World of Weird Al Yankovic

I think if "WSD" were coming from any other artist, whose purpose in every song isn't to be funny, it might be more "wrong" than Al's song. However, it's Al, and it is meant purely as a joke, I'm quite sure.

Bob Rozga @ Oct 19 2006, 04:55 AM wrote: However, it's Al, and it is meant purely as a joke, I'm quite sure.

Hmmm... Good point! I hadn't thought of that. He meant that as a JOKE? Wow. I thought he was really endorsing weasel stomping! Now I have to go return my Viking helmet...

Grom @ Oct 19 2006, 10:37 AM wrote: Satire is often hard to detect ...

What he said. U62 really seemed to be upset by the song.

And U62, you don't really think "WSD" is a social commentary with deep meaning, do you? I hope not. Deep laughs, but no deep meanings.

Al said in an interview that he wanted to do a song about ridiculous holiday traditions, and also make it as disgusting as possible. I think he succeeded.

Nice avvie, Bob!

I really don't think social commentary was Al's goal here. I think he really just wanted to think of the most ridiculous holiday possible and write a song about it.

I don't see anything unlikely about combining social commentary with laughs. It happens all the time, especially in Al's work. He just doesn't use a sledgehammer to pound the point home.

And laughing at the song doesn't necessarily mean heartlessness toward animals. I played the DVD side of SOL for some friends of mine who aren't especially Al fans and they laughed a lot at WSD, right there in the presence of their two dogs, three cats, tankful of fish, one rabbit, and an elderly hamster being gently nurtured through its last little hamster days on earth.

I consider myself a lover of animals, and I have no problems with WSD whatsoever. Now if it was CAT stomping day, I don't think I could've listened to the song. I think Al picked an animal that people don't really keep as a pet, or even think about on a day to day basis to hit the point home that the song was solely intended as a joke. I highly doubt there's any social commentary in this song (other than the hints at PETA in the video) and therefore I take it exactly for what it is:

Al said in an interview that he wanted to do a song about ridiculous holiday traditions, and also make it as disgusting as possible. I think he succeeded.

(thank you Patti! )

The song is 100% satire.

In the words of Nina Yankovic...

"It's a JOKE, Daddy!"



~*Cat*~

Yeah, actually I think there is a deeper meaning to the song that is too easily overlooked.

I believe the real message of the song to be "It's ridiculous to do something you know is wrong, just because other people are doing it." Unfortunately, the message most people take from it is "It's funny to abuse and kill small animals."

I don't think most people are taking the song as you stated in that last sentence, U62. I just think some people are sensitive to the lyrics, and the images shown in the video. Those people have a problem with it, but I don't blame them. I can understand where they're coming from, as long as they can understand that those of us who do like the song aren't heartless animal haters. I have a little dog that I love dearly, yet I love to sing WSD at the top of my lungs, and sing some of the lines in a very snarky tone, just like Al does.

U62 @ Oct 20 2006, 01:19 AM wrote: Unfortunately, the message most people take from it is "It's funny to abuse and kill small animals."

Hey, don't knock it til you've tried it!