definitive list of style parodies

Post by **weird_el** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 11:50 pm

...Al can write an original song that just happens to sort of sound like a song written in the past 50 years without any intention of it being a type of parody?

I think this is a really good question for Ask Al (when it returns). I'd love to know if Al has (according to Al) ever written a "completely original" song something in the "Weird Al" style that doesn't directly refer to some other song, artist or genre, and if so what was it (were they)?

El

Weird Alan · Post by **Weird Alan** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:02 am

...Al can write an original song that just happens to sort of sound like a song written in the past 50 years without any intention of it being a type of parody?
I think this is a really good question for Ask Al (when it returns). I'd love to know if Al has (according to Al) ever written a "completely original" song something in the "Weird Al" style that doesn't directly refer to some other song, artist or genre, and if so what was it (were they)?

El

That wasn't really the point I was making...I was just saying that it's pretty likley most of his original songs are his OWN songs that people try their heads off to associate it with some other artist or band just because he is a parody artist.

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:31 am

The only problem with calling this a "definitive" list is that many songs are open to debate. Just look at the thread about which artist "Wanna B Ur Luvr" is based after.

Each listener is going to have a different idea as to what a certain song sounds like. In "Trigger Happy," many people hear just the Beach Boys, while others hear just Jan & Dean. Other songs like "Young, Dumb & Ugly" and even "Albuquerque" have been discussed again and again with no clear answers.

Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:40 am

I think this is a really good question for Ask Al (when it returns). I'd love to know if Al has (according to Al) ever written a "completely original" song — something in the "Weird Al" style that doesn't directly refer to some other song, artist or genre, and if so what was it (were they)?

If he has written a "completely original" song, then he's the first musician since. . . ah, Jubal. . . to do so. Asking him to invent his own genre is kind of a stiff assignment, seems to me. But I too would like to know which of his originals were written without reference to another song or particular artist.

Post by **weird_el** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:03 am

To answer my own question I think "I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead" may be one. The only artist this song reminds me of is Al.

El

Weird Alan · Post by **Weird Alan** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:24 am

Sheesh...I could go through each of my CDs of other artists and say each track is a style parody of any particular artist it happens to remind me of e.e

Not EVERYTHING Al does is meant to be a copy you know.

Jebediah · Post by **Jebediah** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 4:58 am

Not EVERYTHING Al does is meant to be a copy you know.

Jeez, have you read Ask Al?

Gregory Gillen of Maumee, OH asks: Is "Trigger Happy" a full-out Beach Boys style parody, or is it just a generic surfer rock style parody?

It's mostly meant to be the Beach Boys, but I think there's a little Jan & Dean thrown in. I listened to both groups while I was writing the song.

Vinnie Bartilucci in Riverdale, NY asks: Is "The Biggest ball of Twine in Minnesota" supposed to be a parody of Harry Chapin's or Gordon Lightfoot's style of music? (I'm guessing Harry, but I have a friend who thinks it Lightfoot...)

It actually is supposed to sound like both Chapin AND Lightfoot. I wanted to encapsulate that 70's singer-songwriter rambling epic kind of thang.

James Matons from Staten Island/ New York asks: Was "Twister" A style Pardoy of The Beastie Boys??

Yyyyyeahhh, boyyyyyyyyy!

Or the most obvious evidence...

Amy of Modesto, CA asks: Hi, Al!! I really like your song "Mr. Popeil," and I was wondering if you meant it to be a style parody of the "B52's." I've been wondering this for a long time, so please, PLEASE answer me!! Thanks!!

Yes, "Mr. Popeil" is meant to sound like the B52's. A lot of my originals are intentionally derivative of other groups (although not enough to infringe on their copyright!) Some other very obvious style parodies would be "Dare To Be Stupid" (DEVO), "Dog Eat Dog" (Talking Heads), "You Make Me" (Oingo Boingo), "Everything You Know Is Wrong" (They Might Be Giants) and "Germs" (Nine Inch Nails).

But it's not a copy. Al writes satires of the pop culture in the music industry. That is his niche.[/url]

rboy27 · Post by **rboy27** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:08 am

Its not uncommon in the music industry to find two songs that sound the same. When you think of how many songs have been made through histroy, its impossible for every single one sound completely different.

And if there are any Bealtes fans here, doesn't the opening guitar riff in Hardware sound like the opening to "Hey Bulldog"?

Website · Post by **Teh Dingo** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:46 am

Not EVERYTHING Al does is meant to be a copy you know.

We're all Al fans here, we're quite aware of that. In fact, some of us will fly into a violent rage when that misconception about Al is used by the media and critics.

But it's also a job of Al fans to over anALyze every note in every song, and if we see similarities that no one's noticed before, we need to share. It's just the idea of a new perspective.

Moneybags · Post by **Moneybags** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 6:21 am

And if there are any Bealtes fans here, doesn't the opening guitar riff in Hardware sound like the opening to "Hey Bulldog"?

That's the first thing I thought of when I first heard the guitar riff. For some reason I also keep associating HS with "Bus To Beelzebub" by Soul Coughing, even though they don't sound similar at all.