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
Happy Birthday )
"Weird Al" Yankovic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Well, it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year
We'll eat a lot of broccoli and drink a lot of beer
You should be good and happy that there's something you can eat
Your daddy's in the gutter with the wretched and the poor
Your mama's in the kitchen with a can of Cycle Four
There's garbage in the water
There's poison in the sky
I guess it won't be long before we're all gonna die
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Well, what's the matter little friend, you think this party is the pits
Enjoy it while you can, we'll soon be blown to bits
The monkeys in the pentagon are gonna cook our goose
Their finger's on the button, all they need it an excuse
It doesn't take a military genius to see
We'll all be crispy critters after World War III
There's nowhere you can run to, nowhere you can hide
When they drop the big one, we all get fried
(Come on boys and girls, sing along, ok?)
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
wow! (background screaming, sound effect)
Well there's a punk in the alley and he's looking for a fight
There's an Arab on the corner buying everything in sight
There's a mother in the ghetto with another mouth to feed
Seems that everywhere you look today there's misery and greed
I guess you know the Earth is gonna crash into the sun
But that's no reason why we shouldn't have a little fun
So if you think it's scary, if it's more than you can take
Just blow out the candles and have a piece of cake
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Wow!
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
(Happy Birthday!)
And a pinch to grow an inch!
"Weird Al" Yankovic's song "Happy Birthday" is an upbeat celebration of a person's special day, but it also contains a strong message about appreciating what we have in life. The first verse acknowledges that on this day we should remember how fortunate we are to have food available to eat, as millions of people around the world go hungry every day. The second verse takes a darker turn, with imagery of poverty, pollution, and the prospect of global destruction. The song suggests that even in the face of these challenges, we can find joy and celebrate life, with the repeated refrain of "happy birthday" serving as a reminder to cherish each moment.
The juxtaposition of these two elements, the upbeat celebration and the serious message, is a hallmark of "Weird Al" Yankovic's style. The song's catchy melody and sing-along chorus make it a favorite for birthday parties, but its underlying themes give it a deeper resonance. By reminding us of the struggles and dangers that people face in the world, the song encourages us to appreciate the good things in our lives and to try to make the world a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
Happy birthday
Let's acknowledge and celebrate the day you were born
Happy birthday to you
Wishing you a happy birthday
Happy birthday
Let's acknowledge and celebrate the day you were born
Happy birthday to you
Wishing you a happy birthday
Well, it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year
It's your birthday and time to rejoice as you turn older once again
We'll eat a lot of broccoli and drink a lot of beer
We'll have lots of food and drinks to celebrate your birthday together
You should be good and happy that there's something you can eat
You should feel grateful as there are people who are not as fortunate and go hungry every day
A million people every day are starving in the street
There are many unfortunate people in the world who do not have enough to eat
Your daddy's in the gutter with the wretched and the poor
Your father is poor and his standard of living is very low
Your mama's in the kitchen with a can of Cycle Four
Your mother is cooking food using cheap, low-quality ingredients
There's garbage in the water
The water is polluted with garbage
There's poison in the sky
The air we breathe is polluted and has harmful chemicals
I guess it won't be long before we're all gonna die
The situation is so bad that death seems inevitable for all of us
Well, what's the matter little friend, you think this party is the pits
Hey friend, why are you unhappy? You think this party is boring?
Enjoy it while you can, we'll soon be blown to bits
We should enjoy ourselves while we can because there is a chance that we might all die in a sudden disaster
The monkeys in the pentagon are gonna cook our goose
People in high-power positions are making decisions that harm us
Their finger's on the button, all they need it an excuse
Those in power have the means to blow up the world, they just need a reason to do so
It doesn't take a military genius to see
It's easy to see that we are in trouble
We'll all be crispy critters after World War III
If there is a third world war, we will all be killed
There's nowhere you can run to, nowhere you can hide
There is no way to escape the devastating effects of war
When they drop the big one, we all get fried
If an atomic bomb is dropped, we will all be killed
Well there's a punk in the alley and he's looking for a fight
There are people who are angry and aggressive everywhere
There's an Arab on the corner buying everything in sight
There are people from different cultures everywhere, going about their daily lives
There's a mother in the ghetto with another mouth to feed
There are people living in poverty, struggling to feed their families
Seems that everywhere you look today there's misery and greed
It seems that there is suffering and selfishness everywhere you look
I guess you know the Earth is gonna crash into the sun
It's a well-known fact that the earth will eventually meet its end
But that's no reason why we shouldn't have a little fun
Just because the future is uncertain doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy ourselves in the present
So if you think it's scary, if it's more than you can take
If everything seems scary and overwhelming,
Just blow out the candles and have a piece of cake
Just relax, blow out the candles and have a piece of cake to lighten up your mood
And a pinch to grow an inch!
A traditional birthday wish to grow taller.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind