Why Do Teens Like Al?
Moderator: Moderators
-
stupidsurgeon27
- Deliriously Dedicated
- Posts: 11241
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 2:00 am
- Location: Omaha, NE
- Contact:
-
Teapot
- Newbie
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 9:26 pm
Original Article-->
Weird Al Yankovic will forever occupy a tremendous moment in my life's short history. "Running with Scissors," his 1999 album, was the first CD to ever grace my music collection. Not only is this something that I won't soon forget, it's also something that I'm proud of-- mostly because it means that I picked him over the Spice Girls. Choosing the latter would have left me with a lifetime of shame and humiliation.
So, what is it exactly that drew me to Weird Al those few short years ago? I really don't know for sure. It was probably a combination of the hilarious cover art on his album, and my mother's recognition of Al as the artist who parodied everybody who was anybody in the 80s and the 90s. Either way, once I got a taste of Al, I was hooked.
As it turns out, so were many other kids my age. To try and find out what the common attraction was, I asked a few teenagers-- diehard Yankovic fans, and casual listeners alike, "What is it about Al that makes you want to listen to him instead of the 'Top 100 Billboard Chart'?
For one, Al has avoided profanity in his original songs and in his spoofs throughout his entire career. Today, more often then not, chart-topping songs are littered with expletives that turn many kids off of the music. Ironically, a few of the songs that Weird Al has parodied have ended up much cleaner then when they started with the original artist's lyrics. As ------- puts it, "He's an artist that I'm not afraid to listen to in front of my parents."
-----, one teenager girl that I talked to, said that it had more to do with separating herself from the crowd. "[Most teenagers] jump on the bandwagon to whatever MTV tells them is in that week. Al's music has given me a way to rebel, without turning to the 'burnout' or the 'goth' crowd."
The most common response, however, had to do with Weird Al's stunning ability to recreate many hit songs, without being passe. ---- puts it quite well by saying, "Al does today's kind of music, but with a comedic twist, so even though I'm not a fan of today's music, I'm still in tune with what's being listened to nowadays from listening to Al. (...) Al is definitely one of the most underrated artists of today. He's truly a genius."
Weird Al Yankovic-- funny man, but a genius? Most definitely.
----
I like that version SO much better. Eh..oh well.
Weird Al Yankovic will forever occupy a tremendous moment in my life's short history. "Running with Scissors," his 1999 album, was the first CD to ever grace my music collection. Not only is this something that I won't soon forget, it's also something that I'm proud of-- mostly because it means that I picked him over the Spice Girls. Choosing the latter would have left me with a lifetime of shame and humiliation.
So, what is it exactly that drew me to Weird Al those few short years ago? I really don't know for sure. It was probably a combination of the hilarious cover art on his album, and my mother's recognition of Al as the artist who parodied everybody who was anybody in the 80s and the 90s. Either way, once I got a taste of Al, I was hooked.
As it turns out, so were many other kids my age. To try and find out what the common attraction was, I asked a few teenagers-- diehard Yankovic fans, and casual listeners alike, "What is it about Al that makes you want to listen to him instead of the 'Top 100 Billboard Chart'?
For one, Al has avoided profanity in his original songs and in his spoofs throughout his entire career. Today, more often then not, chart-topping songs are littered with expletives that turn many kids off of the music. Ironically, a few of the songs that Weird Al has parodied have ended up much cleaner then when they started with the original artist's lyrics. As ------- puts it, "He's an artist that I'm not afraid to listen to in front of my parents."
-----, one teenager girl that I talked to, said that it had more to do with separating herself from the crowd. "[Most teenagers] jump on the bandwagon to whatever MTV tells them is in that week. Al's music has given me a way to rebel, without turning to the 'burnout' or the 'goth' crowd."
The most common response, however, had to do with Weird Al's stunning ability to recreate many hit songs, without being passe. ---- puts it quite well by saying, "Al does today's kind of music, but with a comedic twist, so even though I'm not a fan of today's music, I'm still in tune with what's being listened to nowadays from listening to Al. (...) Al is definitely one of the most underrated artists of today. He's truly a genius."
Weird Al Yankovic-- funny man, but a genius? Most definitely.
----
I like that version SO much better. Eh..oh well.
-
weirdojace
- Off The Deep End
- Posts: 5107
- Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2003 9:23 pm
- Awards: I think I got Best Fan Parody when I was like 15.
- Location: TN
- Contact:
The H's! They blind me!
Other than that, nice article.
Other than that, nice article.
http://nuclearbubblewrap.bandcamp.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-
stupidsurgeon27
- Deliriously Dedicated
- Posts: 11241
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 2:00 am
- Location: Omaha, NE
- Contact:
-
Yank27
- Obsessed
- Posts: 1507
- Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2002 5:51 am
- Location: Minnesota
- Contact: