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
Canadian Idiot
"Weird Al" Yankovic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't want to be some beer swillin' hockey nut
And do I look like some frost bitten hosehead
I never learned my alphabet from A to zed
They all live on donuts and moose meat
And they leave the house without packin' heat
And you know what else is too funny
Their stupid monopoly money
Can't take 'em seriously at all
Well maple syrup and snow's what they export
They treat curling just like it's a real sport
They think their silly accent is so cute
Can't understand a thing they're talking aboot
Sure they got their national health care
Cheaper meds, low crime rates and clean air
Then again well they got Celine Dion
Eat their weight in Kraft macaroni
And dream of driving a Zamboni
All over Saskatchewan
Don't want to be a Canadian idiot
We'll figure out their temperature in Celsius
See the map they're hovering right over us
Tell you the truth it makes me kinda nervous
Always hear the same kind of story
Break your nose and they'll just say sorry
Tell me what kind of freaks are that polite
It's gotta mean they're all up to something
So quick before they see it coming
Time for a pre-emptive strike
"Weird Al" Yankovic's "Canadian Idiot" is a parody of Green Day's "American Idiot" that pokes fun at some of the stereotypes of Canadians. The song starts off with Yankovic declaring that he doesn't want to be a Canadian idiot, mocking the image of Canadians as beer-swilling hockey fans who talk funny and don't know their ABCs. He then goes on to make fun of their food and lack of gun culture, joking that they don't even bring their guns to the mall. Yankovic also takes aim at the Canadian dollar, calling it "monopoly money" and implying that it's not taken seriously.
The chorus of "Canadian Idiot" is particularly biting, with Yankovic sarcastically singing about Canada's exports: maple syrup and snow. He also makes fun of lesser-known Canadian sports like curling and the Zamboni, and jokes about the Canadian accent, which is apparently so cute that it's difficult to understand. However, Yankovic does give Canada credit for its national health care system, low crime rates, and clean air.
The song ends on a darker note, with Yankovic suggesting that Canada's politeness might be a cover for something more sinister. He sings about the idea of a pre-emptive strike against Canada, implying that Canadians should not be trusted.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't want to be a Canadian idiot
I do not wish to behave like a foolish Canadian who doesn't think for himself.
Don't want to be some beer swillin' hockey nut
I do not wish to be a Canadian who is addicted to beer and hockey.
And do I look like some frost bitten hosehead
I don't look like a Canadian who is affected by freezing cold and has no common sense.
I never learned my alphabet from A to zed
I didn't learn my alphabets the Canadian way, ending with 'zed' instead of 'zee'.
They all live on donuts and moose meat
All Canadians survive on doughnuts and moose meat.
And they leave the house without packin' heat
Canadians don't carry guns with them when they leave the house.
Never even bring their guns to the mall
Canadians wouldn't bring their guns even when they go to the mall.
And you know what else is too funny
It's quite hilarious to see that even the monopoly money used by the Canadians doesn't look like actual money.
Their stupid monopoly money
The money used by Canadians doesn't appear to be authentic currency.
Can't take 'em seriously at all
I cannot regard Canadians seriously due to these quirks they possess.
Well maple syrup and snow's what they export
Maple syrup and snow are Canadian's chief exports.
They treat curling just like it's a real sport
Canadians enjoy curling so much that they even consider it to be a serious sporting event.
They think their silly accent is so cute
Canadians take pleasure in their pronunciation and perceive it as pleasant.
Can't understand a thing they're talking aboot
It is difficult to comprehend Canadians due to their unique speaking style.
Sure they got their national health care
Canadians have healthcare that covers every citizen of their nation.
Cheaper meds, low crime rates and clean air
Canada is known for providing its citizens with affordable drugs, security, and fresh air.
Then again well they got Celine Dion
However, Canada is well-known for producing Celine Dion, a famous singer.
Eat their weight in Kraft macaroni
Canadians are overly fond of eating Kraft macaroni and cheese.
And dream of driving a Zamboni
Their dream is to become a Zamboni operator and drive it to their heart's content in Saskatchewan.
All over Saskatchewan
They dream of driving a Zamboni in Saskatchewan.
We'll figure out their temperature in Celsius
We will have to convert the temperature measurement used in Canada, Celsius, to Fahrenheit.
See the map they're hovering right over us
If we look at the map, it's evident that Canada borders the US.
Tell you the truth it makes me kinda nervous
Honestly, knowing that Canada's nearby, it makes me feel a bit uneasy.
Always hear the same kind of story
Every time I hear something about Canada, it's the same old tale.
Break your nose and they'll just say sorry
Canadians are so polite that if they accidentally hurt you, they'll apologize immediately.
Tell me what kind of freaks are that polite
Why are Canadians so polite? It's weird!
It's gotta mean they're all up to something
Their politeness may be an indication that they're planning something.
So quick before they see it coming
We need to act fast before they catch on to what we're planning.
Time for a pre-emptive strike
It's time for us to take action to prevent any mishap that may happen before it's too late.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michael Ryan Pritchard, Frank Edwin III Wright, Billie Joe Armstrong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind