World of Weird Al Yankovic

Driew_La_27 @ Jan 3 2005, 09:06 PM wrote: I'm glad you did that, Akrovak!

Kind of an odd way to reply to it but, yeah, I got a good laugh out of it too

hehe, that was great, Akrovak!

I don't know if they would fit in :

Earth , Wind and Fire - Boogie Wonderland

Heatwave - Boogie Nights

I think the criteria for the "Boogie" songs is that the second word in the title is "Boogie". Kinda bummed me out, too, because "Boogie Shoes" didn't make the cut, either.

Yeah, I was kinda sticking to songs where "Boogie" could be used as the noun and not an adjective (as much as possible, anyway). Those are great songs, though ... and I probably could have made them work ... I just went the easy route.

Glad a few of you enjoyed it!

I guess I'll start sharing my album reviews here. Maybe I'll analyze one album a week for the next 11 weeks.

Ricky - I remember loving Toni Basil's "Mickey" when it was a hit (I was kind of young then), but I never followed I Love Lucy, but overall I think this is a good upbeat track to lead off the album. 8/10

Gotta Boogie - I felt the instrumental arrangement was a bit weak but the lyrics are great. 6/10

I Love Rocky Road - I also have fond memories of "I Love Rock N Roll" during its height of popularity, and this parody features some of Al's best accordion work. 9/10

Buckingham Blues - This song never really grabbed me. The lyrics are okay but it goes a bit slow. 3/10

Happy Birthday - This one's got some great laughs, and I like singing this one to other Yankovic fans I know for their birthdays. 6/10

Stop Draggin' My Car Around - This is hands-down my favorite song from Al's debut album. Both the lyrics and instrumental arrangements are excellent. 10/10

My Bologna - For some reason I never caught on with "My Sharona", but this tune does have its laughs. 4/10

The Check's In The Mail - It took me a long time to get a grip on this song, and it never really drew me in. 4/10

Another One Rides The Bus - The lyrics on this are absolute top-notch, and the only letdown is the lack of instruments other than the accordion. 8/10

I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead - This is a decent, but not great tune, and it moves at a good pace. 5/10

Such A Groovy Guy - There isn't much in this song I get a laugh out of. 3/10

Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung - Superb use of the accordion in this one, and the lyrics are brilliant. 9/10

Ricky - Great song. 9/10

Gotta Boogie - Never liked the music to this. 4/10

I Love Rocky Road - A good song, nothing spectacular. 7/10

Buckingham Blues - This song just never got me. 3/10

Happy Birthday - Best birthday song ever. 9/10

Stop Dragging My Car Around - This is a song that just worked. 10/10

My Bologna - The accordion here is amazing. 9/10

The Check's in the Mail - "You say you hate my guts, you want to take me to court, and you've got yourself a lawyer with a three piece suit" 8.5/10

Another One Rides the Bus - Not bad. Pretty good, actually. 8/10

I'll be Mellow When I'm Dead - "I'll break your arm if you ask me what's my sign!" 10/10

Such a Groovy Guy - Alright. 6/10

Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung - It's good for a chuckle, but I expected better. 6.5/10

Ricky - I like it, but it ain't one of my favourites. 6/10

Gotta Boogie - Favourite original on the Album, but that's probably 'cause I have the sense of humor of a 6-year-old 10/10

I Love Rocky Road - I like it, but I skip over it. 7/10

Buckingham Blues - Kinda weird, since Lady Di's death, but it's good nonetheless. 5/10

Happy Birthday - Way Moby. 9/10

Stop Dragging My Car Around - Favourite Parody on this ALbum, because of the sandwich line. 10/10

My Bologna - Too fast for my likings 9/10

The Check's in the Mail - My theme song, Trust me. 9/10

Another One Rides the Bus - Slightly empty. 7/10

I'll be Mellow When I'm Dead - Another thing that slightly describes me 9/10

Such a Groovy Guy - I think it's creepy. 7/10

Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung - Meh. 6/10

Overall = 4 Accordions outta 5

Ricky - I like this one, but it's such an amateur effort, so 8/10

Gotta Boogie - I love this one. 9/10

I Love Rocky Road - I also love this one, but I listen to it once and can't stop singing it, and it's not the greatest song to hear over and over. 7.5/10

Buckingham Blues - In my opinion, better than most of the stuff currently on Dr. Demento. I said most, so don't get all mad at me. 9/10.

