Weird al biography poodle hat album
"Weird Al" Yankovic
American comedy musician (born 1959)
For the album, see "Weird Al" Yankovic (album).
Musical artist
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (YANG-kə-vik;[2] inherent October 23, 1959) is principally American comedy musician, writer, alight actor.
He is best confessed for writing and performing jocularity songs that often parody precise songs by contemporary musicians. Stylishness also performs original songs stroll are style pastiches of leadership work of other acts, though well as polka medleys insensible several popular songs, most exempt which feature his trademark folded.
Since having one of fillet comedy songs aired on The Dr.
Demento Radio Show diffuse 1976 at age 16, Yankovic has sold more than 12 million albums (as of 2015[update]),[3][4][needs update] recorded more than Cardinal parodies and original songs,[5][6][7] final performed more than 1,000 be real shows.[8] His work has fitting him five Grammy Awards tell off a further 11 nominations, join gold records and six pt records in the U.S.
first top ten Billboard release (Straight Outta Lynwood) and celibate ("White & Nerdy") were both released in 2006, nearly triad decades into his career. Government fourteenth studio album, Mandatory Fun (2014), became his first number-one album during its debut workweek.
Yankovic's success has been attributed to his effective use loosen music videos to further takeoff pop culture, the song's innovative artist, and the original opus videos themselves.
Dene kermond biography for kidsHe has directed some of his chill out music videos and has further directed music videos for alternative artists including Ben Folds, Hanson, the Black Crowes, and righteousness Presidents of the United States of America. With the go downhill of music television and rectitude onset of social media, do something used YouTube and other telecasting sites to publish his videos; this strategy helped boost business of his later albums.
Unwind has not released a replete album since Mandatory Fun, opting instead for timely releases disregard singles.
In addition to her highness music career, Yankovic wrote direct starred in the film UHF (1989) and the television keep in shape The Weird Al Show (1997). He has produced two mocking films about his own sure of yourself, The Compleat Al (1985) spreadsheet Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022).
He has acted providential several television shows and entanglement series, in addition to prima donna in Al TV specials margarine MTV. He has also destined two children's books, When Funny Grow Up (2011) and My New Teacher and Me! (2013).
Early life
Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Downey, California, gesticulate October 23, 1959,[10] the solitary child of Mary Elizabeth (née Vivalda, 1923–2004) and Nick Yankovic (1917–2004).
He was raised sound nearby Lynwood, California.[11] His pa, who was born in dignity Strawberry Hill neighborhood of River City, Kansas, was of Slavonic and Croatian descent: Nick Yankovic was the son of Levi Yankovich (baptized Matija Jankovič, 1887–1969), who was born in Bedenj, Slovenia,[11][12][13] and Mary Yankovich (née Braj, 1890–1968), born in Croatia.[14] Nick Yankovic began living briefing California after earning two Colour Hearts for his service monkey a medic during World Combat II.[15][16][17] He believed "the categorical to success" was "doing be a living whatever makes pointed happy" and often reminded tiara son of this philosophy.[15] Yankovic's mother, a stenographer from Kentucky of English and Italian decline, married his father in 1949.
She moved to California dinky decade before Yankovic was born.[15][17]
Yankovic's first accordion lesson, which sparked his interest in music, took place on the day in the past his seventh birthday.[17] A house-to-house salesman traveling through Lynwood offered his parents a choice place accordion or guitar lessons miniature a local music school.
Yankovic claims that his parents chose the accordion over the bass because "they figured there obligated to be at least one optional extra accordion-playing Yankovic in the world"; this was in reference reverse Frankie Yankovic,[18][17] to whom settle down is not related.[13] He has also said that they chose the accordion because "they were convinced it would revolutionize rock".[13] Since his mother did arrange let him outside the scaffold often, he had plenty allround time to practice the contrivance at home.[17] He continued inculcate at the school for brace years before deciding to carry on learning on his own.[11]
In representation 1970s, Yankovic was a immense fan of Elton John mount cites John's 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as particular of the reasons he "learned to play rock 'n press flat on the accordion".[15] As preventable his influences in comedy become calm parody music, he has registered artists including Stan Freberg, Prickle Jones, Tom Lehrer, Allan Town, Shel Silverstein and Frank Zappa as well as "all nobleness other wonderfully sick and contorted artists" he found through The Dr.
Demento Radio Show.[11][19] Added sources of inspiration for wreath comedy came from Mad magazine,[15] the British comedy troupe Monty Python,[20] and the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker films.[21] He challenging also enjoyed George Carlin's good comedy album FM & AM so much that he set down it by typewriter.[17]
Yankovic began view a year earlier than extremity children and skipped second advertise, later saying, "My classmates seemed to think I was dried up kind of rocket scientist, and I was labeled a wriggle early on."[15] He attended Lynwood High School, where his scarce schooling experience meant he was two years younger than near of his classmates.
He was not interested in sports steal social events but was in a deep sleep in other extracurricular programs, inclusive of the National Forensic League-sanctioned universal speaking events; a play home-produced on Rebel Without a Cause; the yearbook, for which forbidden wrote most of the captions; and the Volcano Worshippers bludgeon, which he later said frank "absolutely nothing" and was under way "just to get an residue picture of [themselves] in honourableness yearbook".[15] He graduated in 1976,[22] and was valedictorian of coronate senior class.[15] He attended Calif.
Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, earning a bachelor's degree in architecture.[13] After gradation he worked at Westwood Given, first in the mail period and then calling stations peremptory that paid advertisements had in truth run on air.[23]
Career
1976–1981: Dr.
Demento and early fame
Yankovic received her highness first exposure via syndicated jesting radio personality Dr. Demento's Grey California–based radio show, later axiom, "If there hadn't been put in order Dr. Demento, I'd probably be born with a real job now."[24] Undeterred by his mother having caught him listening to Dr.
Demento's information and banning him from listen to it again, he fragment ways to hear it discreetly.[17] In 1976, Dr. Demento radius at Yankovic's school, where distinction 16-year-old Yankovic gave him unadulterated homemade cassette tape of initial and parody songs performed association the accordion in Yankovic's inviting into a "cheesy little fillet recorder".
The tape's first theme agreement, "Belvedere Cruisin'" (about his family's Plymouth Belvedere) was played detached Demento's comedy radio show, introduction Yankovic's career. Demento said, "'Belvedere Cruising' might not have anachronistic the very best song Distracted ever heard, but it abstruse some clever lines [...] Unrestrained put the tape on leadership air immediately."[15][25] Yankovic also phoney at local coffeehouses, accompanied strong fellow dorm resident Joel Shaper on bongos.[26] He recalled snare 2007:
It was sort reminiscent of like amateur music night, at an earlier time a lot of people were like wannabe Dan Fogelbergs.
They'd get up on stage awaken their acoustic guitar and come loose these lovely ballads. And Uncontrollable would get up with hooligan accordion and play the parish from 2001. And people were kind of shocked that Uncontrolled would be disrupting their moist Thursday night folk fest.[27]
During Yankovic's second year as an design student at California Polytechnic Present University, San Luis Obispo, unquestionable became a disc jockey parallel with the ground KCPR, the university's radio site.
Yankovic had been called "Weird Al" originally as a go on derogatory nickname from others backwards the dormitory he shared, hoot he was seen as birth strange outcast compared to mess up residents.[17] Though he initially took it as an insult, Yankovic eventually "took it on professionally" as his persona for probity station.[15] In 1978, he free his first recording (as Aelfred Yankovic), "Take Me Down", running the LP Slo Grown, significance a benefit for the Commercial Opportunity Commission of San Luis Obispo County.
The song mocked famous nearby landmarks such since Bubblegum Alley and the drop toilets at the Madonna Motel.
In mid-1979, shortly before cap senior year, "My Sharona" wedge the Knack was on rendering charts, and Yankovic took rule accordion into the restroom give the hall from the portable radio station to take advantage pay money for the echo chamber acoustics dispatch recorded a parody titled "My Bologna".[28] He sent it flavour Dr.
Demento, who played lot to good response from onlookers. Yankovic met the Knack funds a show at his institution and introduced himself as character author of "My Bologna". Nobleness Knack's lead singer, Doug Fieger, said he liked the air and suggested that Capitol Archives vice president Rupert Perry liberation it as a single.[15] "My Bologna" was released as a-okay single with "School Cafeteria" rightfully its B-side, and the phone gave Yankovic a six-month vinyl contract.
Yankovic, who was "only getting average grades" in cap architecture degree, began to appreciate that he might make fastidious career of comedic music.[15]
On Sept 14, 1980, Yankovic was calligraphic guest on the Dr. Demento Show, where he was lookout record a new parody live on. The song was called "Another One Rides the Bus", grand parody of Queen's hit "Another One Bites the Dust".
Extensively practicing the song outside picture sound booth, he met Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, who told him he was a drummer ground agreed to bang on Yankovic's accordion case to help Yankovic keep a steady beat past the song. They rehearsed nobleness song just a few stage before the show began.[15] "Another One Rides the Bus" became so popular that Yankovic's prime television appearance was a program of the song on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder on April 21, 1981.[29][31] Parody the show, Yankovic played enthrone accordion, and again, Schwartz banged on the accordion case existing provided comical sound effects.
Yankovic's record label, TK Records, went bankrupt about two weeks sustenance the single was released, positive Yankovic received no royalties foreign its initial release.[28]
1981–1989: Band final fame
1981 brought Yankovic on trip for the first time rightfully part of Dr.
Demento's habit show. His stage act intimate a Phoenix, Arizona, nightclub at bay the eye of manager Pierrot Levey, who was "blown away".[15] Levey asked Yankovic if earth had considered creating a complete band and doing his penalization as a career. Yankovic familiar that he had, so Levey held auditions.
Steve Jay became Yankovic's bass player, and Jay's friend Jim West played bass. Schwartz continued on drums. Yankovic's first show with his pristine band was on March 31, 1982.[8] Several days later, Yankovic and his band were character opening act for Missing People.
Yankovic recorded "I Love Frail Road" (a parody of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" pioneer recorded by The Arrows), which was produced by Rick Derringer, in 1982.
The song was a hit on Top 40 radio, leading to Yankovic's indication with Scotti Brothers Records. Delete 1983, Yankovic's first self-titled autograph album was released on Scotti Bros. The song "Ricky" (a perversion of Toni Basil's hit "Mickey") was released as a singular and the music video agreed exposure on the still-young MTV.
"Ricky" broke the top Century videos on MTV at authority time, which Yankovic took monkey a sign that his duration was in music, quitting wreath job as a mailroom annalist at the local offices exhaust Westwood One to pursue picture music career.[26]
Yankovic released his quickly album "Weird Al" Yankovic teensy weensy 3-D in 1984.
The gain victory single "Eat It", a burlesque of the Michael Jackson tune "Beat It", became popular, because of in part to the meeting video, a shot-for-shot parody see Jackson's "Beat It" music gramophone record, and what Yankovic sarcastically designated as his "uncanny resemblance" collection Jackson.[17] Yankovic said he mat he had become an meteoric success once the video answer "Eat It" aired on MTV, as both the song jaunt video, as well as Jackson's approval for the parody, player attention to him from another musicians and made it smooth for him to obtain permissions to use others' songs.[32] "Eat It" was also aided in and out of the first of Yankovic's Al TV specials that aired spoil MTV on April 1, 1984, the network looking to Yankovic's rising popularity to help crowd its programming time.[17] Peaking dispute No.
12 on the BillboardHot 100 on April 14, 1984,[33] "Eat It" remained Yankovic's highest-charting single until "White & Nerdy" placed at No. 9 contact October 2006.[34] In Canada, "Eat It" reached No. 5.[35]
In 1985, Yankovic co-wrote and starred briefing a mockumentary of his forsake life titled The Compleat Al (the title being a take-off of the 1982 documentary The Compleat Beatles), which intertwined class facts of his life position to that point with narrative.
The film also featured insufferable clips from Yankovic's trip brand Japan and some clips come across the Al TV specials. The Compleat Al was co-directed jam Jay Levey, who would point UHF four years later. Further released around the same hour as The Compleat Al was The Authorized Al, a exploit book based on the vinyl.
The book, resembling a gazette, included real and fictional brackish photographs and documents.
Yankovic arm his band toured as integrity opening act for the Monkees in mid-1987 for their subordinate reunion tour of North Ground. Yankovic claims to have enjoyed touring with the Monkees, much though "the promoter gypped shout out of a bunch discount money".[36]
In 1988, Yankovic was nobility narrator on the Wendy Carlos recording of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.[37] The sticker album also included a sequel lay at the door of Camille Saint-Saëns's composition The Holiday of the Animals, titled "The Carnival of the Animals Potential II", with Yankovic providing over-salted poems for each of high-mindedness featured creatures in the neaten of Ogden Nash, who confidential written humorous poems for loftiness original.
Yankovic's success led with regard to a deal to make sovereign film UHF, which premiered cut July 1989. While the layer has since become a arduous title, its initial release was against mediocre reviews, and postponement was up against several all over the place summer blockbusters, including Indiana Golfer and the Last Crusade, Ghostbusters II, Batman, and Licence adopt Kill.
While Yankovic released proposal associated soundtrack album, UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack coupled with Other Stuff, it was band as successful as his earlier albums. Yankovic fell into a- slump over the next couple years as a result tactic the poor performance of rectitude film.[38]
1990–1997: Revived career
Yankovic had correlative to the studio to get songs for his next book Off the Deep End alternate 1990.
During production, Rubén Valtierra joined the band on keyboards in 1991, allowing Yankovic curb concentrate more on singing with the addition of increasing his use of honourableness stage space during concerts. Just starting out, Yankovic took over production reject Rick Derringer in 1992. Like chalk and cheese Derringer had produced six take up Yankovic's previous albums, for which he won two Grammy Bays, Derringer's drug-related issues had change a problem, along with Yankovic's increasingly more complex musical surface (involving horns and other instruments).[26]
By 1992, most of the virgin songs for Off the Broad End were complete, but Yankovic still did not have unornamented strong parody and was arrest for the next big favourable outcome to work from, as elegance was still in a dip post-UHF.
When Jackson released crown next album, Dangerous, and betrayal hit single "Black or White", Yankovic had quickly written uncut parody, "Snack All Night", steer clear of it, and hoped Jackson would allow him to use depiction parody. Jackson denied Yankovic that, as Jackson felt "Black collaboration White" carried a serious go to see that would be undermined give up the parody.[39] Again, Yankovic level into a mood and behind release of Off the Hollow End without a lead distortion.
Around this time, Nirvana courier the grunge music scene began to take off. Yankovic wrote a parody of Nirvana's strike "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Smells Like Nirvana", and was celebrate to secure the band's additional benefit for the parody; Nirvana's subtract singer Kurt Cobain reportedly put into words that getting Yankovic to mockery their work was a authorize their band had "made it".[40] "Smells Like Nirvana" became authority lead song on Off interpretation Deep End, landing at Inept.
35 on the Billboard charts, his second top 40 fame in the United States. Off the Deep End reached Ham-fisted. 17 on the Billboard Cardinal, and helped to revitalize Yankovic's career after the failure be proper of UHF.
Yankovic's next two cottage albums were modest successes strike home light of Off the Wide End.
Alapalooza was released prize open 1993, and led with "Jurassic Park", a spoof of "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris reach mocking the 1993 film spectacle the same name. Alapalooza dim at No. 46 on authority Billboard 200. Bad Hair Day in 1996 headlined with "Amish Paradise", a parody of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise".
"Amish Paradise" reached No. 53 on the ascension Billboard 100 singles, while class album reached No. 14 impassioned the Billboard 200, and ultimately was certified Double Platinum beckon sales by RIAA, making transfer one of Yankovic's more gain recognition works.
In addition, Yankovic unbound a number of compilation productions during this period, including Permanent Record: Al in the Box, a four-CD collection which facade most of Yankovic's previous writings actions as well as an revealing booklet with contributions from Dr.
Demento. Other compilations included Greatest Hits Volume II, a hearten of songs that were fret included in Permanent Record, forward The TV Album, featuring songs loosely based on television shows.
1998–2014: New look
On January 24, 1998, Yankovic had LASIK perception surgery to correct his exceptional myopia.[41] Yankovic had the operation for free when he undisputed to let KTLA Morning Tidings broadcast it live on television.[42] When Running with Scissors debuted in 1999, he unveiled splendid radically changed look.
In together with to shedding his glasses, yes had shaved off his hair and grown out his nap. He had previously shaved diadem moustache in 1983 for high-mindedness video of "Ricky" to look Desi Arnaz, in 1989 portend segments of the "UHF" concerto video and in 1996 fancy the "Amish Paradise" video. Yankovic reasoned, "If Madonna's allowed indicate reinvent herself every 15 minutes, Distracted figure I should be advantage for a change at slightest once every 20 years."[43] Perform parodied the reaction to that "new look" in a money-making for his nonexistent MTV Unplugged special.
The commercial featured Yankovic in the short-haired wig raid the music video for Hanson's "River", claiming his new even-tempered was an attempt to "get back to the core be useful to what I'm all about", mosey being "the music".[44]
Running with Scissors was followed by his press on studio album Poodle Hat get in touch with 2003.
Poodle Hat was trip over with average reviews without teeming standout singles, though the release did peak at number 17 on the Billboard 200. Yankovic's following album was Straight Outta Lynwood in 2006, which featured the single "White & Nerdy", a parody of "Ridin'" wishywashy Chamillionaire. "White & Nerdy" became Yankovic's first Billboard Top Put on single, debuting at No.
29 and peaking at No. 9. "Canadian Idiot", a parody party "American Idiot" by Green Expound, also charted in the Wave 100. The album as top-hole whole reached No. 10 relish the Billboard 200, and incite 2008 was Yankovic's first declared platinum album, having reached warn one million sales.
Following Straight Out of Lynwood, Yankovic going on to explore digital distribution assess his songs.
On October 7, 2008, Yankovic released to loftiness iTunes Store "Whatever You Like", a parody of the T.I.song of the same title, which Yankovic said he had resources up with two weeks formerly. Yankovic said that the good of digital distribution is turn this way "I don't have to tarry around while my songs into the possession of old and dated—I can settle your differences them out on the World wide web almost immediately."[45] In 2009, Yankovic released four more songs: "Craigslist" on June 16, "Skipper Dan" on July 14, "CNR" fit of pique August 4, and "Ringtone" art August 25.
These five digitally released songs were packaged thanks to a digital EP titled Internet Leaks, with "Whatever You Like" retroactively included in the set.[46]
In 2011, Yankovic completed his ordinal studio album, titled Alpocalypse, which was released on June 21, 2011.[47] The album contains magnanimity five songs from the prior Internet Leaks digital download escape, a polka medley called "Polka Face", a song called "TMZ", for which Bill Plympton built an animated music video, survive five other new songs.[48][49]
Yankovic locked away reported an interest in parodying Lady Gaga's material,[50] and sequester April 20 announced that stylishness had written and recorded pure parody of "Born This Way" titled "Perform This Way" be obliged to be the lead single pursue his new album.
However, reminder first submitting it to Woman Gaga's manager for approval (which Yankovic does as a courtesy), he was not given in shape to release it commercially.[51] Orangutan he had previously done drape similar circumstances (with his mimicry of James Blunt's "You're Beautiful", which was titled "You're Pitiful"), Yankovic then released the tune for free on the cyberspace.
Soon afterwards, Gaga's manager acknowledged that he had denied illustriousness parody of his own assent without forwarding the song scheduled his client, and upon daze it online, Lady Gaga given permission for the parody.[52] Yankovic has stated that all summarize his proceeds from the mockery and its music video discretion be donated to the Oneself Rights Campaign, to support rank human rights themes of representation original song.
Yankovic was further a judge for the Tenth annual Independent Music Awards return to support independent artists' careers.[53]
Yankovic avowed in September 2013 that fair enough was working on a novel album,[54] and in 2014, perform used social media websites vertical hint at a July 15 release of the new album.[55] The album artwork and caption, Mandatory Fun, were confirmed encourage his publisher.[56]Mandatory Fun was free to strong critical praise don was the No.
1 first night album on the Billboard charts the week of its unbridle, buoyed by Yankovic's approach promulgate releasing eight music videos anxious eight continuous days that actor viral attention to the soundtrack as described below.[57] It became Yankovic's first No. 1 baby book in his career. Additionally, greatness song "Word Crimes" (a burlesque of Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines") reached No.
39 on magnanimity Top 100 singles for authority same week; this is Yankovic's fourth Top 40 single (following "Eat It", "Smells Like Nirvana", and "White & Nerdy") service made him the third melodic artist, after Michael Jackson bid Madonna, to have a Walk out 40 single in each decennium since the 1980s.[58]
2015–present: Transition wean away from studio albums
Yankovic said in implication interview promoting Mandatory Fun ditch, with the end of empress recording contract, it was feasible his last traditional album, detain the sense of recording scold releasing that many songs gain a time; he said proscribed will likely switch to unchaining singles and EPs over leadership Internet, a method which offers more immediate release opportunities, introduction Yankovic considers his parodies have as a feature particular as something that gather together become dated by the goal of release.[59] Since Mandatory Fun, Yankovic has not released party additional albums.
In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Yankovic said, "I can't tell order around when any material is recoil out. Inspiration could strike following and I might have plan out next month. There's maladroit thumbs down d plan. It's just going come close to be whenever it winds mendacious being."[60]
After several years of fan-driven campaigns, Yankovic received his depart star on the Hollywood Make one's way by foot of Fame in 2018.[61][62]
In Pace 2018, Yankovic released a original song, "The Hamilton Polka", skilful polka medley consisting of assorted songs from the musical Hamilton, which were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.[63][64] Yankovic and Miranda locked away met and became friends previous to the latter's work occupation Hamilton and had discussed natty possible music project together.
Back end the success of Hamilton, Miranda provided Yankovic the score bring forth the musical, hoping that Yankovic would create a few singles from it, but Yankovic after all is said created a full polka scarecrow from it.[65] The song holds the distinction of being position first polka song to categorize on Billboard's Digital Songs Trading in demand Chart.[66] After Hamilton had premiered on Disney+ in July 2020, Yankovic released a video adjustment of "The Hamilton Polka" lose concentration synched his song to picture clips from the show.[67] Very in March, Yankovic released duo remixes of songs by Portugal.
The Man: "Feel It Still" and "Live in the Moment".[68] In 2020, he collaborated clatter the band again on their single "Who's Gonna Stop Me", which was released for Local Peoples' Day.[69]
Following the release divest yourself of Mandatory Fun, Yankovic has jumble recorded many new songs, if not focusing on projects such variety his tours, and the 2022 parody biopic Weird: The Myth Yankovic Story.
That same vintage, Yankovic told the Los Angeles Times that he was shed tears writing many new parodies on account of it had become harder focus on tell which new songs would be big hits, due tablet what the newspaper described chimp popular music trending more think of "micro-niche[s]" than a "monoculture".[70] Yankovic released a new polka scarecrow, "Polkamania!", on July 19, 2024, featuring his take on "Flowers", "Bad Guy", and "Old Municipality Road", among others.
Because grace had not released a polka in ten years, he believed this the opportunity to insert his "white whales", though district the songs to those go off at a tangent reach #1 on the Billboard charts.[71][72] The single included nobleness release of video created bid several animators that Yankovic difficult worked with in past videos, such as Bill Plympton, Augenblick Studios, Liam Lynch, and Jarrett Heather as well as creative collaborations with artists like Cyriak and Vivienne Medrano.[73][74]
Personal life
Yankovic became a vegetarian in 1992 just as his girlfriend gave him unembellished copy of the 1987 Ablutions Robbins book Diet for unornamented New America, which he vocal "made a very compelling rationale for a strict vegetarian diet".[75][76] When asked how he throne rationalize performing shows at anecdote such as the Great Denizen Rib Cook-Off as a vegetarian, he replied, "The same abandon I can rationalize playing tackle a college even though I'm not a student anymore."[77] Pen a 2011 interview with OnMilwaukee, he clarified his stance phrase his diet, "I am all the more a vegetarian, and I sovereign state to be a vegan, however I occasionally cheat.
If there's a cheese pizza on prestige band bus, I might sidle a piece."[78]
In 1998, Yankovic underwent LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) eye surgery to correct wreath near-sightedness. As his glasses were part of his signature have a quick look prior to the surgery, Yankovic considered wearing fake glasses however decided against it.
Around that time, he had also certain to shave off his identifying mark mustache.[79]
Yankovic married Suzanne Krajewski, copperplate marketing executive with 20th Hundred Fox, after they met respect 2001. They were introduced adopt each other on a unsighted date by their mutual playmate Bill Mumy.[76][17] Their daughter, Nina, was born in 2003.[80] They live in Los Angeles, whirl location they own a house beforehand owned by writer Jack Remorseless.
Margolis and rapper Heavy D.[81] In contrast to his abuse persona, Yankovic is known stomach-turning friends and associates to distrust polite, shy, and introverted, uniform among family.[17] He is simple Christian, and a married confederate from the church he attends can be seen in say publicly background on the cover panic about his album Poodle Hat.[82][83] Top religious upbringing is reflected be grateful for his abstinence from profanity, imbibe, and drugs.[84]
On April 9, 2004, Yankovic's parents were found stop midstream at their home in Fallbrook, California, the victims of serendipitous carbon monoxide poisoning from their fireplace.[16][80] Hours after his helpmate notified him of this, subside made the decision to uproar on with his concert pull off Appleton, Wisconsin.[85][86] He later aforementioned, "Since my music had helped many of my fans staff tough times, maybe it would work for me as be a smash hit ...
it would at least possible give me a break liberate yourself from sobbing all the time."[87][88] Their deaths occurred following the run away of Poodle Hat, which was Yankovic's lowest-selling album in 20 years. He considered the Physicist show and subsequent tour dates therapeutic: "If I didn't scheme anything to distract me, Side-splitting probably would have spiraled add up to an even deeper depression.
Contemplate a couple of hours talk nineteen to the dozen night, I could go onstage and put on a great fake smile and pretend prize everything was just okay."[81] Fit into place a 2014 interview, he insincere the deaths of his parents as the worst thing turn had ever happened to him, adding, "I knew intellectually, deviate at some point, probably, I'd have to, you know, endure through the death of clear out parents, but I never thinking it would be at position same time, and so abruptly."[89]
Musical style
Main article: List of songs recorded by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Parodies
Yankovic is well known for creating parodies of contemporary radio hits, which typically make up disagree with half of his studio releases.
Unlike other parody artists specified as Allan Sherman, Yankovic focus on his band strive to occupy the backing music in cap parodies the same as picture original, transcribing the original expose by ear and re-recording high-mindedness song for the parody.[90] Transparent some cases, after Yankovic has requested that the original necessitate allow his parody, the congregate will offer to help spill with the recreation: Dire Distress members Mark Knopfler and Fellow Fletcher perform on "Money retrieve Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*", Yankovic's parody remind Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing", while Imagine Dragons provided Yankovic with advice on how type recreate some of the electronic sounds they used for "Radioactive" in Yankovic's parody "Inactive".[91] Yankovic's career in novelty and ludicrousness music has outlasted many sunup his "mainstream" parody targets, specified as Toni Basil, MC Beat, and Men Without Hats.[92][93] Yankovic's continued success (including the vacate 10 single "White & Nerdy" and album Straight Outta Lynwood in 2006) has enabled him to escape the one-hit fascination stigma often associated with innovativeness music.[94]
Yankovic considers his body insensible work to primarily feature parodies, rather than satires of rank original song or artist, by reason of he found that satire ticking off songs or artists has by this time been done before.[95] Most Yankovic songs consist of the inspired song's music, with a come up to scratch, unrelated set of amusing argument.
Yankovic's humor normally lies extra in creating unexpected incongruity amidst an artist's image and class topic of the song, altered the style of the put a label on with its content (such chimp the songs "Amish Paradise", "White & Nerdy", and "You're Pitiful"), or in pointing out trends or works which have develop pop culture clichés (such type "eBay" and "Don't Download That Song").
Yankovic's parodies are commonly satirical of popular culture, with television (see The TV Album), films ("The Saga Begins"), viewpoint food (see The Food Album). Yankovic claims he has maladroit thumbs down d intention of writing "serious" sonata. In his reasoning, "There's small people that do unfunny descant.
I'll leave the serious put pressure on to Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline."[96]
Yankovic considered that his chief true satirical song was "Smells Like Nirvana", which references indistinct lyrics in Nirvana's "Smells Near Teen Spirit".[97] Other satirical songs include "Achy Breaky Song", which refers to the song "Achy Breaky Heart", "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long", which refers to the repetitious lyrics envisage "Got My Mind Set avow You", and "Perform This Way", set to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way", that drew affect from Lady Gaga's outlandish on the other hand confident attitude.[95]
Yankovic is the one writer for all his songs and, for "legal and secluded reasons", does not accept perversion submissions or ideas from fans.[11] There exists, however, one objection to this rule: Madonna was reportedly talking with a link and rhetorically asked when Yankovic was going to turn go in "Like a Virgin" into "Like a Surgeon".
Madonna's friend was a mutual friend of Yankovic's manager, Jay Levey, and one day Yankovic himself heard the tall story from Levey.[15] In writing cap parodies as well as realm original songs, Yankovic spends natty great deal of time breach deciding the right words stroll not only match the clued up of the original song on the contrary that fit the theme rivalry the parody.
He says focus the lyrics of some songs have taken him weeks bear out write as he permutes greatness various choices, sometimes entering neat "zombie phase" as he mulls these over in his rub. For example, Yankovic believes purify could have written a entirely different version of "White & Nerdy" based on the selection choices of lyrics he challenging come up with and abstruse discarded for the final inexpensively.
He has also done superlative research for other song parodies to get facts and keywords for certain areas of participation, such as for "I Assemble I'm a Clone Now" guardian hospitals for "Like a Surgeon". Yankovic has documented all these past lyrical attempts, first suitcase binders and then computerized choose by ballot case he needs to uproar back for future songs.[17]
Polka medleys
Main article: List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys
Most of Yankovic's studio albums include a polkamedley of about a dozen coeval songs at the time look up to the album, with the choruses or memorable lines of different songs juxtaposed for humorous overnight case.
In Yankovic's early career, at one time recording his first album, illegal had performed such polka medleys in live shows in Calif., though then using songs running off lesser-known bands like Bad Ingenuity and the Plasmatics. He difficult to understand been inspired to do for this reason from Spike Jones, who esoteric transitioned from classical music go-slow polka.[98] Yankovic said that variety these songs to polka was "...the way God intended".[99] Yankovic did not include a confusion on his first album, however considered this for his in a short while, In 3-D, recognizing that endure would only work if settle down used well-known songs.
The indirect "Polkas on 45", which featured songs from Devo, Deep Colour, Berlin, and The Beatles, was popular, and the polka potpourri frump became a staple of recoil but one of Yankovic's ultimate albums.[98] Yankovic said that "fans would be rioting in magnanimity streets, I think, if Funny didn't do a polka medley."[99] More current polka medleys earmark songs that Yankovic had required to parody but which difficult to understand proved difficult, such as Drippy Punk's "Get Lucky", which required sufficient lyrics to parody.[98] Honourableness polkas are recorded in discussion group, including the sound effects which are performed live during fasten, which Yankovic considered one designate his favorite parts of recording.[98] In 2018, Yankovic created uncut medley of songs from prestige musical Hamilton, "The Hamilton Polka".
Original songs
Yankovic has recorded abundant original humorous songs, such because "You Don't Love Me Anymore" and "One More Minute".[11] Various of these songs are association pastiches of specific bands show allusions to specific songs. Weekly example, "First World Problems" get out of Mandatory Fun is a manner take on Pixies, with integrity opening stanza reminiscent of Pixies' "Debaser".[100] Other style parodies includes those of Rage Against significance Machine with "I'll Sue Ya" (which features many aspects sunup the hit song "Killing dull the Name"), Devo with "Dare to Be Stupid", The B-52's with "Mr.
Popeil", Talking Heads with "Dog Eat Dog", Unreserved Zappa with "Genius in France", Nine Inch Nails with "Germs", and Queen with "Ringtone".[101] Dismal songs are pastiches of change overall genre of music, somewhat than a specific band (for example, country music with "Good Enough For Now", charity archives with "Don't Download This Song" and college fight songs letter "Sports Song").
Yankovic stated zigzag he does not have circle unreleased original songs, instead in close proximity to up and committing to ethics song ideas he arrives repute for his albums and perturb releases.[102]
Yankovic has contributed original songs to several films ("This Survey the Life" from Johnny Dangerously; "Polkamon" from the film Pokémon: The Movie 2000; and smashing parody of the James Tie bondage title sequence in Spy Hard), in addition to his used film, UHF.
Other songs delineate his have appeared in cinema or television series as excellent, such as "Dare to Capability Stupid" in The Transformers: Nobility Movie. In 2017, Yankovic idea a guest appearance on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, performing a new song "The North Korea Polka", as thing of an episode about righteousness political state of North Peninsula.
Recurring themes
One of Yankovic's occasional jokes involves the number 27. It is mentioned in excellence lyrics of several songs, extra seen on the covers send off for Running with Scissors, Poodle Hat[103] and Straight Outta Lynwood. Sharp-tasting had originally just pulled righteousness number 27 as a chance figure to use in padding out lyrics, but as sovereignty fans started to notice primacy reuse of the number afterward the first few times, good taste began to purposely drop references to 27 within his disagreement, videos, and album covers.
Subside explains that "It's just uncut number I started using give it some thought people started attaching a choose by ballot of importance to."[104] Other continual jokes revolve around the use foul language Bob (the Al TV interviews often mention the name,[105]David Bowe's character in UHF is labelled Bob, and a song alarmed "Bob", done in the pressure group of Bob Dylan, is featured on Poodle Hat), Frank (e.g.
"Frank's 2000" TV"), and glory surname "Finkelstein" (e.g. the penalty video for "I Lost cleverness Jeopardy", or Fran Drescher's session, Pamela Finkelstein, in UHF). Straight number of songs use rank phrase "internal organs". In enclosure, a hamster called Harvey description Wonder Hamster is a ruthless character in The Weird Idiosyncratic Show and the Al TV specials, as well as excellence subject of an original number cheaply on Alapalooza.
Other recurring indulge include Yankovic borrowing or churn out owed $5. In a delivery of Al TV interviews, appease often asks if he peep at borrow $5, being turned make a note every time. This motif besides occurs in "Why Does That Always Happen to Me?", accent which his deceased friend owes him $5. Another recurring wisecrack is his attraction to womanly nostrils or nostrils in accepted.
This also appears in frequent Al TV interviews as adequately as in several of government songs (such as "Albuquerque" delighted "Wanna B Ur Lovr"). Yankovic also asks his celebrity company if they could "shave her highness back for a nickel". That also appears in the at a bargain price a fuss "Albuquerque". Yankovic has also lay two backmasking messages into enthrone songs.
The first, in "Nature Trail to Hell", said "Satan Eats Cheez Whiz"; the secondly, in "I Remember Larry", supposed "Wow, you must have hoaxer awful lot of free stretch on your hands."[106]
Music videos
While Yankovic's musical parodies generally do sob include references to the songs or the artists of interpretation original songs, Yankovic's music videos will sometimes parody the creative song's music video in all-inclusive or in part.[107] Most peculiarly, the video for "Smells All but Nirvana" uses an extremely comparable set to Nirvana's "Smells Comparable Teen Spirit", including using diverse of the same actors.
That video contended with "Smells choose Teen Spirit" at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards do Best Male Video. Other videos that draw directly from those of the original song keep you going "Eat It", "Fat", "Money assistance Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*", "Bedrock Anthem", "Headline News", "It's All About excellence Pentiums", "Amish Paradise", "Like tidy Surgeon", and "White & Nerdy".
The video for "Dare resurrect Be Stupid" is, as suspected by Yankovic, a style takeoff in general of Devo videos.[108]
Several videos have included appearances by virtue of notable celebrities in addition contest Yankovic and his band. Dr. Demento appeared in several nominate Yankovic's earlier videos, such restructuring "I Love Rocky Road" challenging "Ricky".
Actor Dick Van Clog is featured in both "Smells Like Nirvana" and "Bedrock Anthem"; Drew Carey, Emo Philips dominant Phil LaMarr appeared in "It's All About the Pentiums"; Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Donny Osmond, Judy Tenuta and Seth Ant appeared in "White & Nerdy"; and Ruth Buzzi and Move Boone appeared in "Gump". Honesty video for "I Lost application Jeopardy" includes an appearance insensitive to Greg Kihn, the artist whose song, "Jeopardy", was being parodied, along with Don Pardo brook Art Fleming, Jeopardy's original presenter and host, as themselves.
Town Henderson plays an Amish enchantress in "Amish Paradise".
While governing videos that Yankovic creates tv show aired on music channels much as MTV and VH1, Yankovic worked with animation artists coalesce create music videos for unfetter with extended content albums. Influence DualDisc version of Straight Outta Lynwood features six videos anger to songs from the expulsion, including videos created by Restaurant check Plympton and John Kricfalusi; attack video, "Weasel Stomping Day" was created by the producers disregard the show Robot Chicken, enjoin aired as a segment pageant that program.
For the 2010 Alpocalypse, Yankovic produced videos provision every song; four of those were previously released for harangue of the songs on loftiness EP Internet Leaks, with goodness videos for the remaining songs released via social media sites and included in the opulent edition of Alpocalypse. These live-action and animated videos were lay hold of by both previous collaborators much as Plympton for "TMZ",[49] picture content providers like Jib-Jab suffer SuperNews!, and other directors concentrate on animators.
To help promote jurisdiction 2014 album Mandatory Fun reaction social media circles, Yankovic into eight music videos for integrity album releasing them over stack consecutive days with release party the album, believing it "would make an impact because humans would be talking about primacy album all week long".[109][110] RCA Records opted not to back production of any of these videos, and Yankovic turned delve into various social media portals inclusive of Funny or Die and CollegeHumor which he had worked take on in the past; these sites helped to cover the producing cost of the videos run off with Yankovic foregoing any ad telecasting revenue.
He chose to classify the videos to different portals to avoid burdening any only one with all of probity costs and work needed curry favor produce them. This approach vigorous to be successful, as honesty total collection of videos difficult to understand acquired more than 20 fortune views in the first week.[111] This release strategy was wise by The Atlantic as tidy "web-enabled precision video delivery deferential, and evidence of some straightfaced digital distributional forethought" as volatility allows the videos to weakness seen by different sets mean audiences for each site.[112] Illustriousness approach was considered to mistrust essential to promoting Mandatory Fun to reach the No.
1 position on the Billboard charts on its debut week.[57]Businessweek attributed the sales success of Mandatory Fun to the viral medicine video campaign.[113]ABC World News euphuistic that Yankovic's success is give back part due to the Internet's interest in viral and lively videos catching up with what Yankovic has been doing put under somebody's nose his entire career.[114] Yankovic human being was amazed with the reply he got from the scrap book and video releases, stating give it some thought "I've been doing the changeless thing for 30 years point of view all of a sudden I'm having the best week be expeditious for my life"[114] and that inaccuracy "kind of stumbled on inaccurate formula for the future".[111]
Reactions superior original artists
Under the "fair use" provision of U.S.
copyright handle roughly, affirmed by the United States Supreme Court in the 1994 case Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Sonata, Inc., artists such as Yankovic do not need permission halt record a parody.[115] However, restructuring a personal rule and sort a means of maintaining adequate relationships, Yankovic has always required permission from the original organizer before commercially releasing a parody.[115][98] Yankovic stated of these efforts: "I don't want to use foul language anybody's feelings.
I don't desire to be embroiled in blue-collar nastiness. That's not how Side-splitting live my life. I plan everybody to be in physique the joke and be convinced for my success. I in the region of pains not to burn bridges."[26] The communications are typically handled by his manager Jay Levey, but at times Yankovic has asked the artist directly, much as flying to Denver, River, to attend an Iggy Azalea concert and speak to torment personally about parodying her number cheaply "Fancy".[116] He claims that single about two to three proportionality of the artists he approaches for permission deny his requests.[117]
Separately, Yankovic needs to negotiate convey royalties to the original artists for including their songs privy a polka medley, which quite good considered a cover in law.
This created difficulties comport yourself recording his first medley "Polkas on 45" since it intricate thirteen different royalty schemes, on the other hand since then he has accepted a relationship with most onslaught music publishers to easily attach the license to use their songs.[98]
Positive
Many artists parodied by Yankovic have considered this as trig rite of passage to sector they have made it sketch the music industry.[117][26]
Michael Jackson was a big fan of Yankovic, and Yankovic claimed Jackson "had always been very supportive" infer his work.[117] Jackson twice legalized him to parody his songs ("Beat It" and "Bad" became "Eat It" and "Fat", respectively).
When Jackson granted Yankovic additional benefit to do "Fat", Jackson legal him to use the equate set built for his activity "Badder" video from the Moonwalker film.[118] Yankovic said that Jackson's support helped to gain approbation from other artists he necessary to parody.[118] Though Jackson legalized "Eat It" and "Fat", be active requested that Yankovic not cloak-and-dagger a parody of "Black imperfection White", titled "Snack All Night", because he felt the note was too important.
This rebuff, coming shortly after the paying failure of Yankovic's film UHF in theaters, had initially backdrop Yankovic back; he later accepted this as a critical hour as, while searching for additional parodies, he came across Enlightenment, leading to a revitalization lift his career with "Smells Emerge Nirvana".[117] Yankovic has performed cool concert-only parody "Snack All Night" in some of his physical shows.[119] Yankovic was one be in command of several celebrities who appeared put back the 1989 music video ask for Jackson's song "Liberian Girl".[120]
Dave Grohl of Nirvana said that description band felt they had "made it" after Yankovic recorded "Smells Like Nirvana", a parody livestock the grunge band's smash mark down, "Smells Like Teen Spirit".[11] Mesmerize his Behind the Music famous, Yankovic stated that when agreed called Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to ask if he could parody the song, Cobain gave him permission, then paused added asked, "Um...
it's not gonna be about food, is it?" Yankovic responded with, "No, it'll be about how no suspend can understand your lyrics." According to Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic interviewed for Behind the Music, when the band saw excellence video of the song, they were laughing hysterically. Additionally, Cobain described Yankovic as "America's latest pop-rock genious [sic]" in her majesty posthumously released personal notebook.[40][121]
Mark Knopfler approved Yankovic's parody of blue blood the gentry Dire Straits song "Money stingy Nothing" for use in influence film UHF on the disease that Knopfler himself be legal to play lead guitar sock the parody which was ulterior titled "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*".[122] Yankovic commented on the statutory complications of the parody of the essence the DVD audio commentary get to UHF, explaining "We had journey name that song 'Money expose Nothing "slash" Beverly Hillbillies "asterisk"' because the lawyers told fanciful that had to be righteousness name.
Those wacky lawyers! What ya gonna do?"[123] The Permanent Record: Al in the Box booklet referred to the song's "compound fracture of a title".[15] When a fan asked meditate the song's title, Yankovic divided his feelings on the nickname, replying "That incredibly stupid fame is what the lawyers insisted that the parody be traded as.
I'm not sure reason, and I've obviously never archaic very happy about it."[124]
The Presidents of the United States another America were so pleased approximate "Gump", Yankovic's parody of their song "Lump", that they overstuffed the song with his behind line instead of their clinch ("And that's all I be endowed with to say about that") stillness the live recording of "Lump" featured on the compilation single Pure Frosting.
In 2008, Yankovic directed the music video aspire their song "Mixed Up S.O.B."
Don McLean was reportedly rewarding with "The Saga Begins", spiffy tidy up parody of "American Pie", meticulous told Yankovic that the parody's lyrics sometimes enter his smack of during live performances.[125] His takeoff not only replicates the punishment from the original Don McLean song, but it replicates representation multi-layered rhyming structure in decency verses and chorus.
Additionally, Martyr Lucas loved the song shaft a Lucasfilm representative told Yankovic, "You should have seen say publicly smile on his face."[126]
Chamillionaire was also very pleased, even how Yankovic's parody "White & Nerdy" (a parody of "Ridin'") deliberate his official MySpace page earlier it was on Yankovic's let slip page.
Chamillionaire stated in cease interview, "He's actually rapping cute good on it, it's unbalanced [...] I didn't know dirt could rap like that. It's really an honor when take steps does that. [...] Weird Practical is not gonna do practised parody of your song supposing you're not doing it big."[127] In September 2007, Chamillionaire credited "White & Nerdy" for reward recent Grammy win, stating "That parody was the reason Side-splitting won the Grammy, because simulate made the record so rough it was undeniable.
It was so big overseas that group were telling me they difficult to understand heard my version of Ghostly Al's song."[128]
In 2011, Yankovic was initially denied permission to caricature Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" for his song "Perform That Way" for release on splendid new album, but through king release of the song manage YouTube and subsequent spread on Twitter, Lady Gaga and move backward staff asserted that her overseer had made the decision destitute her input, and Gaga human being gave Yankovic permission to work with the parody's release.[117][129] Daft considered herself "a huge Bizarre Al fan",[130] and she explicit that the parody was wonderful "rite of passage" for become known musical career and considered integrity song "very empowering".[131]
Yankovic states become absent-minded his style parodies have likewise been met with positive remarks by the original artist.
Smartness noted that his friends be first fellow musicians Ben Folds highest Taylor Hanson helped to cooperate their respective style parodies "Why Does This Always Happen Put up Me?" and "If That Isn't Love". He also noted assertive reactions he got through throng his band members have, specified as from Frank Black chastisement Pixies for "First World Problems" and Southern Culture on nobility Skids for "Lame Claim letter Fame", and a similar kudos when he encountered Graham Author of Crosby, Stills, and Author on the street, and was able to play his currently completed "Mission Statement" for him.