there had been more storytelling, but it was great as it was--an intimate, fun, stripped-down show at a medium-sized venue (20 Monroe Live.) None of that is to say that the normal big show is anything but amazing, but for me, this was just what I wanted and it was fantastic. :)
@@ToraTiger78 That sounds amazing! I saw him live and while the show was good, great music and performance, I was a bit disappointed right until the end, when they basically did an Unplugged type set of songs, all gathered together center stage. THAT was awesome! I think the reason is most bands have some interaction with the crowd, but Al is too busy changing into costumes for the next set to establish that rapport, and it's something I guess I want from a performer? IDK, it just felt off somehow. But that Unplugged bit really perked me up at the end. Whereas something like the show you mention would have been right up my alley!
Great video! Weird Al is one of the most underrated vocalists out there. He has covered an incredible variety of styles over the decades and absolutely nailed enery one of them, all while maintaining his own signature sound. And writing hilarious lyrics and developing sopt on arrangements on top of it all.
I came across him with "eat it". His version of "Beat it". While Eddy van Halen played that super fast guitar solo in the original, Rick Derringer mimics it in his version. I don't wanna give away the surprise at the end ;-)
He took vocal lessons, just before "The Theme To Spy Hard", everything, from there forward, has a different polish. His work ethic has always been outrageous, though. He lines everything up, perfectly. The dude does have a Degree in Architecture.
Weird Al is probably my favorite musician of all time! It blows my mind that some people still haven't heard of him, but it's always fun watching them discover him and his talent. He's the god of parodies, but he's also just an amazingly talented and fun individual all around.
I'm still stunned that she has lived her entire life without hearing a Weird Al song. He has literally been performing since 10 years before she was born.
@@vinnygi there's a certain group in the UK that are aware. I'm probably only a few years younger then Beth, I'm not sure how old she is, but plenty of Weird Al was shared around the playground at school and he was well known.
I love how Weird Al manages to tell the entire story of The Phantom Menace in just over 5 minutes. It's more humane to tell people to listen to this song, than to tell them to watch the movie. 😁
This is my favorite of all his songs. Weird Al is shockingly talented, and really serves as living proof that we shouldn’t equate goofiness and fun with being childish, he’s silly… but he’s also a very very impressive artist.
Thanks for appreciating that Al is not just clever, but also a really, really good singer! So many people miss that. (He's also a great musician in general and composes a lot of his own stuff besides the parodies, FWIW).
"He's singing like a proper singer", well, Weird AL has been doing this since 1973. His first "hit" was 1979. Which I bet is way before your time! Weird AL is AMAZING!!! You absolutely NEED to hear more of his parodies!!!
Try “Living With A Hernia” for a great example of how Al mimics not just the music and parodies the lyrics, but adapts himself to the style of the original artist, James Brown in this case, even while using the proper medical terminology to list all the different types of hernias one can get.
@@cueball981 i saw him again around 10 years ago i think it was, actually maybe even less and he still did all the old classics and tons of new stuff with full costume sets in between i was surprised i thought he would have done a much simpler set now. In between changes he would play his parody interviews with celebrities and things like that on the big screen. Start to finish it was non stop entertainment and he nails those songs live better than some of the artists he parodies. 100% recommend anyone go see him live no matter what your music tastes are.
Al is just so amazingly creative! I've been a fan since I was a kid, and got to see him live about 3 years ago...his level of energy in performances is insane! 2+ hour show, and he did a complete outfit change at least every other song, it's SO GOOD!
Welcome to Weird Al. He's been doing this for 45 years. If you're thinking about checking more of his stuff, I'd recommend Handy (Fancy) or Foil (Royals).
You need to react to more of his stuff. His Michael Jackson parodies are the best, also Living with a hernia, White and nerdy, like a surgeon, and many many more
Weird Al is such an amazing musician, even though he is making parodies. He respected the original song, the artist that maid that song, and the new material he is using to replace the original lyrics. I have maid it a point to get all his CD's and have seen him live. Thank you Beth
Ok so - you're gonna want to check out one of Weird Al's polkas, for sure. The Hamilton Polka seems likely to be right up your alley: th-cam.com/video/3v0c6smpHSk/w-d-xo.html
I actually saw the video for "Smells Like Nirvana" before I'd heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Also, I didn't recognize Weird Al until the end of the video, when it listed the singer. So, I was totally confused. Is that Dick Van Patten? What's with the cow and the sheep? Why's he cutting his hair? What's with the marbles? Oh, it's Weird Al!
7:40 The word “Day” - I’d never noticed that series of legato notes in the original but this is something I worked on after listening carefully to this version (Al does it more than once in here) and it became a karaoke go-to for me.
I firmly believe that "Cuz I'm stranded all alone / at the gas station of love / and I have to use the self-service pumps" is pure, unmitigated genius.
