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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:05 pm
by Squirrelygirl
Here's something from Billboard:

THE EAT GOES ON

Hey Fred,

"Weird Al" Yankovic finally earned his first top 10 album with "Straight Outta Lynwood" this week and he may repeat the feat on the singles chart, if iTunes is any indicator: "White and Nerdy" has been a top five download since its release. I doubt even Dr. Demento could have predicted such longevity, but 20 years after "Eat It" reached No. 12, Yankovic must feel like a Chamillionaire.

Straight Outta San Diego,

Vince Ripol

Dear Vince,

This week's mailbag is filled with letters about items appearing in Chart Beat, and you can read more about "Weird Al" Yankovic's debut on The Billboard 200 and the Hot 100 in the latest column. "White and Nerdy" enters the Hot 100 at No. 28, making it Yankovic's second highest-ranked single in his 23-year chart career.

Oh, and here's a link to another article on Billboard. Sorry if it's been posted before (this forum is starting to get really BIG)!

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/g ... 1003187802

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:02 am
by kaztaylor
Squirrelygirl @ Oct 8 2006, 06:05 PM wrote:
Oh, and here's a link to another article on Billboard.  Sorry if it's been posted before (this forum is starting to get really BIG)!

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/g ... 1003187802
SG, thanks for posting that awesome item! I love that, purely by chance, they mentioned the magic number THREE times!

Are they correct in labeling four SOL songs as style parodies? I'm skeptical. My 7-year-old daughter for whatever reason always wants to know which Al songs are parodies and which are originals. I explained the concept of a style parody to her, but if Al wrote both the words and the music, I consider it an original! I refuse to recognize style parodies as anything but brilliant Al originals in which the musical influences are slightly more obvious.

Thanks again for finding that and posting it for us.

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:38 am
by TMBJon
kaz,
Actually there are five style parodies!

Pancreas = Brian Wilson
I'll Sue Ya = Rage Against The Machine
Virus Alert = Sparks (an obscure British band from the 70s)
Close But No Cigar = Cake
Don't Download This Song = "We Are The World"

I wonder which one they weren't counting...

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:43 pm
by Orthography Enthusiast
We can call them style homages if it makes everybody feel better, since Al has said he does those songs out of appreciation for the bands/musicians whose style he's attempting to imitate. I'm with Kaz... if Al isn't having to pay royalties to anybody else, it's an Al original.

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 10:17 pm
by GWGumby
TMBJon @ Oct 9 2006, 01:38 AM wrote: Virus Alert = Sparks (an obscure British band from the 70s)
To correct the correction, Sparks is a US band that started in the 70s and still exists and puts out music today. In the mid-70s they went to the UK because they were more popular there. The lead singer often sang in a faux-British accent, though, so I can see where the mistake was made.

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:37 pm
by SmileyGirl87
Very interesting interview with Al
as he shuffles through his iPod..

:)

~*Cat*~

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:46 pm
by algonacchick
That was pretty cool. Thanks for posting that, SG! Thanks to Al, I like Ben Folds, too.

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:10 pm
by Orthography Enthusiast
Really interesting to see Al-the-music-fan.

I actually WOULD like to watch Al playing some of his songs on solo accordion (Al, if you're reading and need ideas for bonus material on the next album, take note! :P )

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:46 pm
by TMBJon
GWGumby @ Oct 9 2006, 01:17 PM wrote: To correct the correction, Sparks is a US band that started in the 70s and still exists and puts out music today. In the mid-70s they went to the UK because they were more popular there. The lead singer often sang in a faux-British accent, though, so I can see where the mistake was made.
Shows what Wikipedia knows...

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:13 pm
by Miss Janine
"Weird Al: Lowering the Street Cred of Musicians Everywhere" :D :D :D

AS IF!!!!!