Songs Where You Prefer The Originals

Love the music and CD's of Weird Al? Do you have comments on it? You can post it here!

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
JCM
Off The Deep End
Posts: 2786
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:46 pm
Awards: Most Annoying User
Location: AMERICA
Contact:

Re:

Post by JCM »

Bruce the Duck wrote:I have a certain nostalgia for when I first got into Al. It was a time way before the Internet and when I got his older albums (WAY-PP), I had no way of knowing which songs were parodies and which were originals, unless I was already familiar with the original versions of the parodies. Back then, I could enjoy the songs just as songs, without classifying them as parodies, originals, or style parodies. It was nice.
I agree. Back when there was no Wikipedia and everyone was ignorant about these things, life was much more peaceful.
How old was that last signature? I mean, really?
User avatar
anthontherun
Be jealous.
Posts: 17702
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2002 8:41 am
Location: VA
Contact:

Re: Songs Where You Prefer The Originals

Post by anthontherun »

Since two albums have come out since the last post in this topic, figured I'd give it a bump and see if there are any other songs to add to the list. I'll go ahead and predict that a lot of people would probably take "Radioactive" over "Inactive"--if I'm being honest, I'm not too crazy about the original but "Inactive" is even less effective for me. "Foil" and "Royals" are about on equal ground for me, although if it weren't for the "Foil" video, I would go with "Royals" in a heartbeat. Nothing from Alpocalypse is up for debate; Al's versions reign supreme.

As for older songs that I've re-examined, I have a tough time choosing between "Stand" and "Spam." Any time I listen to the original the parody lyrics are caught in my head and I can't shake them.
User avatar
Wizzerkat
Off The Deep End
Posts: 3345
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:31 am
Location: Houston General Vacinity
Contact:

Re: Songs Where You Prefer The Originals

Post by Wizzerkat »

I admit I like Stand better than Spam. I don't dislike the parody, I just like the original better. I actually like the song Royals now when it was just a meh song for me before Foil came about.
Is my dude a dweeb?
User avatar
TMBJon
Deliriously Dedicated
Posts: 20491
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:24 pm
Awards: Greatest Member of All Time
Location: Santa Monica, CA

Re: Songs Where You Prefer The Originals

Post by TMBJon »

For Mandatory Fun, all five of Al's parodies are better than the originals. Though Radioactive and Inactive are both so bad, it's hard to really say.
I couldn't tell a dirt clod from a plate of caviar.
User avatar
avesjohn
Obsessed
Posts: 1455
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:51 am
Location: California

Re: Songs Where You Prefer The Originals

Post by avesjohn »

A brief rundown of songs where I prefer the originals to Al's parodies (some are much better, others only slightly so):

I Love Rock 'N Roll > I Love Rocky Road (I do love rock 'n roll, but accordion and ice cream are best in small doses)
My Sharona > My Bologna (the accordion may be inherently funnier, but a parody that utilizes the original music is much more effective)
Another One Rides The Bus > Another One Rides The Bus (see previous)
Beat It > Eat It (close call, but MJ's original is just plain awesome, as is most of Thriller)
Girls Just Want To Have Fun > Girls Just Want To Have Lunch (considering Al didn't even want to parody it in the first place, this was to be expected)
U Can't Touch This > I Can't Watch This (MC brings the hammer down, Al makes a list and dated references, albeit not as badly as CP)
Under The Bridge > Bedrock Anthem (Give It Away is less fun than BA, but Under The Bridge is even better)
Misery > Syndicated, Inc. (great music in both cases, but Al's parody is scarcely more than a list song)
American Pie > The Saga Begins (another close call, but the original is truly an epic)
Lose Yourself > Couch Potato (Em's original is truly powerful and inspiring; Al's parody is, oh look, another list song)
Piano Man > Ode To A Superhero (it's just inevitable when one parodies a classic)
Radioactive > Inactive (another case of "memorable original, uninspired parody," and the bad mixing in Al's version doesn't help)

In the following cases, the originals and the parodies are on about equal standing for me, with my preference depending on mood:

Mickey/Ricky
King Of Pain/King Of Suede
Eye Of The Tiger/Theme from Rocky XIII
Bad/Fat
Money for Nothing/ Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies
Smells Like Teen Spirit/Smells Like Nirvana
Gangsta's Paradise/Amish Paradise
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me/Cavity Search
One Week/Jerry Springer
Hot In Herre/Trash Day
I Want It That Way/eBay
American Idiot/Canadian Idiot
Royals/Foil

Unless I've overlooked something, one can assume I prefer all other parodies over their originals. I'm not going to bother listing which songs from the polkas I prefer over Al's versions because 1) we'd be here all day, and 2) it's not really fair to compare a whole other song to a polkafied snippet, at least with regards to a lot of older music.
Post Reply