In addition to recording his albums, Yankovic has written and starred in his own film, UHF, and his own television show, The Weird Al Show, and directed music videos for himself and other artists including Ben Folds, Hanson, the Black Crowes and The Presidents of the United States of America. He has also made guest appearances on many television shows, in addition to starring in his own Al TV specials.
Though parodies earned him his fame, Yankovic has recorded a greater number of humorous songs with original tunes. Some of these pieces are pastiches (or style parodies), where he chooses a band's entire body of work to emulate rather than any single hit, although Yankovic has many completely original pieces. Most of his albums include a medley which juxtaposes the choruses of various songs in a polka style to accordion music.
Due to his popularity, he has been credited with several songs that are not actually his. A full list of every song he has ever actually done, including the live-only songs, can be found at the Al Songs website. Similarly, a comprehensive list of songs incorrectly credited to him can be found at The Not Al Page.
In 2006, Al recorded the song "You're Pitiful". However, while James Blunt gave his blessing for the parody of his song, "You're Beautiful", Blunt's label Atlantic Records was opposed to it. Though parodies are protected legally, the issue had become "more of a political matter than a legal matter", according to Al, so he decided to not put the song on his next album. Instead, he offered it as a free download from his site.
His latest album, "Straight Outta Lynwood", was released September 26th, 2006. Its first released single, "Don't Download This Song", was made available as a free download on August 21, 2006. The animated video for the track and a link to downloadable MP3 is available at dontdownloadthissong.com. Among other tracks, the album includes parodies of Green Day, Usher, R. Kelly, and Chamillionaire. Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty" is parodied as "White and Nerdy", the second released single from the new album. This single has thus far climbed as far as #9 on the Billboard Singles chart, eclipsing "Eat It" as Al's highest charting single (which went as high as #12).
Official Website: http://www.weirdal.com
FactBox Info
Members
Al Yankovic
Jon ''Bermuda'' Schwartz
Steve Jay
Jim West
Rubén Valtierra
Former Members
Rick Derringer
Ross Noble
Joe Earley
A Complicated Song
"Weird Al" Yankovic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh huh, uh huh, save a piece for me
Pizza party at your house
I went just to check it out
Nineteen extra larges
What a shame
No one came
Just us eatin' all alone
You said, "Take the pizza home"
"No sense lettin' all this go to waste"
So then I faced
Pizza all day
And every day
This cheese 'round the clock
Is gettin' me blocked
And I sure don't care
For irregularity
Tell me
Why'd you have to go and make me so constipated?
'Cause right now I'd do anything to just get my bowels evacuated
In the bathroom, I sit and I wait and I strain
And I sweat and I clench and I feel the pain
Oh, should I take laxatives or have my colon irrigated?
No no no
I was feelin' pretty down
'Till my girlfriend came around
We're just so alike in every way
I gotta say
In fact, I just thought I might
Pop the question there that night
I was kissing her so tenderly
But woe is me
Who would have guessed
Her family crest
I'd suddenly spy
Tattooed on her thigh
And son-of-a-gun
It's just like the one on me
Tell me
How was I supposed to know we were both related?
Believe me, if I knew she was my cousin we never would have dated
What to do now? Should I go ahead and propose
And get hitched and have kids with eleven toes
And move to Alabama where that kind of thing is tolerated?
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no
No no no no no
I had so much on my mind
I thought maybe I'd unwind
Try out that new roller coaster ride
And the guide
Said not to stand
But that's a demand
That I couldn't meet
I got on my feet
And stood up instead
And knocked off my head, you see
Tell me
Why'd I have to go and get myself decapitated?
This really is a major inconvenience, oh man, I really hate it
Such a drag, now
Can't eat, I can't breathe, I can't snore
I can't belch or yodel anymore
Can't spit or blow my nose or even read Sports Illustrated
Oh no
Why'd I have to go and get myself all mutilated? (yeah, yeah)
I gotta tell ya, life without a head kinda makes me irritated
What a bummer
Can't blink, I can't cough, I can't sneeeze
But my neck is enjoyin' a pleasant breeze now
Haven't been the same since my head and I were separated
No no no
"Weird Al" Yankovic's A Complicated Song presents three humorous scenarios--a pizza party with no one showing up, a man dealing with constipation, and a man discovering his girlfriend is actually his cousin--all ending in unexpected and unfortunate consequences. While the first scenario is simply a comical story of a failed pizza party, the second and third scenarios poke fun at the characters' respective misfortunes. In the second scenario, the lyrics describe the character's constipation, going as far as to consider both laxatives and colon irrigation. The chorus of the song then follows, "Tell me why'd you have to go and make me so constipated? / 'Cause right now I'd do anything to just get my bowels evacuated." In the final scenario, the character is about to propose to his girlfriend, only to discover that they are related. The chorus of the song changes to "Tell me how was I supposed to know we were both related? / Believe me if I knew she was my cousin we never would have dated." The song ultimately ends with the character's head being chopped off on a roller coaster and bemoaning how life without a head makes him irritated.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh huh, extra cheese
Expressing agreement and confirming the addition of more cheese to the pizza
Uh huh, uh huh, save a piece for me
Agreeing with the proposal and requesting that a portion of the pizza be reserved for later
Pizza party at your house
Attending a gathering at a friend's residence with the purpose of consuming pizza
I went just to check it out
Attending the party out of curiosity
Nineteen extra larges
There were 19 large pizzas available
What a shame
Expressing regret that no one else attended the party
No one came
Stating that no other guests attended the pizza party
Just us eatin' all alone
Eating pizza without other guests present, indicating loneliness
You said, "Take the pizza home"
Offering the artist any leftover pizza to take home
"No sense lettin' all this go to waste"
Explaining the decision to offer the artist leftover pizza
So then I faced
Introducing the problem that resulted from consuming a large amount of pizza
Pizza all day
Eating pizza for every meal of the day
And every day
Eating pizza on a daily basis
This cheese 'round the clock
Referring to the excessive amount of cheese consumed throughout the day
Is gettin' me blocked
Stating that the singer is experiencing constipation due to their diet
And I sure don't care
Expressing apathy towards the condition
For irregularity
Stating that the artist is not bothered by their irregular bowel movements
Why'd you have to go and make me so constipated?
