The thing about White and Nerdy is that, not only was it hilarious, but Al also showed that he had incredible rapping skills. Would love a deep dive on that one.
The rough cut that is only Donny Osmond & Weird Al in front of a green screen is hilarious. The dancing was combo planned & ad libbed and Al had zero idea what it would be - he couldn’t see Donny Osmond dancing so had no idea until playback.
I remember hearing how shocked he was at hearing that VH-1 selected him to do a Behind The Music show. His exact words were "I've never slept with a band member, I've never crippled a band member, I've never stayed in my boat for 3 days on a heroin binge, I've never had to deal with weight problems, I've never slept with so many women that I lost count, I've never lip-synced my songs, except in music videos, I never was an alcoholic, I never was a poster child for marijuana smoking, I never married my 13-year-old cousin.......SO WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!!"...................playfully, of course.
Pluses of being super old (57). I was listening to Dr. Demento as far back as 1978 when he was on KMET. I still remember hearing Weird Al doing 'My Bologna' the first time! I was immediately hooked!
My sibs and i would gather round the kitchen table to listen to Dr. Demento on wvxu Oxford, OH. ( 1985-) Loved when he played Al! Still fans and go to concerts regularly.
@Fakeaorta well “Sonny” at 57, to me you’re still a kid. But you do appreciate the music I grew up with. Unfortunately, we took it for granted and didn’t realize how good we had it.
@@Sherwoody There is still really good music. Sadly not on commercial radio. Now It's just buried in non commercial and independent radio stations. It is so much harder to find.
@@Fakeaorta true, it’s still there, but we had so much of it easily available. In the sixties, The Beatles were cranking out two or three albums per year, and they weren’t the only ones. In the seventies Led Zeppelin 1, 2, and 3 were so good that we couldn’t wait till 4. There were so many good bands and songs in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s that really good bands often didn’t make it because the competition was so steep.
Been saying for most of 2 decades that Weird Al needs to do the halftime show and then they need to ditch the concept of the modern halftime show, I know there's been a petition or 10 for him doing the show
Of course we want a video on "White and Nerdy"! I don't listen to any pop music now, so I don't know any of the original songs Al parodies now, but he's still the biggest musical genius of all time. More, please.
Get Donny Osmond in there as well. Almost all of the madness he does behind Al as his "hype man" were off the cuff physical improv. There's a video of all the wackiness he did for the whole song, as well as al completely losing his mind laughing after the song ends.
I never have understood that artists don’t realize that having Al do a parody of one of your songs was a sign that you had “made it”. It’s truly an honor and salute from Al.
I can't believe that Lady Gaga was almost part of that club. When it was reported that she was considering putting a stop to "Perform this Way," people on the Internet were so astonished and reminded her that a Weird Al parody would be beneficial. She changed her mind when this came to her attention.
It’s not really all that surprising especially when you know that whenever an artist wanted to sample or use his music in any way he wouldn’t charge them
Poodle Hat is my favorite Weird Al album. Couch Potato, Hardware Store, Wanna B Yr lovr, Ebay, Genius in France and others are great songs, but BOB is one of the greatest Weird Al songs of all time. Bob Dylan's lyrics, voice and style lampooned with palindromes? Pure excellence! Keep up the great work, professor! We love you!
I haven't watched that music video before. I actually don't care for that song but it definitely looks like I missed out on a funny video. Now I gotta go watch!
If you haven't seen it look for the video of Donny and Al dancing to White and Nerdy from beginning to end. It is titled White and Nerdy (Take #1). Very funny and entertaining.
I actually vividly remember the 1st time I ever heard Weird Al. I was walking home from school in the 6th grade and got stuck waiting at a crosswalk just as the light had turned red. Within seconds someone pulled up to the light blasting "Another one rides the bus" as it played on the radio. The light was long enough that those of us waiting to cross got to hear most of the song... We instantly loved it. Everyone knew "Another one bites the dust" so, it was immediately evident what it was a parody of. That song had the widest appeal of any song I've ever seen in my life... Kids, teens, parents and grandparents alike all got a kick out of it.
Reading comments, but haven't watched the whole video: always dangerous, but there's a good chance that prince said 'no' to Al because when Al's movie VH1 came out, prince's 'purple rain' movie was also in cinemas. Al is on record saying 'the difference between my movie and prince's is that mine's supposed to be funny'.... oof.
Al hosted an all-weekend special on Much Music in Canada called "AL Music" (similar to AL TV in the U.S.). In one segment on his 1995 special, he described reasons why he thought Canada is better than the U.S. For one of the reasons, he was standing in a music shop holding a Prince CD and said "The artist formerly known as Prince lives in the United States...nuff said."
@@MatthewXLY _Purple Rain_ came out several years before _UHF,_ but Prince had been turning him down for years before that remark. He didn't really learn to laugh at himself until about 2010 or so when he used the picture of Dave Chappelle as him for a record cover.
That whole album (in 3D) is a masterpiece. In addition to I lost on Jeopardy (to the tune of Our Love's in Jeopardy by Greg Kihn band), I recall the following gems: 1) King of Suede (to the Police song King of Pain) 2) Brady Bunch (Safety Dance, by Men Without Hats) 3) Rye or the Kaiser (theme for Rocky 13) (Eye of the Tiger by Survivor) 4) Nature Trail to Hell (Weird Al original parodying slasher films) 5) Eat It (Beat It) Among others.
Oh, how could you have missed it? Just as you were finishing up your coverage of White and Nerdy, you had a clip of Weird Al saying "I edit Wikipedia" - and that shot has him writing "You Suck" on Atlantic Record's page!
I have the upmost respect for Weird Al because he asks the artist go ahead first before he does a parody of their song. In most cases he doesn’t have to ask their permission, but he’s a stand up kind of guy and asks anyways. Yeah, tons of respect.
Poodle Hat, as you mentioned, had so many great songs on it. Couch Potato, eBay, Hardware Store. When I i do karaoke and someone does I Want it That Way I catch myself singing eBay instead. Great stories!
It's funny how important a thing can seem at the time, but in retrospect you wonder "What were we thinking?" LOL - I've always loved Weird Al's parody songs. He was a staple. I honestly didn't know anyone among my peers growing up who didn't have one of his albums. Great vid ... really enjoyed it! :)
Thank You for this Adam!!! "White and Nerdy" also has Key & Peele HILARIOUS!! PLEASE do an interview with Weird Al. Can you also do something on "White and Nerdy" & "Green Eggs and Spam"??
My favorite Weird Al album was Poodle Hat, he was absolutely on fire with the lyricism. The Frank Zappa tribute Genius in France was perfect as an album closer.
Weird Al definitely needs to be in the R n R Hall of Fame! I’ve been a fan since about 1978/79, when I heard “My Bologna” on my college radio station’s Dr. Demento Show! “White and Nerdy” is maybe his best parody! I LOVE Donnie Osmond’s dancing in it!!! 😂😂
When I was a kid, my best friend called me "professor" all the time. You are the ultimate "Professor". These back-story videos are awesome. It's amazing when you hear the full stories. You must know you have one of the best gigs ever. Thank you.
Are you kidding? I would pay - and beg, I have no dignity - Weird Al to cover one of my songs. I'm still waiting for the Weird Al / Michael Winslow duet. We need to make it happen.
White and Nerdy, with Don Osmond. That HAD to be the =HIGHLIGHT of the song. Who could have guessed. And it seems Mr Oismond was so cool with the whole gig. Absolutl;y GOLD!!!
Al could release an album full of rejections and failures and I'd still buy it and love it. The man is a national treasure, and a treasure trove of entertainment. Those mock-up interviews are hysterical, and who can forget his snack recipes from the Al TV days?!
The crazy part about white and nerdy is that Chamillionaire has claimed it's success is why he he won the Grammy that year. The suits at Atlantic were so so wrong. Ridin' got the Weird Al bump instead and Chamillonaire rode that wave.
Chamillionaire is why White and Nerdy got announced early. He was so excited that Al was going to do it he wrote a blog on Myspace before Al even recorded the song
I like "You're Pitiful" for its cleverness, but for pure humor, I enjoy the M&M revenge interview the most. I literally laughed out loud. (Is that LLOL?) I agree Weird Al should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! He is a part of the culture of Rock n' Roll, representing the part of us that can laugh at ourselves, even about a thing in life we seriously love!
I introduced Weird Al to my kids. What a fun time! White and Nerdy is an all-time favorite. My kids school used his song 'Germs' as part of their health class. His song 'Take out the Trash!' Hysterical! His originals are pretty good too. 'The Hardware Store!' 😂😂😂
Thanks for another great episode, Professor! ❤ Somehow, not surprised that the Seuss Estate rejected the parody. On paper, legal firms have no sense of humor. 😂
I know Wes Tank had some problems with his Dr Seuss over Dr Dre (and other Drs) on UA-cam and they were taken off most of the searches for a while and you could only find them in the specific playlist. Not surprised Al's problem was with them more than the music side.
@@ProfessorofRock It also doesn't surprise me that U2 would be okay a parody of "Numb." What does surprise me is that they seemed to have been okay with Richard Cheese doing a spoof of "Sunday, Bloody Sunday." That has to be a serious as Coolio's attitude about "Gangsta's Paradise."
There are obviously lots of things on this channel that bring back memories, but this one really hit me! I can't agree more that the video to Numb was ripe for parody, because we did just that in a 7th or 8th grade lip sync. I don't remember all the stuff we did, but I do remember pouring syrup down his shirt, putting whipped cream and a cherry on his head, faking shaving his face with the whipped cream, and pretending to try (and fail) to set him on fire via several methods, culminating in rubbing 2 sticks together... A lot of food jokes and silliness. Al would have been proud. I could probably count on one hand the number of people who got what we were doing, but I'm actually kinda proud of it, considering how young we were... wonder if my parents still have the VHS somewhere.
"Wanna Be Your Lover" has become a hilarious concert highlight. During the song, Al goes into the audience, climbs over their seats, and does mildly risqué things to people.
I've watched as many recordings as I could find of that one. It's always fun to see the different ways people react. One middle-aged lady got shy and tried to look away when he was singing to her, and when Al moved back in front of her, she gave him a cute little pat on the shoulder.
Whoa! Just noticed Key and Peele were on the White and Nerdy music video. I had no idea who they were at the time as they were relatively under the radar back then.
How about the period when Weird Al's "Yoda" was on the Dr Demento top 5 list every week and then couldn't be released on that album, so then it ended up on the next album and had another round of top 5 on the show? Thanks!
Ooh, that's good! I was thinking "I'm a Boozer", or "I'm an Oozer" have good potential, but you have the almost-close-enough-to-rhyme factor, so you win! - LOL
Makes you wish Al had gotten permission from these artists because no was better at parody them him ever. It's my belief that it would make the original song even more popular. We could use Al right now to lighten up pop music again. Great episode professor!
It's amazing watching him perform that segment of "Trapped in the Drive-Thru" and watching his band break into "Black Dog," really rock out for a few seconds and stop on a dime the moment Al says "Click."
Haven't read all the comments, but how about Spike Jones and His City Slickers' "You Always Hurt the One You Love". There's been so many great parody songs and artists over the last 80-100 years, it's hard to pick just one.
You could do a miniseries about Al and that would be fine by me! You HAVE to get him in on an interview. One of the things that blows my mind about his work, the effort and brilliance that is, Weird Al… when he does a song, and even more so when he does a video, he BECOMES that person. He learns to talk like them, walk like them, makes the same musical errors the other artist makes… he becomes engulfed in everything about his mark. Look at the depth he went to on white and nerdy. Then look at the rabbit hole he jumped down for that video, and the more nerdy you are, the more you’ll love about it. Pro tip, pause the video on the cards of humanity questions about Harry Potter… when he’s playing the video game on the PC… the more you know the more you’ll laugh. Then spend an hour or two reading the comments on all the other stuff you missed. 🎵That’s all I have to say about that!🎵
It's so true. It's weird that Prince didn't get that. He spoofed Dave Chappelle's bit about him by using the picture of Dave dressed like Prince on the cover of an album? Why so serious, Oh Great Purple One?
@@Goddzi yes it is, I just echoed the sentiment with slightly different words. I have been listening to Weird Al since the early 80's (Dr Demento) and it was something I thought early on because of his wide range and talent for grabbing the essence of the song and running with it. Unfortunately I wasn't famous, so no quote from me!
My favorite is Free Delivery, his parody of My Heart Will Go On. "Near, far, I'll jump in my car..." Al and his impressively talented band would be a great Professor of Rock interview.
Weird Al belongs in the R&R Hall of Fame, of course, but he owes a lot to Spike Jones and His City Slickers. They might be credited with the funniest song of all time; they did so many!
Al has definitely paid tribute to Spike as often as possible. He credits Spike, Tom Lehrer, Stan Freberg and Allan Sherman as his personal Mount Rushmore of comedy
@@MountainFisher Al definitely appreciates Shel, he performed Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout during his coffeehouse days, but the other 4 are definitely more of a direct influence on him.
You can Weird Al Yankovic me all day everyday and I will never never get tired of that genius. I am stuck in a small town in Montana and have seen him in concert once 2 years ago. I saw some examples of the songs you are talking about and it was amazing. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
WOW !! It just boggles my mind why any artist wouldn't want a Weird Al parody of one of their songs . Back in the day that was how you would have known that you made it . Great video Adam , can't wait for the next one. Stay safe my UA-cam friend , Jim Rupe , Seattle Washington.
As a Canadian, I want to turn “Loser” into “Hoser” sung with a stereotypically Canadian accent and talk about things like maple syrup and Canadian bacon and poutine. I could probably even write it. I've been mimicking Weird Al of the cusp since childhood.
The Weird Al video was how I found the channel and it’s cool dude listens to his fans. It’s always nice to watch anything that’s just full of genuine love. We need more people like this dude in the world!
The one who should have parodied Beck's 'Loser' is Jack Black for his Nacho Libre movie. "Soy un luchador my name is Nacho baby so why don't you fight me"
Great memory of mine involving "I bought on Ebay". My wife became addicted to EBAY for awhile before she discovered Amazon. We kept getting delivery after delivery of crap off ebay so from the moment I first heard it I would blast it on the home stereo whenever I would catch her on the site. Kind of therapy I'd guess you would call it.
Gotta say i was gifted a ticket to a Weird Al concert (always loved his parodies, never bought an album) and he did not disappoint. Excellent showman! Going to University of North Texas i was already a polka head became of Brave Combo.
Whenever I hear a song that Al parody’d I always find myself singing the words to the Weird Al version lol. “I lost on Jeopardy”, “King of Suede” and “Fat” might as well be the actual names of the songs 😂
I liked Al's versions better than almost all originAls. I knew from the start he would be big. In the same way MST3K made the funky movies better, so did Al. A nice guy with a real talent and usually good band.
At around 8:49 in your video where you're talking about White and Nerdy, he's editing Atlantic Record's Wikipedia page with, "YOU SUCK!" When he performs, "You're Pitiful," in concert, he's wearing dozens of shirts that he takes off one at a time throughout the song, and one of them says something like, "Atlantic Records Suck."
Professor, I’d like to see a story on Dr Demento and the acts that he played and how maybe they benefitted from his endorsement. I think Weird Al and Devo are a couple artists that I believe Dr D was the first to ever air them on the radio. Surely there are others, just maybe not as well known?
Of all of Al's work, those ALTV specials might be my favorites. The effort and production he would put into 2 hours or more of MTV programing was awesome....and you barely had any notice when it would come on, as TV Guide didnt list MTV programming back then. Sadly, there can never be an official release of those classics.
Weird Al is the best thing to have ever happened to rock music. If for no other reason than that he helps the artists he spoofs to not take themselves so seriously.
@@ProfessorofRock Honestly... depends on my mood any particular day. Right now I'm jamming to Craigslist followed by eBay - some of those harmonies are righteous. Lets not forget Yoda. Let alone The Saga Begins - with probably one of the best videos he's ever done (imo). "Maybe Vader someday later...." and "soon I'm gonna be a jedi..." Always thought "Like a surgeon" could also have been "Like a sturgeon" 🙂 Keep up the great work, Prof!
Poll: What is your pick for the FUNNIEST song of all time?
Just a Big Ego - Bob & Zip
The Candy Wrapper Song - Bird & Mac Donald
Flight of the Conchords - If You're Into It
Ylvis - Work It
White and Nerdy
"Minimum Wage" by They Might Be Giants
ua-cam.com/video/ohpr08XkBWY/v-deo.htmlsi=lTYM6HM5Xn7npGOl
The thing about White and Nerdy is that, not only was it hilarious, but Al also showed that he had incredible rapping skills. Would love a deep dive on that one.
He also displayed some of his skills on Hardware Store. That 30ish second long bridge he did in a single breath on the album.
YES! I want to roll with the Gangsters, too bad they all think I'm too white and Nerdy.
He can RAP better than some so-called rap artist, that's for sure.
The rough cut that is only Donny Osmond & Weird Al in front of a green screen is hilarious. The dancing was combo planned & ad libbed and Al had zero idea what it would be - he couldn’t see Donny Osmond dancing so had no idea until playback.
@@deathula1 Hmm, Eminem comes to mind.
If you can get an interview with Al I'm totally there!!!
Will do!
I would love that!
That would be absolutely AWESOME!
@@ProfessorofRock Yessss! Do that! (interview Weird Al)
So am I!
I still wonder why Al never did "Livin' la Vida Polka".
I remember hearing how shocked he was at hearing that VH-1 selected him to do a Behind The Music show. His exact words were "I've never slept with a band member, I've never crippled a band member, I've never stayed in my boat for 3 days on a heroin binge, I've never had to deal with weight problems, I've never slept with so many women that I lost count, I've never lip-synced my songs, except in music videos, I never was an alcoholic, I never was a poster child for marijuana smoking, I never married my 13-year-old cousin.......SO WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!!"...................playfully, of course.
Oh wow 😂😂😂
…But I mean, he does have a point.
"You recorded your first hit in the bathroom!"
True! Weird Al is a national treasure. He's still here when a lot of other musical acts (that he has parodied) aren't.
Haha! I love him even more now.
I saw that one! That was great 😂
Pluses of being super old (57). I was listening to Dr. Demento as far back as 1978 when he was on KMET. I still remember hearing Weird Al doing 'My Bologna' the first time! I was immediately hooked!
So good!
My sibs and i would gather round the kitchen table to listen to Dr. Demento on wvxu Oxford, OH. ( 1985-) Loved when he played Al! Still fans and go to concerts regularly.
@Fakeaorta well “Sonny” at 57, to me you’re still a kid. But you do appreciate the music I grew up with. Unfortunately, we took it for granted and didn’t realize how good we had it.
@@Sherwoody There is still really good music. Sadly not on commercial radio. Now It's just buried in non commercial and independent radio stations. It is so much harder to find.
@@Fakeaorta true, it’s still there, but we had so much of it easily available. In the sixties, The Beatles were cranking out two or three albums per year, and they weren’t the only ones. In the seventies Led Zeppelin 1, 2, and 3 were so good that we couldn’t wait till 4. There were so many good bands and songs in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s that really good bands often didn’t make it because the competition was so steep.
Weird Al is a National Treasure and should be the Superbowl Halftime Artist. He could play Sports Song.
Holy crap! This is a half time I would watch. It would rock even harder if any of the artists he spoofed made cameos!
LOL, I would watch that!
Why hasn't anyone thought of that before??? Even I would watch that one! Probably go down in history as most watched Superbowl halftime ever!
I would totally watch a Weird Al halftime show.
Been saying for most of 2 decades that Weird Al needs to do the halftime show and then they need to ditch the concept of the modern halftime show, I know there's been a petition or 10 for him doing the show
Of course we want a video on "White and Nerdy"! I don't listen to any pop music now, so I don't know any of the original songs Al parodies now, but he's still the biggest musical genius of all time. More, please.
Same. I only really listen to the classics. Will do!
Get Donny Osmond in there as well. Almost all of the madness he does behind Al as his "hype man" were off the cuff physical improv. There's a video of all the wackiness he did for the whole song, as well as al completely losing his mind laughing after the song ends.
I never have understood that artists don’t realize that having Al do a parody of one of your songs was a sign that you had “made it”. It’s truly an honor and salute from Al.
No question!
For real! These people should be thankful!
I can't believe that Lady Gaga was almost part of that club. When it was reported that she was considering putting a stop to "Perform this Way," people on the Internet were so astonished and reminded her that a Weird Al parody would be beneficial. She changed her mind when this came to her attention.
Wasn't it the guys from Nirvana who said they knew they made it when Weird Al wanted to parody Teen Spirit?
Michael Jackson would be the first one to tell you his career was an absolute failure until “Fat” came out 😂😂
White and Nerdy being my favorite song I would love a deep dive.
Sounds Good!
It’s hilarious!
Me too!
@@ProfessorofRockthank you!!! I love it so much as a fan of Al and Donny. The two of them are hilarious on the video.
It blows my mind that the biggest artist of the timeMichael Jackson was okay with being spoofed but so many others thought it was below them.
remember that Michael stopped the parody of Black or White by Al
yeah but he also liked little boys so who cares about his thankfully dead opinion
Some artists don't get it!
True. But he'd already given permission twice. @@randytessman6750
It’s not really all that surprising especially when you know that whenever an artist wanted to sample or use his music in any way he wouldn’t charge them
And now Al performing "You're Pittiful" in his concert medleys with an Atlantic Records Sucks T-shirt makes more sense.
Not to mention the fact that, in the "White and Nerdy" video, when he says he edits Wikipedia, he's on the Atlantic Records page, typing "YOU SUCK!"
I think of "White and Nerdy" and "All About the Pentiums" as two sides of the same geeky coin.
He honestly deserves Hall of Fame status based on skill! All those parodies are done faithfully, music, rhythm, style etc.
Poodle Hat is my favorite Weird Al album. Couch Potato, Hardware Store, Wanna B Yr lovr, Ebay, Genius in France and others are great songs, but BOB is one of the greatest Weird Al songs of all time. Bob Dylan's lyrics, voice and style lampooned with palindromes? Pure excellence! Keep up the great work, professor! We love you!
Always got a big laugh out of “Another One Rides the Bus” 😂😂
I laugh every time Donnie dances. He's the perfect choice that only Al would think of.
Ha!
Asking Donny to be in White and Nerdy was a stroke of pure comedic genius
There's something about people named Donnie and their dancing (Donny O can dance way better than I ever could)
I haven't watched that music video before. I actually don't care for that song but it definitely looks like I missed out on a funny video. Now I gotta go watch!
If you haven't seen it look for the video of Donny and Al dancing to White and Nerdy from beginning to end. It is titled White and Nerdy (Take #1). Very funny and entertaining.
I actually vividly remember the 1st time I ever heard Weird Al. I was walking home from school in the 6th grade and got stuck waiting at a crosswalk just as the light had turned red. Within seconds someone pulled up to the light blasting "Another one rides the bus" as it played on the radio. The light was long enough that those of us waiting to cross got to hear most of the song... We instantly loved it. Everyone knew "Another one bites the dust" so, it was immediately evident what it was a parody of. That song had the widest appeal of any song I've ever seen in my life... Kids, teens, parents and grandparents alike all got a kick out of it.
The best dig at Prince was in the song Word Crimes: "...you should never write words using numbers, unless you're seven or your name is Prince!"
One of his greatest lines.
Reading comments, but haven't watched the whole video: always dangerous, but there's a good chance that prince said 'no' to Al because when Al's movie VH1 came out, prince's 'purple rain' movie was also in cinemas. Al is on record saying 'the difference between my movie and prince's is that mine's supposed to be funny'.... oof.
@@MatthewXLY That, and from everything I've heard Prince was quite the huge asshole.
Al hosted an all-weekend special on Much Music in Canada called "AL Music" (similar to AL TV in the U.S.). In one segment on his 1995 special, he described reasons why he thought Canada is better than the U.S. For one of the reasons, he was standing in a music shop holding a Prince CD and said "The artist formerly known as Prince lives in the United States...nuff said."
@@MatthewXLY _Purple Rain_ came out several years before _UHF,_ but Prince had been turning him down for years before that remark. He didn't really learn to laugh at himself until about 2010 or so when he used the picture of Dave Chappelle as him for a record cover.
I DVR Jeopardy every so for me, “I lost on Jeopardy” will always be my favorite Weird Al parody.
So good!
That whole album (in 3D) is a masterpiece. In addition to I lost on Jeopardy (to the tune of Our Love's in Jeopardy by Greg Kihn band), I recall the following gems:
1) King of Suede (to the Police song King of Pain)
2) Brady Bunch (Safety Dance, by Men Without Hats)
3) Rye or the Kaiser (theme for Rocky 13) (Eye of the Tiger by Survivor)
4) Nature Trail to Hell (Weird Al original parodying slasher films)
5) Eat It (Beat It)
Among others.
Didn't he even get Greg Kihn to cameo in the video?
It’s a great one!
@@fnjesusfreak He appears as the groom at the end of the video.
Oh, how could you have missed it? Just as you were finishing up your coverage of White and Nerdy, you had a clip of Weird Al saying "I edit Wikipedia" - and that shot has him writing "You Suck" on Atlantic Record's page!
Al actually sang a couple lines of Wanna Be Your Lover to me when I saw him in concert a few years ago. One of the highlights of my life. 😃
I have the upmost respect for Weird Al because he asks the artist go ahead first before he does a parody of their song. In most cases he doesn’t have to ask their permission, but he’s a stand up kind of guy and asks anyways. Yeah, tons of respect.
I've always been a fan of the polka medleys, because of their connection to Al's dad. Gotta respect a man who uses his art to honor his folks. 👍😎🥸
His dad? If you're thinking of the Frankie Yankovic, the Polka King...Al's not related to him. Weird, but true.
Poodle Hat, as you mentioned, had so many great songs on it. Couch Potato, eBay, Hardware Store. When I i do karaoke and someone does I Want it That Way I catch myself singing eBay instead.
Great stories!
I do the same with Ebay.
@@TerrickTerranme too!
I saw a girl absolutely slay at doing White and Nerdy at karaoke. I was very impressed
You could do only Weird Al stories and I would be captivated. Thanks for this.
Agreed. Al has a lot of talent. Comedy is hard. ☕️☕️🎶🎵🎶
ha ha. He's the best.
And he always seem to nail it!@@Jims_Camera_at_dawn
@@ProfessorofRock With a sledgehammer.
he is the mozart of our day.
"White And Nerdy" - YES!
It's funny how important a thing can seem at the time, but in retrospect you wonder "What were we thinking?" LOL - I've always loved Weird Al's parody songs. He was a staple. I honestly didn't know anyone among my peers growing up who didn't have one of his albums. Great vid ... really enjoyed it! :)
Thanks for watching!
@@ProfessorofRock - Always! Thanks for the awesome content!
Thanks again!@@bartbluemusic
Thank You for this Adam!!! "White and Nerdy" also has Key & Peele HILARIOUS!! PLEASE do an interview with Weird Al. Can you also do something on "White and Nerdy" & "Green Eggs and Spam"??
Yes to White and Nerdy. I forgot about that parody and it’s hilarious
"You're Pitiful" is still available to download. It is now track 13 on my "Straight Out Of Lynwood" folder.
My favorite Weird Al album was Poodle Hat, he was absolutely on fire with the lyricism. The Frank Zappa tribute Genius in France was perfect as an album closer.
Yep. Also great Dylan parody in Bob.
Weird Al definitely needs to be in the R n R Hall of Fame! I’ve been a fan since about 1978/79, when I heard “My Bologna” on my college radio station’s Dr. Demento Show! “White and Nerdy” is maybe his best parody! I LOVE Donnie Osmond’s dancing in it!!! 😂😂
When I was a kid, my best friend called me "professor" all the time. You are the ultimate "Professor". These back-story videos are awesome. It's amazing when you hear the full stories.
You must know you have one of the best gigs ever. Thank you.
Are you kidding? I would pay - and beg, I have no dignity - Weird Al to cover one of my songs.
I'm still waiting for the Weird Al / Michael Winslow duet. We need to make it happen.
Ha ha! Love it. What's your favorite Al song?
@@ProfessorofRock"It's All About The Pentiums" - I was in tech school at the time and that song was my motivation to keep pushing.
Love it!@@christineml1476
I saw Winslow live a couple years ago. Such a great show! What if he and Al did a co-headline tour? 😮
Winslow showed up in an episode of Dropout's "Game Changer" and made it even better than it usually already is, that guy is a living legend for sure
“White and Nerdy” is one of his best! Love Weird Al!
For some reasons, the thought that Adam is a fan of "Weird" Al Yankovic makes the planets align for me. It beings peace to my soul.
White and Nerdy, with Don Osmond. That HAD to be the =HIGHLIGHT of the song. Who could have guessed. And it seems Mr Oismond was so cool with the whole gig. Absolutl;y GOLD!!!
Al could release an album full of rejections and failures and I'd still buy it and love it. The man is a national treasure, and a treasure trove of entertainment. Those mock-up interviews are hysterical, and who can forget his snack recipes from the Al TV days?!
"You're Pitiful" and "Constipated" were the hilarious ones.
The crazy part about white and nerdy is that Chamillionaire has claimed it's success is why he he won the Grammy that year. The suits at Atlantic were so so wrong. Ridin' got the Weird Al bump instead and Chamillonaire rode that wave.
Chamillionaire is why White and Nerdy got announced early. He was so excited that Al was going to do it he wrote a blog on Myspace before Al even recorded the song
I like "You're Pitiful" for its cleverness, but for pure humor, I enjoy the M&M revenge interview the most. I literally laughed out loud. (Is that LLOL?) I agree Weird Al should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! He is a part of the culture of Rock n' Roll, representing the part of us that can laugh at ourselves, even about a thing in life we seriously love!
👍👍 Gotta get that Al interview 👍👍
For sure!
Lifelong weird Al fan. Dad introduced us to his silly songs in the 1980s. Got to see him live once by chance at the DelMar fair back in early 2000s.
Thanks for sharing!
Did you ever meet him?
Saw him a couple of times at the OC Fair. Family friendly, great shows
I introduced Weird Al to my kids. What a fun time! White and Nerdy is an all-time favorite. My kids school used his song 'Germs' as part of their health class. His song 'Take out the Trash!' Hysterical! His originals are pretty good too. 'The Hardware Store!' 😂😂😂
We can't get enough of Weird Al shows... He's a treasure
Agreed!
Thanks for another great episode, Professor! ❤
Somehow, not surprised that the Seuss Estate rejected the parody. On paper, legal firms have no sense of humor. 😂
I know, right? So what's your favorite Al parody?
I know Wes Tank had some problems with his Dr Seuss over Dr Dre (and other Drs) on UA-cam and they were taken off most of the searches for a while and you could only find them in the specific playlist. Not surprised Al's problem was with them more than the music side.
@@ProfessorofRock It also doesn't surprise me that U2 would be okay a parody of "Numb." What does surprise me is that they seemed to have been okay with Richard Cheese doing a spoof of "Sunday, Bloody Sunday." That has to be a serious as Coolio's attitude about "Gangsta's Paradise."
Can't get enough of multi-Grammy award winner, Weird Al Yankovic.
He's the best!
There are obviously lots of things on this channel that bring back memories, but this one really hit me! I can't agree more that the video to Numb was ripe for parody, because we did just that in a 7th or 8th grade lip sync.
I don't remember all the stuff we did, but I do remember pouring syrup down his shirt, putting whipped cream and a cherry on his head, faking shaving his face with the whipped cream, and pretending to try (and fail) to set him on fire via several methods, culminating in rubbing 2 sticks together... A lot of food jokes and silliness. Al would have been proud.
I could probably count on one hand the number of people who got what we were doing, but I'm actually kinda proud of it, considering how young we were... wonder if my parents still have the VHS somewhere.
I never knew I absolutely needed a Zepplin Polka mix until today!
"Wanna Be Your Lover" has become a hilarious concert highlight. During the song, Al goes into the audience, climbs over their seats, and does mildly risqué things to people.
I had the privilege of being such a recipient. My husband's face accidentally met Weird Al's shoe!
I've watched as many recordings as I could find of that one. It's always fun to see the different ways people react.
One middle-aged lady got shy and tried to look away when he was singing to her, and when Al moved back in front of her, she gave him a cute little pat on the shoulder.
Whoa! Just noticed Key and Peele were on the White and Nerdy music video. I had no idea who they were at the time as they were relatively under the radar back then.
Thanks Professor. Please do a video about 'White and Nerdy', and be sure to highlight the trivial pursuit card questions, they're priceless!
How about the period when Weird Al's "Yoda" was on the Dr Demento top 5 list every week and then couldn't be released on that album, so then it ended up on the next album and had another round of top 5 on the show?
Thanks!
Now that I think about it. The parody for “Loser” should’ve been “I’m a snoozer babyyyy I’m hopelessly lazyyyy”
Ha ha!
Ooh, that's good! I was thinking "I'm a Boozer", or "I'm an Oozer" have good potential, but you have the almost-close-enough-to-rhyme factor, so you win! - LOL
That would have been amazing!
You're Pitiful....I love it!!! Always thought the James Blunt song was pitiful so this totally fits!!! 🤣
Makes you wish Al had gotten permission from these artists because no was better at parody them him ever. It's my belief that it would make the original song even more popular. We could use Al right now to lighten up pop music again. Great episode professor!
Weird Al should do a parody of one of Taylor Swift’s songs. That would be gold!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980He did. It's called TMZ.
Hell yeah, a dive into "White & Nerdy" would be great!
SOund great!
"Weird Al" is a certifiable genius!
Certified, from what I read.
You should absolutely do a White and Nerdy video w/Weird Al. That would be totally epic!!
Definitely a deep dive on his top hit! And an interview?? If that’s on the table, YES!! YES PLEASE DO AN INTERVIEW!!!🙌
It's amazing watching him perform that segment of "Trapped in the Drive-Thru" and watching his band break into "Black Dog," really rock out for a few seconds and stop on a dime the moment Al says "Click."
Haven't read all the comments, but how about Spike Jones and His City Slickers' "You Always Hurt the One You Love". There's been so many great parody songs and artists over the last 80-100 years, it's hard to pick just one.
You could do a miniseries about Al and that would be fine by me! You HAVE to get him in on an interview.
One of the things that blows my mind about his work, the effort and brilliance that is, Weird Al… when he does a song, and even more so when he does a video, he BECOMES that person. He learns to talk like them, walk like them, makes the same musical errors the other artist makes… he becomes engulfed in everything about his mark. Look at the depth he went to on white and nerdy. Then look at the rabbit hole he jumped down for that video, and the more nerdy you are, the more you’ll love about it.
Pro tip, pause the video on the cards of humanity questions about Harry Potter… when he’s playing the video game on the PC… the more you know the more you’ll laugh. Then spend an hour or two reading the comments on all the other stuff you missed.
🎵That’s all I have to say about that!🎵
You’re Pitiful is not as depressing as You’re Beautiful.
You haven't really made it as a musician until you have been parodied by Al!
That's what they say!
It's so true. It's weird that Prince didn't get that. He spoofed Dave Chappelle's bit about him by using the picture of Dave dressed like Prince on the cover of an album? Why so serious, Oh Great Purple One?
Haha, no kidding.
If memory serves, the “you haven’t really made it until Weird Al spoofs you” sentiment is a quote from Kurt Cobain
@@Goddzi yes it is, I just echoed the sentiment with slightly different words. I have been listening to Weird Al since the early 80's (Dr Demento) and it was something I thought early on because of his wide range and talent for grabbing the essence of the song and running with it. Unfortunately I wasn't famous, so no quote from me!
My favorite is Free Delivery, his parody of My Heart Will Go On. "Near, far, I'll jump in my car..."
Al and his impressively talented band would be a great Professor of Rock interview.
Weird Al belongs in the R&R Hall of Fame, of course, but he owes a lot to Spike Jones and His City Slickers. They might be credited with the funniest song of all time; they did so many!
Al has definitely paid tribute to Spike as often as possible. He credits Spike, Tom Lehrer, Stan Freberg and Allan Sherman as his personal Mount Rushmore of comedy
@@mike_minnick What? No Shel Silverstein? I love his classic Never Bite A Married Woman On The Thigh.
@@MountainFisher Al definitely appreciates Shel, he performed Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout during his coffeehouse days, but the other 4 are definitely more of a direct influence on him.
You can Weird Al Yankovic me all day everyday and I will never never get tired of that genius. I am stuck in a small town in Montana and have seen him in concert once 2 years ago. I saw some examples of the songs you are talking about and it was amazing. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Very cool!
Did he ever come to Montana for a concert?
WOW !! It just boggles my mind why any artist wouldn't want a Weird Al parody of one of their songs . Back in the day that was how you would have known that you made it . Great video Adam , can't wait for the next one. Stay safe my UA-cam friend , Jim Rupe , Seattle Washington.
No kidding!
Wow! You’re on the opposite diagonal side of where I live. I’m in a southeast state. 😊
As a Canadian, I want to turn “Loser” into “Hoser” sung with a stereotypically Canadian accent and talk about things like maple syrup and Canadian bacon and poutine. I could probably even write it. I've been mimicking Weird Al of the cusp since childhood.
The Weird Al video was how I found the channel and it’s cool dude listens to his fans. It’s always nice to watch anything that’s just full of genuine love. We need more people like this dude in the world!
He's such a lovely person.
Have you met him?
The one who should have parodied Beck's 'Loser' is Jack Black for his Nacho Libre movie.
"Soy un luchador
my name is Nacho baby
so why don't you fight me"
Great memory of mine involving "I bought on Ebay". My wife became addicted to EBAY for awhile before she discovered Amazon. We kept getting delivery after delivery of crap off ebay so from the moment I first heard it I would blast it on the home stereo whenever I would catch her on the site. Kind of therapy I'd guess you would call it.
Had never heard of U2 'Numb' before. I watched the video and the opening reminds me vaguely of Don Henley 'All She Wants to Do is Dance'.
Gotta say i was gifted a ticket to a Weird Al concert (always loved his parodies, never bought an album) and he did not disappoint. Excellent showman! Going to University of North Texas i was already a polka head became of Brave Combo.
Whenever I hear a song that Al parody’d I always find myself singing the words to the Weird Al version lol. “I lost on Jeopardy”, “King of Suede” and “Fat” might as well be the actual names of the songs 😂
Numb is so underated! I like how Edge delivered his jam !
It's definitely different!
@@ProfessorofRock I would use that song and music video to mate with the Honeys 🍯
Caught U2 at the Sphere.
Great show, but would’ve loved some Zooropa tunes.
@@jfp17 I saw the first 2 shows here at the Sphere!
Me too!
Now if only Al would do a Parody of " I've Got Friends in Low Places" Try country Al . "It Could work!"😊
That could be hilarious! 😄
@@susangrande8142 INDEED
I've seen a priest do karaoke of that song. It was hilarious.
My favorite of these is definitely You're Pitiful. Really wish we could have heard Smoozer though, I'm sure it would have been great.
I liked Al's versions better than almost all originAls. I knew from the start he would be big. In the same way MST3K made the funky movies better, so did Al. A nice guy with a real talent and usually good band.
I definitely prefer White and Nerdy to Ridin’ Dirty.
A whole lotta lunch 😂😂
Isn't it great?
@@ProfessorofRock never heard of that one until now. So clever… It’s a total honor to get parodied by him
Haha!
"Numb me, drill me,
floss me, bill me"
has to be one of the greatest lyrics of all time
Thanks for the You're Pitiful/White and Nerdy story. That explains why he was editing the Atlantic Records wiki page.
Kurt Cobain loved Smells like Nirvana.
Yes he did!
Love Weird Al. When I heard "Lost on Jeopardy" I was hooked.
You should definitely do a video on some of his originals. Devo liked Dare to be Stupid so much that they actually did a cover of it themselves
How awesome! 😆 That’d be great to hear!
I have always maintained that to do what Al does, as well as he does, for as long as he has, *has* to take some kind of genius.
Keep them coming Professor, you are prolific! 🤟
At around 8:49 in your video where you're talking about White and Nerdy, he's editing Atlantic Record's Wikipedia page with, "YOU SUCK!" When he performs, "You're Pitiful," in concert, he's wearing dozens of shirts that he takes off one at a time throughout the song, and one of them says something like, "Atlantic Records Suck."
Professor, I’d like to see a story on Dr Demento and the acts that he played and how maybe they benefitted from his endorsement. I think Weird Al and Devo are a couple artists that I believe Dr D was the first to ever air them on the radio. Surely there are others, just maybe not as well known?
My favorite Weird Al song is not a parody but uses riffs of several songs - "I Was Only Kidding" is a howlingly funny song.
You're Pitiful was awesome and touching.
Yes it was!
Love the song but wouldn't trade White and Nerdy for any song.
YES! Loved it.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Hey Silly Lilly 😜
@@constipatedinsincity4424 You live in Vegas?
Nice touch, editing in the Atlantic Records portion of "White and Nerdy" without saying anything about it. Masterful!
Please, please, please!!!! Do an in depth of White & Nerdy!!!! I still own my official White & Nerdy hoodie !!!!
How about a deep dive into a few of the style parodies? "When I Was Your Age" is priceless, and "Dare To Be Stupid" is a classic. Just for examples.
Of all of Al's work, those ALTV specials might be my favorites. The effort and production he would put into 2 hours or more of MTV programing was awesome....and you barely had any notice when it would come on, as TV Guide didnt list MTV programming back then. Sadly, there can never be an official release of those classics.
Weird Al is the best thing to have ever happened to rock music. If for no other reason than that he helps the artists he spoofs to not take themselves so seriously.
Trapped in the drive thru.... wow. Epic beyond.
Right? What's your top Al track?
@@ProfessorofRock Honestly... depends on my mood any particular day. Right now I'm jamming to Craigslist followed by eBay - some of those harmonies are righteous. Lets not forget Yoda. Let alone The Saga Begins - with probably one of the best videos he's ever done (imo). "Maybe Vader someday later...." and "soon I'm gonna be a jedi..." Always thought "Like a surgeon" could also have been "Like a sturgeon" 🙂 Keep up the great work, Prof!