Weird Al is literally the best spoof artist, he cares about the music and making sure that he makes the music as accurate as possible, that's why he has been able to do it for decades
Seeing this song done live is amazing. He usually reachs out to a local chapter of the 501st Cosplay group wherever he's performing as has several of them on stage in Stormtrooper armor and other Star Wars Costumes. The song tends to become a sing-along on the chorus parts. Al does the best live show in the business in my opinion.
"Smells Like Nirvana" (Smells Like Teen Spirit), "Fat" (Michael Jackson's "Bad"), "Eat It" (Beat It), "My Balogna" (My Sharona), "You're Pitiful" (James Blunt's "You're Beautiful")... too, too many to name. The guy is a genius. And actually genuinely a smart, smart dude -- high school valedictorian (there's a great story about his Valedictory Address). Took my oldest son to see him live. He can indeed sing, and his band is comprised of top-notch musicians. Great reaction -- definitely check out more of his catalogue!
Seeing all the love for Al, which is warranted, but want to throw a shout out to his band. They have been with him for decades and can play any style that you can think of. Every one of them is a musical genius.
Weird Al is a very very skilled vocalist. He can do an extremely wide range of different styles and has a lot of range, and he's clearly taken good care of his voice over the years since he can still do long live shows without issue. Heck, in the 90s, he was able to perform "Pretty Fly For a Rabbi" live without changing the pitch, while The Offspring usually played Pretty Fly For a White Guy a few steps down. Also, his band has been with him since the start too, and they are also all ridiculously talented musical chameleons.
Something that has always impressed me about Weird Al is his ability to hear a song and figure out lyrics and jokes to change so little about the original song but make it genuinely funny and good alongside the original. He's both a musical and comedic genius, no one will ever even be able to come close to his legacy and longevity when it comes to comedy music. There were artists that considered it an honor to be parodied by Weird Al, like that meant they made it. I remember a story about when Al parodied "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana where he basically poked fun at how Kurt Cobain had an unintelligible lyrical delivery, and some of the people around the band were worried about Kurt hearing it because they weren't sure how he'd react because he was a serious artists. Turned out, Kurt thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard and, if I'm not mistaken, actually wrote Al personally to tell him how much he loved it and to thank him for making it.
Beth, how do you not know who Weird Al is? He's iconic! Lol! Any artist who has made it will say you haven't made it big until Weird Al has parodied your music.
@@lightbulb1982, each to their own. Why so negative though? Nothing nice to say?Why not keep it to yourself, or did your parents not teach you manners? SMH...
The first time I heard him was on the Dr. Demento Show in the very late '70s. He got his start in our local collages men's bathroom. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Ca. He's the master of parody songs. Love everything he has done.
In 1984 Madonna called Al up and asked " Hey where is my parody?" Thus Like a Virgin became Like a Surgeon , I loved your breakdown it was fabulous. Be well and have a great day.
Al is amazing, I saw him in small hometown Canada, after the show one of his bandmates came out and asked "Hey, does anyone want a piece of Al's guitar?" I still have it to this day.(He smashed it on the parody of Teen Spirit).
Considering how many different styles and artists Weird Al has parodied, it's truly impressive how well he's able to imitate them all while still putting his own spin on them. For this one in particular, Don McLean has said he sometimes has to catch himself during concerts because Al's lyrics pop into his head while he's singing "American Pie".
Hahahahahaha, that’s awesome. :)
Thats like the ultimate compliment for a parody artist
Lol, came here to mention this. Awesome sauce 🤘
You haven't made it till Weird Al parodies you. He couldn't parody an obscure artist. I think the most obscure is his genius in France tip of the hat to Zappa. However that is a whole other level of epic.
This is not true, don McLean died way before this parody even existed
" He is singing like a proper singer. "
In order for Weird Al to be as successful as he has been doing the style of parodies he does, he actually has to be better than the original singers. Most people don't realize just how talented he truly is.
true, paradies dont work if the person cannot sell it as a actual song and Weird Al does that with flying colors. This is something you can laugh at and dance to at the same time... there will never be a better master of parodies than Al Yankovic.
Al has been doing this for 40 years, so yes - he is a proper singer and quite intelligent to come up with the lyrics to his parody songs and to mimic the singer and their musical styles. And I've been a fan of his since the early 80's.
He's more then better of a singer he's better then every kind singer
Seen him live multiple times. God he puts on an amazing show.
And don't forget his band. They are able to play anything and most people wouldn't even know it wasn't the original band.
What amazes me about Yankovic is how he easily could have been a blip of 80s humour and yet has had multiple hits in 90s, 00s and is relevant today.
No one does music parody like him and built a 40 year career with it.
Weird Al is one of FIVE to have a top 40 hit in the past 4 decades (80s, 90s, 00s, 10s). The others are Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, and Kenny G).
And it all started with tapes submitted to Dr Demento.
He is the true master and genius of music parody.
He invented music video parodies and is still unmatched.
He has over 80 songs that are not in the form of parody and they are just as great.
Some9ne else said 3rd artist in history to have A top 40 in 4 decades in a row, behind Michael Jackson & Madonna. 5 Grammies & 6 platinum albums. Weird Al is the G.O.A.T
Weird Al is a vocal chameleon. He matches style and tonality with the original songs singer. A perfect example of this is his parody of Nirvana's Smells like Team Spirit. Smells like Nirvana. You have to hear it to appreciate his vocal ability
That was the first time I heard him. I had a tape where one side was the never mind album and the other side was an album of weird Al where the first song was smells like Nirvana and he sounded really really good I was trying to compare to the original and it just sounded so good.
headline news is perfect
perfect
Weird Al is the consummate vocal chameleon. He's done everything from big band to gangsta rap. He's an amazing showman. I've seen him in concert 6 times, and his shows are super high energy, and great fun.
Consummate everything. He can take anyones song and sound like the original
I don't think I've ever seen a reaction before. Well done Beth!
You could have done Eat It, his Michael Jackson Beat It
His Hamilton polka is spot on.
There were SO MANY costume changes when I got to see him live! He puts in the work.
I suggest white and nerdy to show a contrast to this
Yeah, I've seen him live twice and he just kills it. So clever and talented!
Weird Al is such an underappreciated musical genius. His career has outlived most of those he parodies. On top of that, he is a class act and always gets permission from the original artist to parody their work, even though legally he does not have to.
Rumor is he never got permission for Gangasta Paradise, Coolio said it was a too important song to remake
@@michellebrodeur3880 he got permission from coolio’s record label, but not coolio himself. But….he cashed the royalty checks, so…
The wiki page for the song goes into more detail, with coolio admitting his refusal was pretty dumb.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_Paradise
@@michellebrodeur3880 That's not a rumor. His people told him that he had gotten permission from Coolio, and thus he made the parody. Weird Al and Coolio have made up since, however.
@@DraconasLyrr Also, from that moment forward Al would never take the word of his record label or anyone else. He makes sure to contact the artist(s) directly and speak to them to get the ok for his parodies. At this point, though, he is such a legend that artists would have to be insane or have the stupidest stick up their ass to refuse him. As so many others have said, you know you've made it when Weird Al wants to parody you.
@@mr.osclasses5054 the ego necessary to refuse a Weird Al parity, I can imagine.
"He is singing like a proper singer"..... Excuse me, miss. Mr. Yankovic IS a proper singer!
What I love reading in these comments is how everyone has a favorite Al parody and it's different from everyone else's. It speaks volumes to the high quality of his catalog.
whats even better is not one negative comment about him everyone either loves him or has atleast one song they like
ALL of his work is my favorite Weird Al song...even his polkas.
But we all know that albuquerque is his best song ;)
How do you pick just 1?
My Favorite is not even a Parody.
"When I was your Age" from "Off the Deep End" Album B Side, Track 1
He's also a master accordion player and plays a mean polka.
I agree with everyone here. It would be awesome seeing you explore more of Al's music. He's a mad genius.
she could react to a live polka medley
He has a polka melody on even album. It one of my favourite parts.
Like the Hamilton Polka
Hardware Store lol
@@chrisclark7170 That's great as a parody piece, but for the purposes of showcasing his range as a singer it's not great.
Pretty much any of his other polkas would be better used as an example, as he always covers several different styles of music done as Polka without losing the essence of the vocals in them, which is why the joke works well enough to be a running gag on his albums.
Al and his backing band don't get enough credit for their ability to change their style song to song.
Same band for decades. And one of the best and most versatile bands I've seen live
The part in Al's Trapped in the Drive-Thru (his parody of Trapped in the Closet), where he turns on the radio and Led Zeppelin's Black Dog plays? That's NOT Zeppelin, it's Al's band.
@@radwolf76 and his guitarist is a Grammy winning Hawaiian slack-guitar player from Canada. So random its perfect
@@radwolf76 I believe the one and only exception to this was Beverly Hillbillies.
Indeed. Not only is it amazing that Al has kept the same backing band from basically the beginning (more or less, as his first album was less a rock album and more accordion-driven), but his band has amazing chops, being able to play basically anything, any genre. They're all incredible musicians.
"He's singing like a proper singer."
Umm... He IS a proper singer LOL
I just said the same thing. 🤙🏻
Yeah, but you don't have to be a narc about it dude.
We all know that in order to parody a song you DON'T HAVE to make an super quality vocal performance, unless you're parody is the vocal performance itself, and not even that much. Al uses the super famous songs to parody things that are going on in the culture, so the super quality vocal performances is just something he brings to the audience from his passion and commitment to a next level good work.
...like you didn't know.
The fact that Weird Al is mainly known for his parodies tends to undermine people's impressions about him. Truth is he's a damn good vocalist and lyricist in his own right... plus the man can rock the accordion like no one's business.
@@suziechapstick8236 and folks should hear him rap. He portrayed Sir Isaac Newton in an Epic Rap Battle that was...well, EPIC.
I think Beth was talking more in terms of classically/professionally trained vs a personal with heaps of natural talent.
I always remember a documentary with Al's bandmates (who are AMAZING, in case you didn't notice!) mentioned that Al never gets enough credit for his actual vocals as a singer, because his singing abilities aren't highlighted as the comedy is the central part. That's always stayed with me. When you look at the range of the guy, and how he adapts from style to style --- the dude has one HELL of a voice. - Look up some of his actual covers if you can, they're amazing. :)
As far as Weird Al’s diction, he covered Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”. His version? “Word Crimes”.
Oh......hell yeah. Beth needs to check that song out! She won't believe his control on that.
I feel like that song should be mandatory for all English classes.
Better than the original, IMHO. :)
Nasally ... I think he is always nasally ... Keeps it tongue in cheek.
Yes, I got to see him perform that live
Weird Al "Amish Paradise" is still my favourite after all these years.
That was my favorite until he did Foil (Royals by Lorde)
Nah. 'Foil" and "Party in the CIA" just fucking slap !
if it's your favorite, then you must be someone who realizes that the last street scene in the video was filmed backwards, right? .. right?! 😃
@@MrPostman900 indeed, and that's a feat.
Even Coolio finally came around.
One of Al's most amazing qualities is the clarity of his voice.
I've always loved Weird Al, but I love how you broke down everything he does right in his music. It makes me appreciate it more.
I recommend checking out Al’s “Word Crimes”.
I second that!
yah what a masterpiece!!! the perfect video lol
The fact that Weird Al is new to Beth opens up for loads of hilarious reactions in the future.
She needs to listen to One More Minute or Good Enough For Now a couple early originals he did.
You need to go back to his early parodies -Amish Paradise, Like a Surgeon, Eat it, Christmas at ground zero, Then night santa went crazy and more to see how he does a range of styles.
Al also recorded the best breakup song EVER: "One More Minute"
I love that one!
Greatest love song ever written in my opinion
@@christopherkobish566 😂 I'll go with that...lol
And the best Christmas song too "The Night Santa Went Crazy"
@@maurer3d I prefer "Christmas at Ground Zero"
Ive been listening to him for almost 40 years, he probably the most diverse artist Ive ever heard, he's parodied successfully, rock, rap, grunge, country, pretty much every genre of music.
The good old days of the Doctor demento show.
I agree. And his original songs are some of his best, in my opinion.
Wow it’s hard to believe you’ve never heard him, even on accident. He’s amazing and actually a great musician in his own right, his ability to mimic other artists with different lyrics is incredible.
His lyric writing talent is amazing.
His lyrics are usually more successful in conveying a story than the original.
Al is a word cop. He says so in his books. So in that vein. You do things "by accident" not "on accident "
@@DanielRobertKane So, in that VEIN. :P
@@ChrisM-xx6cf I was hoping that wouldn't be noticed. I also didn't realize you could edit a comment after the fact. Now I know. I love auto correct....right up until I don't.
See my recent post. Beth seems like she only had weakly intermittent BBC shortwave access to learn about western pop culture on St Helena.
Weird Al is a super talented multi-instrumentalist who fully embraces his dorkiness with no apologies. His parodies are what he is famous for, but his own compositions are also quite good.
You say he's a multi-instrumentalist but when I asked him, he said the only instrument he's good at is the accordion! (Though he has been known to play the keyboard well, but he doesn't admit that one!)
Yeah he's famous for the parodies, but I love his originals the most.
@@singemfrc I agree. For me, his originals from Bad Hair Day onwards really began to outshine his parodies. His pastiches really showcase his versatility. I always thought Genius in France was pretty good until I started listening to Frank Zappa. Then I was able to really appreciate the bizarre genius to that song. Bob is another brilliant example.
His "style parodies" are often my favorite songs "by" the group he's mimicking: "Germs" is my favorite Nine Inch Nails song, and "Dare To Be Stupid" is my favorite Devo song (which I understand Devo lovingly play in their own concerts!)
It broke my heart, that Al came to Houston right after we moved her and I couldn't afford to go. Especially, since it was the tour of all original tunes.
His singing, his humor, his lyrics, his presentation and style, his chameleon ability to replicate any style of song, he is a unique gift to the musical world, and a treasure that I don't think many people truly appreciate, who just think of him as Weird Al the singer and don't know more.
Props also to the band. They have amped so many styles of music, and done all of them so well.
Whenever I hear American Pie all I hear now is Weird Al's lyrics
Yep
so many songs have been converted in my head due to Al lol
Don McClean had that problem when this came out too.