Questioning why the overconsumption of pizza has caused the singer to become constipated
'Cause right now I'd do anything to just get my bowels evacuated
Expressing desperation to end their constipation
In the bathroom, I sit and I wait and I strain
Describing the artist's efforts to have a bowel movement
And I sweat and I clench and I feel the pain
Describing the discomfort being experienced during the process
Oh, should I take laxatives or have my colon irrigated?
Considering options for relieving the constipation
No no no
Rejecting the idea of medical intervention
I was feelin' pretty down
Depressed after the previous ordeal
'Till my girlfriend came around
Feeling better once the singer's girlfriend arrived
We're just so alike in every way
Noting the similarities between the singer and their girlfriend
I gotta say
Expressing enthusiasm for their relationship
In fact, I just thought I might
Considering proposing to their girlfriend
Pop the question there that night
Intending to ask for their girlfriend's hand in marriage
I was kissing her so tenderly
Engaged in a romantic moment with their girlfriend
But woe is me
Expressing regret after discovering something unexpected
Who would have guessed
Surprised by the discovery
Her family crest
Referring to a symbol associated with their girlfriend's lineage
I'd suddenly spy
Unexpectedly noticing the symbol
Tattooed on her thigh
Noting the location of the tattooed symbol
And son-of-a-gun
Expressing frustration
It's just like the one on me
Realizing that the symbol is the same as the one they bear
How was I supposed to know we were both related?
Questioning how the singer could have known about the familial connection
Believe me, if I knew she was my cousin we never would have dated
Asserting the singer would not have pursued their relationship if they were aware of their cousin status
What to do now? Should I go ahead and propose
Uncertain about the course of action given the situation
And get hitched and have kids with eleven toes
Acknowledging the possibility of genetic abnormalities if they were to have offspring
And move to Alabama where that kind of thing is tolerated?
Suggesting the possibility of moving to a location where cousin marriage is more accepted
No no no no no no no
No no no no no no no
No no no no no
Strongly rejecting the idea of continuing their relationship
I had so much on my mind
Experiencing overwhelming thoughts
I thought maybe I'd unwind
Deciding to alleviate stress through amusement
Try out that new roller coaster ride
Attempting to experience excitement through a new amusement park ride
And the guide
Referring to the person in charge of regulating the roller coaster ride
Said not to stand
Prohibiting riders from standing while riding the roller coaster
But that's a demand
Challenging the prohibition
That I couldn't meet
Unable to comply with the demand
I got on my feet
Physically standing up while riding the roller coaster
And stood up instead
Failing to obey the rules
And knocked off my head, you see
Referring to a hypothetical and absurd consequence of standing up while riding a roller coaster
Why'd I have to go and get myself decapitated?
Questioning why the singer would engage in risky behavior while riding a roller coaster
This really is a major inconvenience, oh man, I really hate it
Expressing frustration at the situation after losing one's head
Such a drag, now
Expressing disappointment at the loss of one's head
Can't eat, I can't breathe, I can't snore
Listing basic functions that can no longer be performed without a head
I can't belch or yodel anymore
Adding to the list of things the artist can no longer do without a head
Can't spit or blow my nose or even read Sports Illustrated
Enumerating the things the singer can no longer perform without a head, including reading magazines
Why'd I have to go and get myself all mutilated? (yeah, yeah)
Reiterating frustration over the continued bad luck
I gotta tell ya, life without a head kinda makes me irritated
Expressing continued frustration and discontent with the current situation
What a bummer
Expressing disappointment
Can't blink, I can't cough, I can't sneeeze
Listing more physical functions that cannot be performed without a head
But my neck is enjoyin' a pleasant breeze now
Acknowledging that there are some minor benefits to not having one's head attached to their body
Haven't been the same since my head and I were separated
Explaining that the artist's life has not been the same since losing their head
No no no
Repeating rejection of the situation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID SCOTT ALSPACH, LAUREN CHRISTY, GRAHAM EDWARDS, AVRIL RAMONA LAVIGNE, WEIRD AL YANKOVIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind