Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic

[Heds]

Oh he's cheating on us, eh? *finger hovers on the ban button*

BAN HIM x10000000000000000000

[Killingsworth]

I guess based on what has just recently been revealed, maybe THIS is closer to the Medium Rarities track list we should be getting...

1. Belvedere Cruising
2. Spy Hard
3. Headline News
4. Polkamon
5. Jurashiku Park
6. My Bologna (Capitol Records Single)
7. Happy Birthday (Placebo EP)
8. Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung (Placebo EP)
9. Gotta Boogie (Placebo EP)
10. Pac Man (Dr Dementos' Basement Tapes)
11. It's Still Billy Joel To Me (Dr. Ds' Basement Tapes)
12. School Cafeteria (My Bologna Capitol B-Side)
13. The Night Santa Went Crazy (extra gory version)
14. UHF (Single Version)
15. The Alternative Polka (Weezer/Buddy Holly edit)
16-20. (possible new/previously unheard songs?)

[bermuda]

Let's not forget about the missing first beat of "Toothless People," which hopefully will be restored.

I wasn't aware of that problem, but I listened to the files they're using and it sounds correct.

However they did address two other known issues: the scratchiness in a chorus of Airline Amy, and a very obvious drum dropout at the top of UHF. Sony is taking extra care with this release, it's going to be very cool!

Bermuda

[weird user]

I guess based on what has just recently been revealed, maybe THIS is closer to the Medium Rarities track list we should be getting...

1. Belvedere Cruising
2. Spy Hard
3. Headline News
4. Polkamon
5. Jurashiku Park
6. My Bologna (Capitol Records Single)
7. Happy Birthday (Placebo EP)
8. Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung (Placebo EP)
9. Gotta Boogie (Placebo EP)
10. Pac Man (Dr Dementos' Basement Tapes)
11. It's Still Billy Joel To Me (Dr. Ds' Basement Tapes)
12. School Cafeteria (My Bologna Capitol B-Side)
13. The Night Santa Went Crazy (extra gory version)
14. UHF (Single Version)
15. The Alternative Polka (Weezer/Buddy Holly edit)
16-20. (possible new/previously unheard songs?)

It would be great if Al got permission to do those early parodies from The Dr. Demento Show (I know that in the case of It's Still Billy Joel to Me, Al never bothered to ask permission to include it on an album so we know that one wasn't necessarily rejected). Which brings up something I've had on my mind ever since this was announced: If he had went back and asked all the artists who turned down parodies over the years once again, would they give a new answer (I saw on the other forum Bermuda posted news at that he asked James Blunt to include You're Pitiful but now Blunt apparently no longer approves of the song)? Of course I don't expect Al to include any concert-only parodies as I expect all of the recordings on the disc to already exist somewhere (well, maybe if somebody has live audio recordings from the concert).

I wonder about Polkamon. There's a few songs that haven't appeared on any of Al's albums that he has given explanations for why they weren't included on one of his albums (and it would be great if he'd make an exception for this special release), but I don't think an official explanation is out there for why Polkamon isn't on an official Weird Al album. Maybe the owners of Pokemon own the copyright on the song, or maybe Al thought his next studio album came too long after the early popularity of Pokemon (though I feel like the franchise has never really lost popularity, yet at the same time I feel there's been a major spike in popularity in recent years, and not just because of Pokemon Go), or maybe it's something else.

So has it been officially confirmed that Medium Rarities will be 20 tracks? Then I'd like to add five more to that wishlist:
16. Yoda (original demo version)
17. Take Me Down
18. Patterns (I know, Al didn't write or produce it, and it's aimed at young kids, but considering this is for collectors, it'd be great if he could include it for collectors sake)
19. Bad Haircut
20. Yoda (live version with the Yoda Chant, perhaps take the audio from one of his concert specials)

And let's suppose this album won't be including Pac-Man or It's Still Billy Joel to Me, how about the two songs he did for The Simpsons, even though those were written by The Simpsons writers and at least one of them was released on a Simpsons album?

EDIT TO ADD: There's a few songs, in addition to Yoda, that sound significantly different in concert than they do on the albums (like Gump and Jerry Springer both having instrumental beginnings, in addition to the latter being sung slowly, and Like a Surgeon's music being completely different during the "Reuben in a cone bra" era), maybe those versions could be included (with audio taken from There's No Going Home, Weird Al Yankovic Live, or The Alpacolypse Tour). When I saw Al do Albuquerque live, there were longer verses, though the live version hasn't been in any live specials or videos so there might not be recordings of that.

[anthontherun]

If he had went back and asked all the artists who turned down parodies over the years once again, would they give a new answer

I don't think Prince would say no anymore

I wonder about Polkamon. There's a few songs that haven't appeared on any of Al's albums that he has given explanations for why they weren't included on one of his albums (and it would be great if he'd make an exception for this special release), but I don't think an official explanation is out there for why Polkamon isn't on an official Weird Al album. Maybe the owners of Pokemon own the copyright on the song, or maybe Al thought his next studio album came too long after the early popularity of Pokemon (though I feel like the franchise has never really lost popularity, yet at the same time I feel there's been a major spike in popularity in recent years, and not just because of Pokemon Go), or maybe it's something else.

It was three years old by the time Poodle Hat came out, and it's basically just a list of Pokemon set to music. I'm pretty sure it was never intended to be anything more than a soundtrack contribution, though hopefully it will indeed show up on Medium Rarities.

[weird user]

If he had went back and asked all the artists who turned down parodies over the years once again, would they give a new answer

I don't think Prince would say no anymore

Of course when he took fan questions from a recent Facebook Live event, on the subject of asking permission from the estates of dead artists (has he ever done that for any of his parodies, by the way?), he said that he won't ask Prince's heirs because Prince already denied permission many times.

[minnick27]

Anth, dont know why you think Al would be adverse to it just because its a list song, its his 3rd favorite type of song after food and tv.

As far as ISBJTM there was an interview a few years back where Al said that Billy Joel had actually heard the song from a friend who thought he would be amused but wasnt

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[AiYume]

I just saw Al speak at San Francisco Sketchfest. He said in an interview for the Rock Steady podcast that he got permission two days ago to include PacMan on the set. The podcast should be available in a couple weeks.


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[ajv2001]

I wonder if in the vinyl set, the first 5 albums will feature the runout etchings from the first original pressings (i.e.: DTBS said "MORE SONGS ABOUT TELEVISION AND FOOD" on Side A, PP said "Polka 'Til You Puke" on Side A and "Where's My Liquid Paper?" on Side B, etc).

[anthontherun]

Anth, dont know why you think Al would be adverse to it just because its a list song, its his 3rd favorite type of song after food and tv.

It's a pretty narrow topic though, don't you think? He can get by with listing a variety of TV shows in "Syndicated Inc" (and other songs) because the references are broad enough. If you're a Pokemon diehard, you'll probably get a kick out of "Polkamon," but otherwise it's just some funny-sounding words with no meaning all strung together.

As far as ISBJTM there was an interview a few years back where Al said that Billy Joel had actually heard the song from a friend who thought he would be amused but wasnt

I remember an article about a Billy Joel Q&A at a college(?) where he actually sang a brief excerpt of ISBJTM, but we were never able to track down a video. I mean, he was undoubtedly aware of it when he gave permission for "Ode to a Superhero," so I doubt it's a sore subject for him, but I can imagine it's not something he's thrilled with.

I just saw Al speak at San Francisco Sketchfest. He said in an interview for the Rock Steady podcast that he got permission two days ago to include PacMan on the set. The podcast should be available in a couple weeks.

That's awesome, and exactly what I was hoping for/expecting given Al's involvement in George Fest.