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
Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung
"Weird Al" Yankovic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see him most every day
And when I see Mr. Frump in his iron lung
This is what I hear him say
why'know, Mr. Frump is my very best friend
He's never a chump or a tease
He never tells me lies, and best of all
I bring him candy and flowers every afternoon
Sit down by his side and say "Hi"
And then I ask him his opinion of the world situation
And I wait for Mr. Frump's reply, and Mr. Frump would say
Well, unfortunately, soon it came to be
Mr. Frump's dying day
And now I bring to you the very last thing
That Mr. Frump had to say....
(deep breathing, that fades and dies off)
Amen
The song "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung" by "Weird Al" Yankovic tells the story of a man who visits his best friend, Mr. Frump, every day at the hospital. Mr. Frump is confined to an iron lung, a machine that helps him breathe, which means he cannot speak. However, the singer claims that Mr. Frump never disagrees with him, never tells him lies, and is always a dependable friend. When the singer brings candy and flowers to Mr. Frump, he asks about his opinion on the state of the world, and Mr. Frump communicates by breathing patterns. Unfortunately, Mr. Frump eventually dies, and the song ends with his final breaths.
The song takes a dark and surreal humor with the contrast between the singer's cheerful approach to his visits to the hospital and the reality of Mr. Frump's condition. The lyrics capture the tragedy of Mr. Frump's life, his dependence on a machine to keep him alive, and his inability to communicate effectively with the world around him. The song suggests that despite this terrible situation, Mr. Frump was still a good friend and a reliable companion.
Line by Line Meaning
I visit Mr. Frump in the hospital
I make regular trips to see my friend Mr. Frump in his hospital room
I see him most every day
I visit Mr. Frump almost every day
And when I see Mr. Frump in his iron lung
Upon seeing Mr. Frump, enclosed in his iron lung
This is what I hear him say
He always says the same thing to me
why'know, Mr. Frump is my very best friend
My best friend in the whole world, undoubtedly, is Mr. Frump
He's never a chump or a tease
He's always in a good spirits and kind
He never tells me lies, and best of all
And, as a bonus, I trust him completely - he's never lied to me
He never disagrees
No matter what we talk about, we're always in agreement
I bring him candy and flowers every afternoon
Every afternoon I bring him small, thoughtful gifts
Sit down by his side and say "Hi"
I sit beside him and greet him
And then I ask him his opinion of the world situation
Often, I prompt him to talk about his thoughts regarding global issues
And I wait for Mr. Frump's reply, and Mr. Frump would say
I'm eager to hear what Mr. Frump will say next, and he always says the same thing
Well, unfortunately, soon it came to be
Sadly, it didn't take long for his condition to worsen
Mr. Frump's dying day
The day of Mr. Frump's passing
And now I bring to you the very last thing
I have to share with you the very last thing he ever said to me
That Mr. Frump had to say....
The final words he ever spoke were...
(deep breathing, that fades and dies off)
His breathing grew shallow, until it eventually stopped
Amen
The end of his life is mourned with a final prayer
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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