definitive list of style parodies
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 4:11 am
Okay, this has been attempted before, but I want to make an official, definitive list of style parodies. Some style parodies may be in the style of of one artist, or some may just be in the style of one whole genre of music.
Here is a list of all of Al's originals. Styles that I am confident about are in bold. Ones that I am uncertain about are in italics.
Gotta Boogie - genre - boogie (but can we be more specific?)
Buckingham Blues - genre - blues (more specific?)
Happy Birthday - artist - Tonio K (I've never heard of this artist. Can anyone confirm this?)
The Check's in the Mail - I don't think this is a style parody
I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead - Again, I don't think this is a style parody, but it kinda sounds like one
Such a Groovy Guy - probably a style parody, but I'm not sure of what
Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung - not a style parody
Midnight Star - I don't think it's a style parody
Buy Me a Condo - artist - Bob Marley (Some say it is just reggae, but listen to "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Marley and tell me that "Buy Me a Condo" isn't Marley)
Mr. Popeil - artist - B-52's
That Boy Could Dance - artist - Billy Joel (can anyone confirm this?)
Nature Trail to Hell - genre - heavy metal (more specific?)
Dare to Be Stupid - artist - Devo
One More Minute - It's in a certain genre, but the genre is hard to describe / name. Is it supposed to be a certain artist?
George of the Jungle - since it's a cover, I'd say that this isn't a style parody
Slime Creatures From Outer Space - Thomas Dolby or perhaps just soundtracks from scifi movies from the 50's?? Any comments?
This Is The Life - genre - 1920's piano rags
Cable TV - don't think this is a style parody but I could be wrong
Dog Eat Dog - artist - Talking Heads
One of Those Days - don't think it's a style parody
Don't Wear Those Shoes - according to Ask Al, it's not a style parody
Good Enough For Now - genre - country ballads
Christmas at Ground Zero - genre - Christmas carols
Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White - artist - Aerosmith (confirm?)
You Make Me - artist - Oingo Boingo
Melanie - don't think it's a style parody but I could be wrong
Velvet Elvis - artist - The Police
Twister - artist - Beastie Boys
Good Old Days - artist - James Taylor
Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters From a Planet Near Mars - I don't think it's a style parody
UHF - I doubt it's a style parody, though the music video is a style parody of so many different things. For bonus points, can anyone name every single musical artist referenced in the "UHF" video? I certainly can't.
Let Me Be Your Hog - not a style parody
Generic Blues - genre - blues (duh)
Fun Zone - not a style parody
The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota - artist - Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot (according to Ask Al)
Trigger Happy - artist - Beach Boys
I Was Only Kidding - I doubt it's a style parody
When I Was Your Age - artist - Don Henley (one web site I read said that WIWYA sounded a lot like "Dirty Laundry" - can anyone confirm or deny this?)
Airline Amy - don't think it is
You Don't Love Me Anymore - I'm not sure about this one. The video is a style parody of the video for Extreme's "More Than Words", and YDLMA sounds a bit like that song as well. Is it an Extreme style parody? A different artist? Or just a cynical style parody of cheesy love ballads?
Young, Dumb, and Ugly - artist - Guns n Roses (I'm pretty sure about this one. Anyone wanna back me up?)
Frank's 2000" TV - artist - REM
Traffic Jam - artist - Prince (This is the only one on this list that I just cannot hear. I'll admit I'm not THAT familiar with Prince, but TJ sounds very little like what I've heard of Prince so far. But everyone says it's Prince, so I included it)
Talk Soup and Waffle King - I've heard that each one of these is a style parody of Peter Gabriel. Can anyone confirm either one being a Gabriel style parody?
She Never Told Me She Was a Mime - I don't think so
Harvey the Wonder Hamster - Sounds to me like a style parody of some kind of sports fight song, but I dunno. Any ideas?
Everything You Know Is Wrong - artist - They Might Be Giants
Callin' in Sick - Nirvana or perhaps just grunge? Any ideas?
Since You've Been Gone - genre - upbeat a cappella songs (more specific?)
I'm So Sick of You - artist - Elvis Costello (confirmed by Ask Al)
I Remember Larry - I doubt it's a style parody
The Night Santa Went Crazy - I always assumed this was just a Christmas carol tune. But I've recently heard that it's a style parody of Soul Asylum. Is this valid?
My Baby's in Love With Eddie Vedder - I don't think this is a style parody, I think it was just a way for Al to play some good accordion music for an original. But I could be wrong. Any guesses?
The Weird Al Show Theme - not a style parody
Germs - artist - Nine Inch Nails
Your Horoscope For Today - genre - ska (especially Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish)
Truck Drivin' Song - genre - truck-driving songs (especially C.W. McCall)
Albuquerque - I always thought this was just straight Weird Al, but I recently heard that it was a more discreet, subtler style parody of Frank Zappa. Anyone confirm this?
Hardware Store - I heard some theories, but people disagreed. Can we agree on one artist that this is a style parody of? Or can we agree that it's not one?
Party at the Leper Colony - I don't think it's one, but it could be
Wanna B Ur Lovr - artist - Beck and Prince simultaneously
Why Does This Always Happen to Me? - artist - Ben Folds
Bob - artist - Bob Dylan (duh)
Genius in France - artist - Frank Zappa
Whew. Okay, get posting. Let's try to nail down some of these.
Here is a list of all of Al's originals. Styles that I am confident about are in bold. Ones that I am uncertain about are in italics.
Gotta Boogie - genre - boogie (but can we be more specific?)
Buckingham Blues - genre - blues (more specific?)
Happy Birthday - artist - Tonio K (I've never heard of this artist. Can anyone confirm this?)
The Check's in the Mail - I don't think this is a style parody
I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead - Again, I don't think this is a style parody, but it kinda sounds like one
Such a Groovy Guy - probably a style parody, but I'm not sure of what
Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung - not a style parody
Midnight Star - I don't think it's a style parody
Buy Me a Condo - artist - Bob Marley (Some say it is just reggae, but listen to "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Marley and tell me that "Buy Me a Condo" isn't Marley)
Mr. Popeil - artist - B-52's
That Boy Could Dance - artist - Billy Joel (can anyone confirm this?)
Nature Trail to Hell - genre - heavy metal (more specific?)
Dare to Be Stupid - artist - Devo
One More Minute - It's in a certain genre, but the genre is hard to describe / name. Is it supposed to be a certain artist?
George of the Jungle - since it's a cover, I'd say that this isn't a style parody
Slime Creatures From Outer Space - Thomas Dolby or perhaps just soundtracks from scifi movies from the 50's?? Any comments?
This Is The Life - genre - 1920's piano rags
Cable TV - don't think this is a style parody but I could be wrong
Dog Eat Dog - artist - Talking Heads
One of Those Days - don't think it's a style parody
Don't Wear Those Shoes - according to Ask Al, it's not a style parody
Good Enough For Now - genre - country ballads
Christmas at Ground Zero - genre - Christmas carols
Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White - artist - Aerosmith (confirm?)
You Make Me - artist - Oingo Boingo
Melanie - don't think it's a style parody but I could be wrong
Velvet Elvis - artist - The Police
Twister - artist - Beastie Boys
Good Old Days - artist - James Taylor
Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters From a Planet Near Mars - I don't think it's a style parody
UHF - I doubt it's a style parody, though the music video is a style parody of so many different things. For bonus points, can anyone name every single musical artist referenced in the "UHF" video? I certainly can't.
Let Me Be Your Hog - not a style parody
Generic Blues - genre - blues (duh)
Fun Zone - not a style parody
The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota - artist - Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot (according to Ask Al)
Trigger Happy - artist - Beach Boys
I Was Only Kidding - I doubt it's a style parody
When I Was Your Age - artist - Don Henley (one web site I read said that WIWYA sounded a lot like "Dirty Laundry" - can anyone confirm or deny this?)
Airline Amy - don't think it is
You Don't Love Me Anymore - I'm not sure about this one. The video is a style parody of the video for Extreme's "More Than Words", and YDLMA sounds a bit like that song as well. Is it an Extreme style parody? A different artist? Or just a cynical style parody of cheesy love ballads?
Young, Dumb, and Ugly - artist - Guns n Roses (I'm pretty sure about this one. Anyone wanna back me up?)
Frank's 2000" TV - artist - REM
Traffic Jam - artist - Prince (This is the only one on this list that I just cannot hear. I'll admit I'm not THAT familiar with Prince, but TJ sounds very little like what I've heard of Prince so far. But everyone says it's Prince, so I included it)
Talk Soup and Waffle King - I've heard that each one of these is a style parody of Peter Gabriel. Can anyone confirm either one being a Gabriel style parody?
She Never Told Me She Was a Mime - I don't think so
Harvey the Wonder Hamster - Sounds to me like a style parody of some kind of sports fight song, but I dunno. Any ideas?
Everything You Know Is Wrong - artist - They Might Be Giants
Callin' in Sick - Nirvana or perhaps just grunge? Any ideas?
Since You've Been Gone - genre - upbeat a cappella songs (more specific?)
I'm So Sick of You - artist - Elvis Costello (confirmed by Ask Al)
I Remember Larry - I doubt it's a style parody
The Night Santa Went Crazy - I always assumed this was just a Christmas carol tune. But I've recently heard that it's a style parody of Soul Asylum. Is this valid?
My Baby's in Love With Eddie Vedder - I don't think this is a style parody, I think it was just a way for Al to play some good accordion music for an original. But I could be wrong. Any guesses?
The Weird Al Show Theme - not a style parody
Germs - artist - Nine Inch Nails
Your Horoscope For Today - genre - ska (especially Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish)
Truck Drivin' Song - genre - truck-driving songs (especially C.W. McCall)
Albuquerque - I always thought this was just straight Weird Al, but I recently heard that it was a more discreet, subtler style parody of Frank Zappa. Anyone confirm this?
Hardware Store - I heard some theories, but people disagreed. Can we agree on one artist that this is a style parody of? Or can we agree that it's not one?
Party at the Leper Colony - I don't think it's one, but it could be
Wanna B Ur Lovr - artist - Beck and Prince simultaneously
Why Does This Always Happen to Me? - artist - Ben Folds
Bob - artist - Bob Dylan (duh)
Genius in France - artist - Frank Zappa
Whew. Okay, get posting. Let's try to nail down some of these.