Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Mandatory Fun"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Mandatory Fun
2014, RCA

1. Handy
2. Lame Claim to Fame
3. Foil
4. Sports Song
5. Word Crimes
6. My Own Eyes
7. NOW That's What I Call Polka!
8. Mission Statement
9. Inactive
10. First World Problems
11. Tacky
12. Jackson Park Express

I am pleased to say that "Weird Al's" latest (and probably last tradition) album entered the Billboard charts at number one! It's about time! I think part of that was due to the media blitz surrounding the album. Al released eight music videos in eight days to promote the album. It worked perfectly. Honestly, I'd be surprised if Al gave up doing traditional albums, especially after this. Mandatory Fun is pretty fun as per usual for a "Weird Al" disc, but overall I don't think it's as strong as Alpocalypse. For instance, while "Sports Song" and "Mission Statement" are amusing they do wear out their welcome. I mean, "Sports Song" is a march - which isn't a style that people just listen to. "Mission Statement" is a great sounding song (in the Crosby, Still, and Nash vein), but the lyrics, filled with corporate double speak - aren't really funny in the long run. Also, the parody of Imagine Dragons "Radioactive," here titled "Inactive" is just as inert as the title suggests. Thankfully, there are some seriously awesome parodies here. "Handy," "Word Crimes," and "Tacky" are all top shelf Yankovic. I also really like the original song "First World Problems." It's a decent album but I don't think it's as consistently funny as the last one was. I will say that I hope Al doesn't give up on traditional albums... y'know... for us old folks.

Useless Fact: Mandatory Fun is the last album in "Weird Al's" record contract. He's admitted that the album title might have something to do with that.

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Even Worse"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Even Worse
1988, Volcano

1. Fat
2. Stuck in the Closet With Vanna White
3. (This Song's Just) Six Words Long
4. You Make Me
5. I Think I'm a Clone Now
6. Lasagna
7. Melanie
8. Alimony
9. Velvet Elvis
10. Twister
11. Good Old Days

Even Worse was my first "Weird Al" experience. Since Michael Jackson was HUGE at the time he provided a nice target for people like Weird Al. The video for "Fat" was hilarious and I was pretty amused with the rest of the songs back in the day. However, I actually think this is one of Weird Al's weaker discs as it doesn't quite seem to hold up as well as Off the Deep End or even Alapalooza. Granted, it's not that I think it's terrible, it's just not as good as I remember. There are some gems here though - I like "I Think I'm a Clone Now," "Lasagna," and "Melanie." I also like "Velvet Elvis" more now than I did when I was young. I don't think "Alimony" is particularly inspired nor is "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long." The Swirling Eddies would do a better version of that type of song years later. Not much more to say, really.

Useless Fact: I never realized until later that "Velvet Elvis" was supposed to be a style parody of The Police or that "Twister" was supposed to be a style parody of the Beastie Boys.

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Alpocalypse"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Alpocalypse
2011, Volcano

1. Perform This Way
2. CNR
3. TMZ
4. Skipper Dan
5. Polka Face
6. Craigslist
7. Party in the C.I.A.
8. Ringtone
9. Another Tattoo
10. If That Isn't Love
11. Whatever You Like
12. Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me

There's just something comforting about listening to one of Weird Al's polka medleys of today's hits. I suppose it's because in the ever-changing world of pop music there's one person we can always rely on to make fun of it: Weird Al. I'm happy to say that after countless albums and nearly 30 years in the music industry Al's still got it. He can still make me smile. That's quite an accomplishment if you ask me. This album is a bit different for me in that I like the originals and the parodies equally. That's not to say the originals aren't as good - I'm saying the parodies are better. Though some of my favorites are originals. Take "CNR" for example, a guitar-driven take on the White Stripes with lyrics about the amazing feats of one Charles Nelson Riley. I also like the somewhat melancholy "Skipper Dan." I don't think I've ever had an emotional connection with a Weird Al song but I guess I can relate to the subject matter. The Hanson-esque "If That Isn't Love" is another highlight as well. Probably the only songs on here that I don't like are "Ringtone" and "Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me." The former is a Queen style parody which seems to be all over the place and the style the song is in actually annoys me(but I don't really like Queen anyway so there's that). The latter is a piano ballad about hating forwards. I started hating forwards in 1999 so this song is nearly 11 years too late. It's not bad, I just don't find it as amusing and not a great way to end an album (at least for me). Aside from that I think Alpocalypse is a strong album and I'm happy to welcome Al back to the spotlight for another fifteen minutes.

Useless Fact: Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek actually plays on the Doors homage "Craigslist." Also, there is a video for every single one of the songs on the album. "Perform This Way" and "CNR" are particularly funny.

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Off the Deep End"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Off the Deep End
1992, Volcano

1. Smells Like Nirvana
2. Trigger Happy
3. I Can't Watch This
4. Polka Your Eyes Out
5. I Was Only Kidding
6. The White Stuff
7. When I Was Your Age
8. Taco Grande
9. Airline Amy
10. The Plumbing Song
11. You Don't Love Me Anymore

I don't like Nirvana. I never have. I'm not one of those who think Kurt Cobain was some genius. They were just the right band at the right time. Nirvana (and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden) did change the musical landscape but I don't necessarily think it was for the better. Naturally, I loved "Smells Like Nirvana" because it poked fun at a band who took themselves way too seriously. So, anyway, rant aside Off the Deep End is one of my favorite Al platters. "Trigger Happy" is similar to old Beach Boys songs where the band would go on and on about the specs of their hot rod except in "Trigger Happy" the singer is running down the specs on his AK-47. "When I Was Your Age" is a my favorite song on the album and probably a contender for most favorite Al song ever. Probably because I feel like an old man myself and I have to restrain myself from telling all the young whipper-snappers out there how good they have it. Off the Deep End is just full of good, silly music. Go getcha one!

Useless Fact: While "You Don't Love Me Anymore" is an original song, the video was a parody of Extreme's "More Than Words."

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Alapalooza"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Alapalooza
1993, Volcano

1. Jurassic Park
2. Young, Dumb & Ugly
3. Bedrock Anthem
4. Frank's 2000" TV
5. Achy Breaky Song
6. Traffic Jam
7. Talk Soup
8. Livin' in the Fridge
9. She Never Told Me She Was a Mime
10. Harvey the Wonder Hamster
11. Waffle King
12. Bohemian Polka

...and so begins my quest to add some "Weird Al" to my collection!

Mr. Yankovic's albums tend to be the most popular when there's a huge pop culture thing going on. Unfortunately, Alapalooza didn't really have a big parody. It also didn't help that what could've been considered the "big" parody wasn't one of his best ("Bedrock Anthem" - I agree with Flea - it's just not his best). However, as is usually the case, despite the fact that it's not one of the popular ones, I love this album. I think "Jurassic Park" is probably one of Al's best parodies in general. Had the general public been more familiar with the original "MacArthur Park" I think this parody would have carried the album farther because it's really funny. "And I think those things will harm me/ 'Cause they sure don't act like Barney/ And they think that I'm their dinner/ Not their friend, Oh no!" Great stuff. I smile every time I hear that line. This album is full of wonderful and funny songs though. I like the glam rock kick of "Young, Dumb & Ugly." I also really dig "Talk Soup" and "Waffle King" both emulating So/Us era Peter Gabriel. I had a girlfriend a long time ago and we loved the short, simple "Harvey the Wonder Hamster." Her, her sister, and I used to sing this song as loud as we could when I would hang out at her house. Finally, this album doesn't feature the traditional polka medley but instead contains a polka rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody." Cool cover art as well.

Useless Fact: "Waffle King" was actually the B-side of the "Smells Like Nirvana" single. I know this because I actually owned the single in question.

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "The Essential 'Weird Al' Yankovic"

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic
2009, Sony

Disc One:
1. Another One Rides the Bus
2. Polkas on 45
3. Eat It
4. I Lost on Jeopardy
5. Yoda
6. One More Minute
7. Like a Surgeon
8. Dare to be Stupid
9. Dog Eat Dog
10. Lasagna
11. Melanie
12. Fat
13. UHF
14. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
15. Trigger Happy
16. Smells Like Nirvana
17. You Don't Love Me Anymore
18. Bedrock Anthem
19. Frank's 2000" TV
20. Jurassic Park

Disc Two:
1. Since You've Been Gone
2. Amish Paradise
3. Gump
4. Everything You Know is Wrong
5. The Night Santa Went Crazy
6. Your Horoscope For Today
7. It's All About the Pentiums
8. The Saga Begins
9. Albuquerque
10. Ebay
11. Bob
12. Hardware Store
13. I'll Sue Ya
14. Canadian Idiot
15. Pancreas
16. Don't Download This Song
17. White & Nerdy
18. Trapped in the Drive-Thru

So the other day I was listening to the new "Weird Al" song, "Perform This Way" (a parody of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way), and I had a startling revalation. I said to myself, "Self, we have no 'Weird Al' in our collection!" to which my self replied, "By golly gosh darn, we don't! We should remedy that, post haste." Thusly I went to Walmart and got this, the "Essential" "Weird Al." I've always been a big fan of "Weird Al" and I think he's a lot more talented an artist than he's really given credit for. This collection has most of his more famous parodies like "Fat," "Eat It," "Amish Paradise" and the like. It's also got some of his originals - it's a good balance between the two I think.

The liner notes suggest that when "Weird Al" is at his best when not doing a parody and I have to agree. Some of my favorite songs on here are originals. "Trigger Happy," "Melanie," "You Don't Love Me Anymore," and "Everything You Know is Wrong" are all songs I love. I like a lot of these more than the parodies. Just listen to a complicated song like "Hardware Store" and try to tell me Al isn't a genius. Listening to this collection actually makes me want to go out and get some of these albums that I had when I was younger because I really remember enjoying them.

Useless Fact: The same four guys have been in Al's band since the 80's. That's longer than most bands out there now.