Happy Birthday - Any morbid holiday songs by Al are welcome. 9.5/10.

Stop Dragging My Car Around - I think it's well written, but not terribly riveting. Nice spoof; 7/10

My Bologna - 7/10

The Check's in the Mail - Gotta love it, 10/10

Another One Rides the Bus - The best parody of "Another One Bites the Dust" that will ever be made. That said, 6.5/10

I'll be Mellow When I'm Dead - I know people like this. 9.7/10

Such a Groovy Guy - I like it. Nice satire on disco boys. 10/10

Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung - I love this one. Simple but great concept, plus you gotta love anything even a little politically incorrect. 10/10

Overall, 4 weasels outta 5. What, wrong album? I don't care.

Okay, I might as well start offering my song-by-song album reviews. I think I only did this for PH back when it came out, so I'll start with WAY:

RICKY: My earliest memory of hearing/seeing Al was the music video for this and for "I Love Rocky Road" on HBO when they used to air music videos as interstitials between programming. Of course, I would have been 8 years old or so at the time, so I didn't go buy the album or become an Al fan until much later. Anyway, I have a soft spot for both of these songs. That being said, I like "Rocky Road" better, if only because I never was much into I Love Lucy. 7/10

GOTTA BOOGIE: A throwaway song, but I've always liked it. How can you not love the joke here? 8/10

I LOVE ROCKY ROAD: One of my all-time faves, for reasons stated above and because it has terrific parody lyrics, and Al's accordion sounds awesome substituting for Joan Jett's electric guitar! "When I'm all alone/I just grab myself a CONE!" 10/10

BUCKINGHAM BLUES: Would have liked this better as the intended "Chuck and Diane" Mellencamp parody. As it is, it's only so-so. Plus, it's one of those rare "topical" songs by Al that hasn't aged all that well. Still, I like the way Al belts out the words, like he really means it! 6/10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Fun, manic song that's very typical "Early Al". Love the line about Mom and "a can of Cycle 4". 7/10

STOP DRAGGIN' MY CAR AROUND: Lovely-sounding song, and pretty darn funny to boot. Point taken off for the verse about going to "the local disco", which sounds kinda antiquated nowadays. 9/10

MY BOLOGNA: Funny song, but for some reason I like the slower, drawn-out "Bathroom" version of this one (although the Burp is better here.) 6.5/10

THE CHECK'S IN THE MAIL: I love this one! It's beautiful! Don't ever change! 10/10

ANOTHER ONE RIDES THE BUS: I used to really like this song in Junior High, but it's kind of worn on me lately. Probably the song I would be most likely to skip over. 5/10

SUCH A GROOVY GUY: This is the polar opposite of AORTB. . .used to hate this song, but it's since grown on me! Nice companion piece to TCITM. . .it could almost be the same sleazy character After-Dark. 9/10

MR. FRUMP IN THE IRON LUNG: Love the glimpse into the dark side of Al in this song, and his accordion playing is spot-on. Quick, easy and hilarious. To me, this is Quintessential Early Weird Al. 10/10

OVERALL: This is truly one of my favorite Al-bums. As his career went on, his lyrics became a little more clever and the music more sophisticated, but it's kind of nice to hear the overly-sophomoric lyrics and heavy accordion playing on this one. In many ways, it seems like Al is having the most fun on this album than on any of his others. A solid effort that I find myself going back to quite often. 9/10

Meadows