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- wernst, on 10/12/2007, -3/+37There are two kinds of people in this world:
Those that recognize Weird Al for the musical and cultural genius he is.
And everyone else.
Keep those records coming, Al. - AZTriGuy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Well, I guess it's due to him breaking the Billboard Top 10 for the first time in his almost-30-year career. If he's been going this long, and is just now peaking, we've got many more years to look forward to. I agree with the comment above, I am one to recognize him for the musical and cultural genius he is. When he makes a parody of a song, he gets everything right, from the music to the particular rhythmic meter in the lyrics. I hadn't listened to the original "Ridin' Dirty" before reading the article, and I was amazed at how closely he nails the rhythm in the rap verses. I love the polka versions of songs, too. Nothing like the "Angry White Boy Polka" to hear him do Limp Bizkit in polka, not easy to pull off, especially as convincingly as he does it.
- Murdats, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15You dont have to endure any, just dont listen
havent you figured out yet that if you dont like a song, you can turn it off? - LarianLeQuella, on 10/12/2007, -5/+17The fact that he's a comic genious?
- Murdats, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12You also have to love the fact that he is against the RIAA's sue everyone policy and in a small way tries to fight it
- leviathan3k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I appreciate the fact that he's actually a skilled musician. He and his band can play quite a few genres of music, and can do so as well as the original artist. They have the technical ability to play surprisingly complex music. They just choose to make it funny.
- LarianLeQuella, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8How true!
I love the cameos in the WHite and Nerdy video too. Al has some cool friends. - Hiker, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10What's so good about him? NOBODY does it like Weird Al does. They just don't. I've heard a couple of tracks from other people trying to parody popular songs the way Weird Al does it and inevitably my first thought is "Meh! Nowhere near as good as Weird Al!" (and I don't think that's COMPLETELY down to me having been a fan of his since "Dare to be Stupid"). I grew up listening to Weird Al (I'm 33) and imho he's still producing great material.
- Silencer7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6The excellent bit of conclusion from the article:
"Even at their silliest ("I Want a New Duck," "Addicted to Spuds"), his parodies do important cultural work: They defuse whatever seriousness clings to the ubiquitous megahit, whatever tiny sliver of it colonizes our lives and makes us dream of a pop Xanadu where everyone has perfect abs and dances synchronously for our never-ending pleasure."
I guess I understand why Coolio got so upset over "Amish Paradise"--the defusing of seriousness-- and I honestly don't know if Prince could ever have withstood a parody. But Atlantic Records shouldn't have worried so much about James Blunt ("You're Beautiful") if they had any faith in his future, especially since Blunt had given his own permission for "You're Pitiful." - wheel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6By far the best part of the White & Nerdy video was the Star Wars Kid clip. ***** classic.
- marmaduke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Still a genius, been listening to him for a long time, and he keeps them coming.
- qurk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Oh ya, I've been to a few dozen concerts, and I'd rate Weird Al's right up there in top 3 or 4. Al is a true entertainer, and with his insane talent... He and his 2 buddies on stage dressed in their Jedi garb, totally wailing on their accordions, and ad-libbing what sounds like nonsense but is all synchronized....absolute genious!! Not to mention a couple of 15 minute polkas.....this man is the real deal!! Absolutely awesome show!
- digitaloxygen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Just watched / listened to White & Nerdy for the first time. Bloody Amazing!
- chartsandgraphs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3al is a genius, and his live show is second to none. sure you feel like a total dork, but you'll laugh and laugh.
- tnargy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Weird Al is the one and only parody king in my opinion.
- nostartnoend, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This was an excellently written article. Thoughtful, eloquent, and grounded. Guess it helps to have a good subject.
- fclown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1See here for the best of Weird Al's videos
http://aheadofthetimes.blogspot.com/2006/10/weird-al-day.html - licoricewhip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've been fan since "Eat It" hit the radio waves in my area. His geekness is magnetic.
- harmlessinc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2If you are going to troll a story at least have the brains to understand that Sherman also had people that he copied off of, and if you feel the need to make yourself look smart by dragging of entertainers of previous generations you might as well add Spike Jones to the list as well.
- ShrimpCrackers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Coolio was just faking his concern. He certainly didn't mind the cash that Weird Al paid him for licensing the song. He only went out afterwards when goaded by the public.
- cosmicr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3you've obviously never listened to a weird al album. only a handful of his songs are parodies. the rest are other great original songs that showcase his talent.
- ChronicColonic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Weird Al has been parodying and doing original work since 1979. I remember an original tune from him called "I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead"...terrific song!
It is not listed on the Wikipedia page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_al - jmnugent, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3The man is a comic genius.
Comic.
Genius. - HappyScrappy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I'm guessing it's kind of like that, but really more of a coordinated astroturf campaign.
- LarianLeQuella, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Speaking of James Blunt, who did the "My Cubicle" parody? That was actually done quite well too.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I can see it now. When the great book of musical history closes on weird al's career - his live shows will rank up there with william shatner, ashlee simpson, nkotb and paris hilton! He is a friggin pop music deity! Musical expression in its purest form I tells ya.
- gthyb, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I'm glad someone wrote that.
- Endlessmix, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0*****
- Zukunft, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Well, even the original songs are parodies themselves. Just parodies of genres of musical styles by a certain artists. Like Bob for example.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Bwahaha! Dorks.
- xtr3m, on 10/12/2007, -11/+2He is great and all, but what's up with this whole Weird Al flood on digg today?
- HappyScrappy, on 10/12/2007, -15/+1Sorry Al, I once throught you had something. But really, in the end, copying other people's hard work and writing a few rhyming lines to pretend to make it your own is just kind of morally bankrupt.
It's one thing to make a gag once off of other people's stuff. But to do it consistently most likely shows you can't figure out how to do what the people he spoofs somehow manage to do.
For music, give me Allan Sherman any day. He wrote his own music.
Loved "UHF" Al. Great stuff. Then again, I loved "Private Parts" too and I can't stand Howard Stern. - TheWorm, on 10/12/2007, -44/+1Somehow I knew I would be dugg down for that. What do people like in him?
- TheWorm, on 10/12/2007, -53/+2How many more will we have to endure?
I'll admit that I laughed on a few occasions during the "White and Nerdy" video but often times I find him to be annoying.
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