Whenever "Smells Like Teens Spirit" comes on the radio, I sing along but with Weird Al's lyrics.
Same. Along with many other songs.
Weird Al & his longtime band are indeed way more than just a funny gimmick. They are quite good at capturing varied musical genres and artist styles.
No matter which artist/band they parody, they always up to the task.
Al and his band are, in my opinion, one of the the most versatile bands in modern music. They play everything from classic to rap. highly underrated.
I've had the pleasure to see Al and his amazing band live a few years ago. Great all round performance 👍❤️
A few years ago, he did a tour where he had symphony orchestras backing him (in addition to his band.) It was awesome.
I remember when I was a kid, listening to the Dr Demento show on my radio when I was supposed to be sleeping, and hearing My Bologna (My Sharona) and Another One Rides The Bus (Another One Bites the Dust), two of his earliest projects.
Many forget that Al submitted a demo to Demento.
@@bemasaberwyn55 and that demo became the most requested song on the show. :)
Hello, I want you to know just how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you for your love and support. You are a true fan, and I am so grateful for that. You cannot imagine how much strength your support has given me during a difficult time. I appreciate you more than words can say. I hope you keep being a great fan!❤️☺️
Where are you following from?☺️
Fat by Weird Al is a classic. I recommend this one for you Beth.
Al and his band have been together for like 40 years, and are flat out amazing musicians.
I saw them summer 2019 , my last concert before the world changed. I was amazed how good they were live, and Al could seriously spit bars live, too
Weird Al has an incredible range, from 'Living with a Hernia' to 'Fat' to 'White and Nerdy' to 'Aluminum Foil'...
You could react to almost every song of his and still have more to talk about.
I love how Beth looked genuinely sad when Al was singing about everyone dying in battle.
The scary thing is how young Al looks in this video. His career started in the late '70s.
Weird Al has a portrait of himself in the attic, if you know what I'm saying.
@@Nobody1707 I'm just sad he'll hit the end of the universe... and no one to be awesome with... 😢
He recorded this song decades ago
What's scarier is how much hair product he must be using. Remember his older videos where he has that huge afro of curly hair? Yes, his hair is naturally super-curly.
He was about 40 when this was recorded
I lived in Japan in the mid-90s and used to go to a department store quite regularly. They always had a Weird Al album playing and I think they genuinely believed it was a regular compilation album. I still hear TLC’s Waterfalls as Phony Calls.
Gangstas paradise, riding dirty and many others no longer exist for me. They have been supplanted by Weird Al
I think you're the first vocal coach on TH-cam I've seen who broke down one of Weird Al's songs. Awesome job. If you ever have the chance, catch him live. I've been to three of his concert's and the guy puts on a show, not just with music, but with costume changes and video segments. Totally entertaining.
You should see him sing this live. He always holds out "Heeeeeeeee's a ghost"
I saw this at the Running with Scissors tour. everybody cheered when "Some Gungans died". We managed to crack Al up.
You should really give "Amish Paradise" a listen if you liked this.
You just cracked ME up...
Weird Al is a legend! I'd love to see a review of yours for any other song he's done. He the master of quality parody.
Amish paradise is a masterpiece
Given this will be a Vocal analysis review, there's probably a pretty good argument for songs like "Pancreas", "One More Minute", "Hardware Store", or "Mission Statement" which aren't like crazy popular, but really feature his chops. (Especially Pancreas where it's super obvious he's doing all ~8 tracks)
Or word crimes, best one, White and nerdy.
Definitely agree about One More Minute.
It's a badge of honor to be parodied by Weird Al. He doesn't get enough credit for his talent. He's such a brilliant musician and lyricist. I heard him when I was a kid in the 70's with "Another One Rides the Bus". I've followed him my entire life and he's truly one of my favorite artists. If you can see him live, treat yourself. Last time I saw him he did this song and "Yoda" as his encore.
His parody of Crash Test Dummies “Headline News” is GREAT.
Weird Al is legendary. Of course you now need to do “Yoda” which is a parody of Lola by The Kinks.
She needs the live video segueing through the Star Wars parodies.
Star Wars Cantina, anyone?
There’s almost nothing he can’t do
he constructs his songs so brilliantly
I’d recommend ‘White and Nerdy’ but most of his singles are worth looking at
Weird Al is a musical genius. He's hilarious, but he's also a VERY talented musician. He's been doing this for over 40 years. A living legend.
I mean when you think about it, there's a lot of musical careers that don't even last that long. Or like, their careers are set in their "heyday" and then they wind up singing the same songs for ages and ages...
And then there's Weird Al, who has been making parodies for literal decades, and while it's been a few years since he made anything new, people still love stuff from all over his career timeline.
His parodies are so ridiculously hysterically funny, and the lyrics are so brilliant, that it's easy to overlook the fact that he's a fabulous singer!
