World of Weird Al Yankovic

Seva wrote: In "Amish Paradise" Al mentions "Robinson Caruso". Why that? I always thought it was Robinson Crusoe! Please help!

Seva, you'd have to ask Sherwood Schwartz about that lyric. Al was just singing it like the original singers did for the Gilligan's Island theme.

Bobbi, I think what Seva is saying is that Al doesn't say "Crusoe", he says "Caruso".

I don't have my CD insert for Amish Paradise handy-- what do the lyrics actually say?

It SHOULD be "Crusoe" as Scottidog said. It could be a mistake of Mr. Schwartz, or it could be just a singer's phrasing thing, and it should really be spelled something like "C'rusoe." I dunno.

But I think that Al is well-read enough to be able to distinguish an Italian tenor from a hero of an English novel.

Seva, you'd have to ask Sherwood Schwartz about that lyric. Al was just singing it like the original singers did for the Gilligan's Island theme.

So is that where he got the line No lights, no motor cars..?

Yes, from the original Gilligan's Island theme. Correctly identified by our very own Patti as having been written by Sherwood Schwartz. Boy was I confused for a second reading

It could be a mistake of Mr. Schwartz, or it could be just a singer's phrasing thing,

I couldn't figure out how Bermuda was getting blamed...

scottidog @ Dec 23 2004, 09:20 PM wrote: Doing a little research on the Instamatic, I find that the vacation in question had to have happened between 1988 and the date the song was written. Unless of course, Canadian "Al" had access to European Instamatics, then it could have happened as early as 1985. Well, assuming "Al" didn't actually invent it (during his off hours from BRH&P) and had the actual prototype. In which case, it could have been earlier than that.

Scotti, Scotti, Scotti... if you're going to make an assertion like that, we need the hyperlink. Where's your sense of SCHOLARSHIP, for cryin' out loud?

If the camera in question was the Kodak Instamatic X-15F then there's no problem. It was manufactured UNTIL 1988, and apparently in the US. Interestingly, that's the only Instamatic model that seems to fit the mid-to-late 80's framework. I had one of the earlier 110 Pocket Instamatic jobbies myself. Wonder what I did with that thing? Not that you can get film any more.

Well, I went to a site an found the lyrics for the Gilligan's Island theme, and it is correctly spelled "Crusoe". You can also hear the song there. The singers do say "Caruso", so Seva is right about hearing that in Al's song. Like I said, Al was just singing it like they did. Btw, on the cd insert for Bad Hair Day, it is spelled "Caruso".

Orthography Enthusiast @ Dec 23 2004, 06:08 PM wrote: Scotti, Scotti, Scotti... if you're going to make an assertion like that, we need the hyperlink.

I foolishly closed the window and couldn't find the link again...

I'm assuming Al would have to ask to use those lyrics? Or did he change them around a bit? Just asking. I didn't know this so its interesting. I don't know the orignal lyrics to Gilligan Island. If fact I don't even remenber that show.

Uh oh... my bad. I found the link and found that I had MISREAD it.

El was correct with her 1963 date. So, um.... nevermind....