Dick's Automotive

Post by **Big Spoon** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:57 pm

DA is on the iTunes music store, along with the rest of the album it's on.

Post by **DrSteggy** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:19 pm

TheLazenby @ Jun 25 2006, 04:44 PM wrote: I never got the similarities between "Everything You Know Is Wrong" and TMBG... I know that Al was referencing them with the "prosthetic lips" thing, but that's all...

Besides, there is NO way John Linnell could play that accordion solo.

I'm a big TMBG fan and as soon as I heard EYKIW I was like "THAT is TMBG." It just sounded very much in that flavor to me--the music, the tone Al uses, the bizarre lyrics...

I'll disagree with you on Linnell not being able to do that solo though--I've been impressed by what those guys do live

Jackie

Post by **Kevbo1987** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:19 pm

I most certainly haven't lost any respect for Al because of the similarity to Dick's Automotive. As other members have been saying, it's quite obviously a style parody. It's still very original and funny and the similarity to DA should not make anyone think any less of the song..

Post by **anthontherun** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:32 pm

I'd heard DA before but I went ahead and downloaded it on iTunes. It's funny in parts, but I kind of agree with Patti, the lyrics are definitely a little creepy (Al's done some strange lyrics occasionally but nothing quite like this). Still, for 99 cents, it's worth comparing if you haven't heard it yet.

Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:42 pm

DrSteggy @ Jun 26 2006, 02:19 PM wrote:
I'll disagree with you on Linnell not being able to do that solo though--I've been impressed by what those guys do live

Have to step in and be a TMBG fan here- yes. However in some points it seems that the accordion and keyboard are played at once during the solo- Linnell's no robot (in live versions of "Wicked Little Critta", the accordion bit is not in there because he's playing the keyboard).
But yes, getting back on topic... one of the best style parodies of Al's carreer.

Post by **TMBJon** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:28 am

In past live shows of both Weird Al and TMBG, pre-recorded snippets have been used to play difficult songs. If Al decided he wanted to play EYKIW, he would have no problem (except for the fast paced nature, that is).
And I wouldn't put very much past the live stylings of TMBG... They play freakin' "Fingertips" live in its entirety these days...

MarsBar · Post by **MarsBar** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:00 am

Thanks a lot guys. I just listened to DA. Now I`m going to have nightmares for weeks.

TheLazenby · Post by **TheLazenby** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:21 am

"Nature is so BITCHIN'!"

I love hearing 'Fingertips' live - i especially love to watch the reactions on the faces of people who aren't familiar with the song. (I had to explain it to my sister once, who somehow got dragged into seeing TMBG with me, despite never hearing of them...)

Pete Man · Post by **Pete Man** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:40 am

The thing is though, there is a line betwenn "parody" and "plagerism" if Al made a style parody with his own lyrics, it isnt a big deal because bands rip-off of each other all the time. But when somebody makes a song that sounds the same musically and even has some of the same lyrics, it is a completly differnt story. I havent heard the other song you guys are talking about but I know one thing, if Al was going to make a "style parody" as a joke (songs like BOB and stuff) he would definatly use a song (and band) well known and I dont think that the band you guys are talking about are very well known (I dont listen to the radio but I am into a lot of independant music) and therefore not really a good idea to make a musical parody of. I have a tape of Weird Al doing two old songs The Railroad and I'm Stupid Blues and one of them ( I am not sure because they are together, I think it was Railroad though because a differnt version of Im Stupid Blues doesnt have it) has an early version of the part in the donut shop so he may have just thought it fit or something. (unlesss that was a cover or something).

Post by **DrSteggy** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:54 am

From Dictionary.com:

plagiarism

n 1: a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work 2: the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own [syn: plagiarization, plagiarisation, piracy]

parody

A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule. See Synonyms at caricature.
The genre of literature comprising such works.
Something so bad as to be equivalent to intentional mockery; a travesty: The trial was a parody of justice.
Music. The practice of reworking an already established composition, especially the incorporation into the Mass of material borrowed from other works, such as motets or madrigals.

parody

n 1: a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way [syn: lampoon, spoof, sendup, mockery, takeoff, burlesque, travesty, charade, pasquinade, put-on] 2: humorous or satirical mimicry [syn: mockery, takeoff] v 1: make a spoof of or make fun of 2: make a parody of; "The students spoofed the teachers" [syn: spoof, burlesque]

Dictionary.com does not have a definition for style parody, but it has been defined more or less as an original work that uses elements both musically and lyrically to evoke the impression another band or artist actually wrote the work. Style parodies may also be original works of a genre of music (zydeco, reggae, country/western, etc.)

I am having a very difficult time understanding why people are taking such issue with Albuquerque being a possible style parody of Dick's Automotive. Is it that this is the first time Al seems to be poking at an individual SONG rather than an entire catalog or genre? Patti mentioned that "Traffic Jam" sounds an AWFUL lot like "Let's Go Crazy" and I'd agree with that--why is no one "disappointed" over that one?

There is a fairly long tradition of very long story type songs in rock music, at least--"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" by George Thoroughgood is an 8 minute epic about a guy stiffing his landlord and then getting loaded to celebrate (or drown his miseries, I'm never really sure) I'm sure most of us have spent a half hour on Thanksgiving Day listening to Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant Massacre" I don't know when "Dick's Automotive" was written, but its possible that it was done in that spirit to poke at that TYPE of song...and Al torqued it a little more. I have heard both and agree there are similar elements, but certainly no more so that those in any one of the other style parodies already mentioned in this thread.

Why this song folks? I don't understand.

Jackie