My favorite Weird Al song has to be Albuquerque. It's such a crazy epic song
I heard an interview where he said the number 27 is frequently used in parodies because so much music is written in 4/4 time, and it’s the smallest number with four syllables. He heard that people were paying more attention to where he used 27 instead of just listening to the whole songs, so in “Albuquerque” he used 26½ just to mess with them!
Wakka wakka doodoo yeah!
You must do more Weird Al Beth!
agree 100%!!
“One More Minute” is his best song.
He’s an absolute genius, he has so many hits that it’s damn near offensive he’s not in the rock and roll hall of fame. I’m gonna have to subscribe now.
Al is a musical genius. I've loved him since the "Eat It" days, and he never disappoints. I'm grateful to his late parents every day, for buying him his first accordian as a child 🙂
You should definitely check out Amish paradise and foil
Or White and Nerdy or Eat It.
Smells like nirvana :-)
Jerry springer is another
Huh actually my two favorites of his.
& Craig's List lol, actually just listen to lots of Weird Al, you cannot go wrong
Forty years of pure parody genius. Weird Al is the GOAT!
Weird Al is such an underrated musician. People just laugh at his parodies without truly understanding how much work it takes to make it his own, AND keep it true to the original. He's a multi-instrument musician, an accomplished singer, songwriter, and entertainer. There's not many of those in the world ever. This is my favorite that he's done, and I'm glad you covered it!
I'm glad you did this one. It's nice to see a pro recognize an unsung genius. Most people get as far as "Al does funny songs." They don't notice that Al and his band, most of which have been with him since the 80's, have spent decades doing an astonishingly wide variety of musical styles, often better than the original artist.
"Bob" is an example of Al doing something different with diction.
And I would love to see your reaction when you finally discover the sense (not meaning) of the lyrics ... 3:)
And the Hardware Store
As is "Smells Like Nirvana," but of course in that case, that's the joke.
All the lyrics to Bob are a palindrome. Genius.
Weird Al is a national treasure
Rather, he belongs to all mankind.
He doesn't sing "like" a proper singer, he *is* a proper singer. And his band are incredible talented musicians.
You gotta admire such dedicated artists in any genre.
Weird Al is a highly skilled musical mastermind. Lets not forget he did a Devo-style song "Dare to Be Stupid" that Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo) claimed was so good that he hated it. Also his song "CNR" is a spot-on interpretation of the White Stripes. The guy has some serious musical talent.
Hello, I want you to know just how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you for your love and support. You are a true fan, and I am so grateful for that. You cannot imagine how much strength your support has given me during a difficult time. I appreciate you more than words can say. I hope you keep being a great fan!❤️☺️
Where are you following from?☺️❤
If y’all like this, and get ever get the chance, see Weird Al live. He’s one of the few artists that sounds as fantastic live as in studio, and his shows are amazing!
I was fortunate enough to see him on the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour in Grand Rapids.
It was the only time I've seen him live, and it was exactly the sort of experience I was looking for (for my own tastes.)
Other folks love the theatrics, the costumes, the big show... but this tour was just him, his musicians, and some stools on the stage, singing (original) songs and telling stories.
The only thing that would have made it even better for me was if there had been more storytelling, but it was great as it was--an intimate, fun, stripped-down show at a medium-sized venue (20 Monroe Live.)
None of that is to say that the normal big show is anything but amazing, but for me, this was just what I wanted and it was fantastic. :)
@@ToraTiger78 That sounds amazing! I saw him live and while the show was good, great music and performance, I was a bit disappointed right until the end, when they basically did an Unplugged type set of songs, all gathered together center stage. THAT was awesome! I think the reason is most bands have some interaction with the crowd, but Al is too busy changing into costumes for the next set to establish that rapport, and it's something I guess I want from a performer? IDK, it just felt off somehow. But that Unplugged bit really perked me up at the end. Whereas something like the show you mention would have been right up my alley!
I've seen him three times, and it was an amazing and different experience each time. An amazing artist!
Great video! Weird Al is one of the most underrated vocalists out there. He has covered an incredible variety of styles over the decades and absolutely nailed enery one of them, all while maintaining his own signature sound. And writing hilarious lyrics and developing sopt on arrangements on top of it all.
Weird Al is a musical genius, I absolutely love him, I've been listening to his music since I was a kid in the 80s.
Al is always amazing. He can perfectly imitate styles and songs while creating a hilarious parody.
You should do a reaction to Wierd Al's Living With A Hernia
I feel good about this suggestion
Even Godfather of Soul, late James Brown lend his band and dancers to do a video with Weird Al......that shows respect!
I came across him with "eat it". His version of "Beat it". While Eddy van Halen played that super fast guitar solo in the original, Rick Derringer mimics it in his version. I don't wanna give away the surprise at the end ;-)
I feel like Rick just did his own solo. I like them both equally (heard "Eat it" first) but I wouldn't call it a mimic in this case.
He took vocal lessons, just before "The Theme To Spy Hard", everything, from there forward, has a different polish.
His work ethic has always been outrageous, though.
He lines everything up, perfectly.
The dude does have a Degree in Architecture.
Weird Al is probably my favorite musician of all time! It blows my mind that some people still haven't heard of him, but it's always fun watching them discover him and his talent. He's the god of parodies, but he's also just an amazingly talented and fun individual all around.
Still love the fact he only needs half a sentence to tell like 45 minutes of movie, 'some gungans died and some ships blew up' etc.
Beth is just dying of laughter and I friggin' love it.
I'm still stunned that she has lived her entire life without hearing a Weird Al song. He has literally been performing since 10 years before she was born.
@@TheBigburcie I’ve been told that Weird Al is mostly unknown outside America.
@@vinnygi there's a certain group in the UK that are aware. I'm probably only a few years younger then Beth, I'm not sure how old she is, but plenty of Weird Al was shared around the playground at school and he was well known.
@@andrewcharlton4053 that’s good to know.
I love how Weird Al manages to tell the entire story of The Phantom Menace in just over 5 minutes.
It's more humane to tell people to listen to this song, than to tell them to watch the movie. 😁
Maybe it should be added to the Machete Order in which to watch the movies:
4, 5, Weird Al, 2, 3, 6
What is even more impressive about this whole thing is that he wrote it off leaked scripts on the internet... The accuracy here is unbelievable.
The song is so much better than the movie
Weird Al is awesome for doing this song. The O.T's and P.T's are great. George Lucas is great. The S.T's SUCK BIG TIME.
And you are the reason that Lucas sold Star Wars
This is my favorite of all his songs. Weird Al is shockingly talented, and really serves as living proof that we shouldn’t equate goofiness and fun with being childish, he’s silly… but he’s also a very very impressive artist.
You're the GOAT for this one, Beth! Weird Al rules.
Thanks for appreciating that Al is not just clever, but also a really, really good singer! So many people miss that. (He's also a great musician in general and composes a lot of his own stuff besides the parodies, FWIW).
"He's singing like a proper singer", well, Weird AL has been doing this since 1973. His first "hit" was 1979. Which I bet is way before your time! Weird AL is AMAZING!!! You absolutely NEED to hear more of his parodies!!!
Try “Living With A Hernia” for a great example of how Al mimics not just the music and parodies the lyrics, but adapts himself to the style of the original artist, James Brown in this case, even while using the proper medical terminology to list all the different types of hernias one can get.
You should see his live show, even at his age now he still does full costumes and everything for every song. Amazing show man.
I saw him about 20 years ago at our State Fair outside of Seattle. He was awesome!
@@cueball981 i saw him again around 10 years ago i think it was, actually maybe even less and he still did all the old classics and tons of new stuff with full costume sets in between i was surprised i thought he would have done a much simpler set now. In between changes he would play his parody interviews with celebrities and things like that on the big screen. Start to finish it was non stop entertainment and he nails those songs live better than some of the artists he parodies. 100% recommend anyone go see him live no matter what your music tastes are.
@@MetalStormGames can't agree with you more! He really is extremely talented!
I've seen him around 40 times and I agree everyone should see him live
Al is just so amazingly creative! I've been a fan since I was a kid, and got to see him live about 3 years ago...his level of energy in performances is insane! 2+ hour show, and he did a complete outfit change at least every other song, it's SO GOOD!
I'd love to see you breakdown hardware store one of his original tunes
I really don't understand how anyone can not know about Weird Al. He touches every genre and some of his parodies are more popular than the originals.
Welcome to Weird Al. He's been doing this for 45 years. If you're thinking about checking more of his stuff, I'd recommend Handy (Fancy) or Foil (Royals).
You need to react to more of his stuff. His Michael Jackson parodies are the best, also Living with a hernia, White and nerdy, like a surgeon, and many many more
I dunno man, every time I see Al writhing sexy on a guerney I get nauseous......
Al is the master of parody. His band have always impressed me with the fact that they can play literally any style.
Weird Al is such an amazing musician, even though he is making parodies. He respected the original song, the artist that maid that song, and the new material he is using to replace the original lyrics. I have maid it a point to get all his CD's and have seen him live.
Thank you Beth
He is simply the best at what he does. Artists are proud to get parodied by Weird Al.
Ok so - you're gonna want to check out one of Weird Al's polkas, for sure.
The Hamilton Polka seems likely to be right up your alley:
th-cam.com/video/3v0c6smpHSk/w-d-xo.html
The video of Lin-Manuel Miranda listening to "The Hamilton Polka" for the first time is a thing of joy.
COVID was a surprise but not nearly as much as Beth not knowing Weird Al.
Seconded
I recomend "Smells like Nirvana" by Weird Al, it's pretty damn hilarious.
I actually saw the video for "Smells Like Nirvana" before I'd heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Also, I didn't recognize Weird Al until the end of the video, when it listed the singer. So, I was totally confused. Is that Dick Van Patten? What's with the cow and the sheep? Why's he cutting his hair? What's with the marbles? Oh, it's Weird Al!
That's a great one she should review!
Tell me one of Al's song that isn't funny
7:40 The word “Day” - I’d never noticed that series of legato notes in the original but this is something I worked on after listening carefully to this version (Al does it more than once in here) and it became a karaoke go-to for me.
I can’t listen to the originals without singing the weird Al version over the top
One of my favorites of his is a parody of those 1950s doowop heartbreak songs, called "One More Minute".
I firmly believe that "Cuz I'm stranded all alone / at the gas station of love / and I have to use the self-service pumps" is pure, unmitigated genius.
'One More Minute' is my all time favorite...I salute your great taste in music, Sir!
Weird Al is literally the best spoof artist, he cares about the music and making sure that he makes the music as accurate as possible, that's why he has been able to do it for decades
Seeing this song done live is amazing. He usually reachs out to a local chapter of the 501st Cosplay group wherever he's performing as has several of them on stage in Stormtrooper armor and other Star Wars Costumes. The song tends to become a sing-along on the chorus parts. Al does the best live show in the business in my opinion.
"Smells Like Nirvana" (Smells Like Teen Spirit), "Fat" (Michael Jackson's "Bad"), "Eat It" (Beat It), "My Balogna" (My Sharona), "You're Pitiful" (James Blunt's "You're Beautiful")... too, too many to name. The guy is a genius. And actually genuinely a smart, smart dude -- high school valedictorian (there's a great story about his Valedictory Address). Took my oldest son to see him live. He can indeed sing, and his band is comprised of top-notch musicians. Great reaction -- definitely check out more of his catalogue!
I love his "You don't love me anymore" if it wasn't so crazy hilarious in the lyrics, it would be a fantastic ballad.
We’ve been together for so very long, but now things are changing. Oh I wonder what’s wrong…
@@plumbersteve You used to think I was nice. Now you think I'm the Anti-Christ...
@@leftcoaster67 Oh, if you don't mind me asking, what's this poisonous cobra doing in my underwear drawer?
If you like his crisp diction even within complicated lyrics, you may want to listen to "Hardware Store." That's still mindboggling.
Seeing all the love for Al, which is warranted, but want to throw a shout out to his band. They have been with him for decades and can play any style that you can think of. Every one of them is a musical genius.
I've been listening to Weird Al for over 30 years. His parodies are all awesome!
Weird Al is a deep dive indeed.
Weird Al is a very very skilled vocalist. He can do an extremely wide range of different styles and has a lot of range, and he's clearly taken good care of his voice over the years since he can still do long live shows without issue.
Heck, in the 90s, he was able to perform "Pretty Fly For a Rabbi" live without changing the pitch, while The Offspring usually played Pretty Fly For a White Guy a few steps down.
Also, his band has been with him since the start too, and they are also all ridiculously talented musical chameleons.
Something that has always impressed me about Weird Al is his ability to hear a song and figure out lyrics and jokes to change so little about the original song but make it genuinely funny and good alongside the original. He's both a musical and comedic genius, no one will ever even be able to come close to his legacy and longevity when it comes to comedy music. There were artists that considered it an honor to be parodied by Weird Al, like that meant they made it. I remember a story about when Al parodied "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana where he basically poked fun at how Kurt Cobain had an unintelligible lyrical delivery, and some of the people around the band were worried about Kurt hearing it because they weren't sure how he'd react because he was a serious artists. Turned out, Kurt thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard and, if I'm not mistaken, actually wrote Al personally to tell him how much he loved it and to thank him for making it.
Beth, how do you not know who Weird Al is? He's iconic! Lol! Any artist who has made it will say you haven't made it big until Weird Al has parodied your music.
Parodied not plagiarised
As far as I know that was only Kurt Cobain
@@prototypep4 Really?? You have nothing better to do than to correct a comment on TH-cam? You need a life!
@cueball981 Nah. Weird Al is the king of losers!!!
@@lightbulb1982, each to their own. Why so negative though? Nothing nice to say?Why not keep it to yourself, or did your parents not teach you manners? SMH...
The first time I heard him was on the Dr. Demento Show in the very late '70s. He got his start in our local collages men's bathroom. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Ca. He's the master of parody songs. Love everything he has done.
In 1984 Madonna called Al up and asked " Hey where is my parody?" Thus Like a Virgin became Like a Surgeon , I loved your breakdown it was fabulous. Be well and have a great day.
Al is amazing, I saw him in small hometown Canada, after the show one of his bandmates came out and asked "Hey, does anyone want a piece of Al's guitar?"
I still have it to this day.(He smashed it on the parody of Teen Spirit).