Being a hardcore Weird Al fan since 1983 and having seen him live 10 times, being given the task of coming up with a Top 5 song list is quite daunting. Each Weird Al album (and each song for that matter) has a special place in my heart. However, I love challenges so here it goes...
My number 5 song would have to be the Weird Al song that I find most biographical about my own life. It is a song that when I am cruising around downtown after a Suns game (okay I’ve done it once because I missed a turn), I will roll my windows down and blast it to show everybody who I am. It is his parody of Chamillionaire’s “Ridin” known as “White and Nerdy.” Everything about this song parody is perfect made even better by the video which has an incredible performance by Donnie Osmond. Fun fact: When Donnie Osmond asked Weird Al what he was supposed to do in the album, Weird Al said just “act yourself.” Oddly enough, in a February interview with Dan Rather, Weird Al stated that this song was as close to an autobiographical song that he has ever written as well. I knew there was a connection between the two of us.
My number 4 song would have to be Weird Al’s birthday song entitled Happy Birthday. While this song was on his first album in 1983, I think the sarcastic nastiness still holds up to this day. Thinking back to when I was a sarcastic 10 year old, this was the perfect song to hook me. On a serious note, it is kind of sad to think that none of the problems Weird Al jokes about in this song have been fixed. Thanks Obama and Bush and Clinton and Bush and Reagan....
I will put Weird Al’s parody of Nirvana at number 3 Smells Like Nirvana. While I like this song, I am putting it on the list solely because it reminds me of one of my favorite Weird Al stories. I was in Monterrey, Mexico in 1993 at a Señor Frogs. I was standing against a wall watching everyone dance and have a good time grooving to the hits when the DJ played Weird Al’s Smells Like Nirvana thinking it was the real Nirvana hit. The irony of watching all these people getting down to a Weird Al parody forever etched this song in my heart even if I could have really cared less about Nirvana.
Number 2 would be a tie of songs from the Weird Al in 3-D album. I remember spending many a car ride singing both “I Lost on Jeopardy” and “Theme from Rocky XIII” as a kid. Funny enough, I never realized “I Lost on Jeopardy” was an actual parody until I was at the grocery store a while back and heard the original song being played. Also, since the “Theme from Rocky XIII” came out around the same time as Hulkamania was running wild and using “The Eye of the Tiger” as his theme song, I always envisioned the song was actually about how Hulk Hogan would be today. Funny enough, it’s not too far off.
And now for my number one Weird Al hit. You may think I will choose one of his Star Wars or MJ parodies. While I love all those, my favorite Weird Al song would have to be “Christmas at Ground Zero.” I have always loved the contrast between happy Christmas song and nuclear war and mutual destruction. To me, it is the perfect parody though it could use a little updating to take into account on line shopping.
I am so proud that finally in 2014 Weird Al achieved a level of respect nationally that I feel he always deserved. The only weird thing is with Weird Al winning a Grammy, having the #1 album in the country, and getting a Radio Shack commercial, I am beginning to wonder if it is still nerdy to like Weird Al. But all I have to do is put on “White and Nerdy” and I am reminded. Yes, no matter how popular Weird Al may become, there will always be a certain amount of nerdiness about him and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Long live Weird Al!!!
...Thanks Paul Whitney... want more Weird AL? Want to hear Paul Whitney's take on the classic UHF?
Join us...
UHF (Weird Al Yankovic) Screening Event
Thursday March 26th at 7:30pm $5 (PG-13)
Bring your favorite spatula…. We got it all on UHF!
In 2014 Weird Al had 8 #1 Hits and a chart topping album. This year he won a grammy...
in 1989 he was a lowly station manager at U-62!
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of UHF! George Newman (Weird Al) fills the broadcast day with bizarre programming, turning Channel 62 into an overnight success. Soon, rival station CEO R.J. Fletcher threatens to sabotage Channel 62, and George must come up with a way to save it!
Plus! Bring your finest Spatula for the Best Spatula contest and spin the Wheel of Fish for Prizes! AND, a LIVE podcast with Educating [Geeks] follows the screening, included with admission. Laugh along and even participate as the Educating [Geeks] crew hash out the best and worst moments of UHF along with your Geek Host, UHF Super Fan and our First Timer, who is seeing the movie for the very first time. Prizes provided by Bookmans & NCT.
