William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Poodle Hat ; Year: 2003; Genre: Folk Rock/Comedy Noticed that today's pick number, 6886, is, of course a numerical palindrome , so I decided I should choose something appropriate. This "Weird Al" song is an "in the style of" type of his music; this time it was the titular "Bob" Dylan in the mid-'60s, although he does reference a couple of his songs in particular. Every lyric line is in the form of a palindrome throughout, and, of course Al, being the maven he is, does his best both lyrically and musically.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Four Tops - 7 Rooms of Gloom     My song pick 3 years ago today: Spacehog - Zeroes   My song pick 4 years ago today: Carmen - Retirando   My song pick 5 years ago today: George Clinton - Last Dance My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillion - Cover My Eyes (Pain in Heaven)   My...

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Comedy/Parody/Alternative Rock Needed something light and happier today, and I knew I couldn't go wrong with one of "Weird Al's" epic parodies. This one is, of course, his reworking of the hit song by The Barenaked Ladies: One Week . Al's subject matter is/was the over-the-top and brain destroying talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, which was strangely quite popular back in the late '90s; I guess it was another one of the cases of "entertainment for the lowest common denominator." I suppose that reality television and social media have since taken its place as an all-consuming place for such ilk to waste their lives.   Hear Jerry Springer on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Helloween - From Out of Nowhere   My song pick 2 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Lord of This World   My song pick 3 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cowgirl in the Sand   My song pick 4 years ago toda...

From: Even Worse ; Year: 1988; Genre: Comedy/Pop/Rock I cannot even begin to count the times I've listened to this song over the years; it's classic "Weird Al." Melanie is one of his original songs, I believe it's one of two on the record with the others being parodies or songs done in the style of an artist/band. On the surface it is one of those love songs that is very happy and upbeat, but if you listen to the lyrics it tells the story of a dangerous stalker that does nefarious deeds to supposedly gain the attention and affection of the titular character Melanie.   Hear Melanie on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Winery Dogs - Time Machine   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - Time   My song pick 3 years ago today: Roxette - Joyride My song pick 4 years ago today: Jerry Reed - The Devil Went Down to Georgia My song pick 5 years ago today: Johnny Winter - Funky Music My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillio...

From: Alapalooza ; Year: 1993; Genre: Parody/Comedy Felt like hearing something light and fun today and looked no further than "Weird Al" for my fix. Whilst not being the best parody he's ever done, this one's got enough references to the show and the song to make it, as I said, very fun to listen to. Hear Bedrock Anthem on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Jerry Reed - Miller's Cave My song pick 2 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Yum Yum Tree My song pick 3 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - You Can Make it if You Try My song pick 4 years ago today: Deep Purple - Stormbringer My song pick 5 years ago today: Egg - Fugue in D-Minor My song pick 6 years ago today: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Last DJ My song pick 7 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - Lemmings (Including Cog) My song pick 8 years ago today: Nightwish - Feel for You My song pick 9 years ago today: Genesis - Keep It Dark My song pick 10 years ago t...

From: Alapalooza ; Year: 1993; Genre: Comedy/Parody For no reason whatsoever, as far as I could tell, I felt like picking this cover/parody of Queen's epic Bohemian Rhapsody by the one and only "Weird Al." As with most of his polkas this one is quite complex and not just a quick funny song. Hear Bohemian Polka on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Dick Dale - Speardance My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - Dead Winter Dead My song pick 3 years ago today: Dee Clark - Raindrops My song pick 4 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Thankful N' Thoughtful My song pick 5 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Another Beer My song pick 6 years ago today: Hawkwind - Neon Skyline/Lost Chronicles My song pick 7 years ago today: Louis Armstrong - When the Saints Go Marching In My song pick 8 years ago today: John Denver - Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning) My song pick 9 years ago today: Del Shannon - Runaway My song pick 10 years...

From: Bad Hair Day ; Year: 1996; Genre: Christmas Music/Rock/Comedy Merry Christmas Eve! Whilst most comedic Christmas songs are actually the work of the likes of Bob Rivers as well as many others "Weird Al" has done some too, (even though apparently everybody seems to attribute over 90% of the silly Christmas songs to him.... Not going into that right now.) Anyway, here's a really dark song for the occasion about Santa snapping and "going postal" and massacring everything at his North Pole home. Hear The Night Santa Went Crazy on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - A Mad Russian's Christmas My song pick two years ago today: Bing Crosby - White Christmas My song pick three years ago today: B. Bumble and the Stingers - Nut Rocker My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen My song pick five years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Wizards in Winter My song pick six ye...

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Folk Rock/Parody/Comedy This morning I had this song running through my mind for some unknown reason, so I took it as a sign that I should pick it. Of course most know that this track uses the music from the epic Don McLean song American Pie , but instead tells the story of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace . While by no mean my favourite "Weird Al" song, it's one that has become one of his classics. Hear The Saga Begins on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Moody Blues - Ride My See-Saw My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Angela Android My song pick three years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Manic Depression My song pick four years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Through the Eyes of the King My song pick five years ago today: Nora Bayes - The Japanese Sandman My song pick six years ago today: Queen - We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions My song pick seven years ag...

From: Mandatory Fun ; Year: 2014; Genre: Comedy/Parody/R&B I've been enjoying this newest "Weird" Al album; this is, at this point, one of the most popular tracks from it. This one's a parody of Robin Thicke Blurred Lines in which Mr. Yankovic wields his dictionary like a weapon to teach everybody proper English in only the way he could. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Come a Little Bit Closer My song pick two years ago today: Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli (Quintette du Hot Club de France) featuring Freddy Taylor - I Can't Give You Anything But Love My song pick three years ago today: Rin' - Fuhen My song pick four years ago today: Cream - Badge My song pick five years ago today: Steeleye Span - Seven Hundred Elves My song pick six years ago today: Billy Joel - Prelude/Angry Young Man

From: Straight Outta Lynwood ; Year: 2006; Genre: Comedy I felt like listening to some "Weird Al" on this Thanksgiving Holiday. I thought I would also give a nod to "Weird Al's" loony made up holiday where you crush weasels. While it's kind of a disturbing track on so many levels his delivery of it always brings a smile to my face. See the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Take a Pebble My song pick two years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus My song pick three years ago today: Supertramp - Just a Normal Day My song pick four years ago today: Northern Kings - Hello My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Fallen On Hard Times My song pick six years ago today: Mr. Big - Wild World

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Comedy/Third Wave Ska This morning I've had this rather funny song running through my mind, and as usual I thought I would make it my pick today. This happens to be one of "Weird Al's" originals, which features music in the style of bands of the "Third Wave Ska" genre such as The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, which is pretty fun to listen to. However, as with most of his material the lyrics are the main draw, and this one has him running down comedic horoscopes for each sign of the zodiac at break-neck speeds. Hear Your Horoscope for Today on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Stand! My song pick two years ago today: Sethian - Purity in Sorrow My song pick three years ago today: Sethian - Nothing Is True My song pick four years ago today: Steely Dan - Charlie Freak My song pick five years ago today: Van Halen - Summer Nights My song pick six years ago today:...

From: Even Worse ; Year: 1988; Genre: Comedy/Pop I'm closing out my theme week with one of my favourites from "Weird Al," which is another parody of a Michael Jackson hit Bad ; it can be found here on YouTube . If I remember right, this was the first music video by "Weird Al" that I'd ever seen. Of course I had heard his music prior, but not a video clip; to say the least I was laughing so much I could hardly hear the song. Watch the hilarious music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Kreeps - Bad Voodoo My song pick two years ago today: David Bowie - Up the Hill Backwards My song pick three years ago today: Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where The Time Goes My song pick four years ago today: Savatage - Sleep My song pick five years ago today: The Beatles - Across The Universe

From: Alapalooza ; Year: 1993; Genre: Comedy/Rock Today is day six of my "Weird Al" theme week. I was actually thinking about this one the other day, so I thought it would make an excellent addition. This is a rather funny one about rotting food in a person's refrigerator coming to life is set to Aerosmith's Livin' on the Edge , which can be found on YouTube . Here is the song in an amv on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Duran Duran - (Reach Up for the) Sunrise My song pick two years ago today: The Offspring - Gone Away My song pick three years ago today: Converge - Cruel Bloom My song pick four years ago today: Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids - She's So Fine My song pick five years ago today: Lobo - A Big Red Kite

From; Off the Deep End ; Year: 1992; Genre: Comedy/Grunge Day five of my "Weird Al" theme week. I'm having a busy day, so I'm having to be somewhat brief with this one. However, I think this parody to Nirvana's "grunge" hit Smells Like Teen Spirit kind of speaks for itself as to why it fits into this particular theme week. Watch the music video on YouTube. Here is the original video to Smells Like Teen Spirit on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Closer to the Heart My song pick two years ago today: Johannes Brahms - Op. #45 - (A German Requiem, To Words of the Holy Scriptures) My song pick three years ago today: Heart - Love Alive My song pick four years ago today: Gregg Allman - I'm No Angel My song pick five years ago today: Yes - Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (schindleria praematurus)

From: "Weird Al" Yankovic ; Year: 1983; Genre: Comedy/Rock Today is the fourth day of my "Weird Al" theme week. Yes, even when I hear the Queen classic that this song is a parody of, ( Another One Bites the Dust , which can be heard here on YouTube ), at some point this song comes to mind. Hear Another One Rides the Bus on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - The Knife My song pick two years ago today: Spaghetti Western Orchestra - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly My song pick three years ago today: Jerry Reed - Wabash Cannonball My song pick four years ago today: Ray Stevens - Gitarzan My song pick five years ago today: REO Speedwagon - Back on the Road Again

From: Running with Scissors ; Year: 1999; Genre: Comedy/Swing Jazz It's day three of my "Weird Al" changed this song for me theme week. For those unaware, this one is a parody of The Cherry Poppin' Daddies' retro swing jazz hit " Zoot Suit Riot ," which can be found here on YouTube . I actually like the original version, but due to my dad playing "Weird Al's" version so much, I can't help but think of his parody lyrics every time I hear it. As with a great deal of his parodies, this one has to do with gastronomic subject matter; specifically an overweight man having to go on a diet to lose weight. Since listening to a lot of his music lately, one thing has struck me, I never realized how much "Weird Al" can manipulate his voice to sound like so many different singers. Hear Grapefruit Diet on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Soundgarden - I Awake My song pick two years ago today: Dream Theater - The ...

From: "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D ; Year: 1983; Genre: Parody/Pop 'Tis the second day of my "Weird Al" theme week. This one is one of his most famous and is, of course, a parody of Michael Jackson's hit song Beat It , which can be found here on YouTube . While Michael Jackson's song and lyrics are very memorable, I can't help but think of "Weird Al's" parody every time I hear it. Watch the music video to Eat It on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Queensrÿche - Jet City Woman My song pick two years ago today: Frank Zappa - Mudd Club My song pick three years ago today: U2 - I Will Follow My song pick four years ago today: The Delgados - Keep On Breathing My song pick five years ago today: Yoko Kanno (The Seat Belts) - Tank!

From: Headline News (single); Year: 1994; Genre: Parody/Alternative Rock Okay, it's theme week time! I've been wanting to do this one for a long time now and finally I'm getting around to it. For this theme week I am featuring songs that "Weird Al" has either changed or some could say perhaps ruined for me. In other words, when I hear the original all I can think of is his parody lyrics. I'm starting this one out with one that I've been hearing on the radio a lot lately, the original, that is. For those not acquainted with this song, it is a parody to The Crash Test Dummy's hit Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm , which can be found here on YouTube. Anyway, when the original came on the radio I started to sing along with, but, as with most of his parody lyrics, "Weird Al's" lyrics are quite sticky and thus it was easier to remember his version instead. As the title of the song suggests he based it on popular news stories at the time: Michael Fa...

From: Dare to be Stupid ; Year: 1985; Genre: New Wave/Comedy The other day I saw the old Transformers animated movie, which I hadn't seen in quite a long while; it was quite a nostalgia rush. The one thing that film seems to be memorable for was for the killing of Optimus Prime as well as a few other main characters. From what I've read about it, they intended the film to be kind of a sendoff for that current line of toys, which they would be replacing with a whole new line of Transformer toys. However the backlash and outcry from fans brought that to a screeching halt. Anyway, as you would guess, this "Weird Al" track is part of the film's soundtrack; it is played at the point where the Autobots meet up with Wreck-Gar, who was actually voiced by Monty Python's Eric Idle. While this song isn't an outright parody, it's done as more of a parody of the general New Wave sound of the band Devo. As with all stuff that he penned, this one is top-notch ...

1594 "Weird Al" Yankovic - Christmas at Ground Zero From: Greatest Hits Volume II , Year: 1994 (1986) Genre: Christmas Music/Comedy Merry Christmas! As I was getting ready to pick a song on this Christmas Eve this rather gruesome holiday ditty from Mr. Yankovic came to mind. He did a nice job mixing upbeat 60'sesque Pop/Rock music with the disturbing subject matter of a nuclear attack at Christmas time. I usually like to play this one on or around Christmas in anticipation of having to deal with relatives and in-laws in a virtual 'ground zero' rife with bad attitudes, selfishness, and holiday snits. Here is the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - I Believe in Father Christmas My song pick two years ago today: Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Clause? My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - A Christmas Song My song pick four years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The G...

1433 "Weird Al" Yankovic - I Think I'm a Clone Now From: Even Worse , Year: 1988 Genre: Comedy/Parody Yesterday the original version of the song that this song is a parody of came on the radio; I couldn't help but have "Weird Al's" lyrics running through my mind. After that I thought this "Weird Al" track would be a good pick for today. This track is actually based off of Tiffany's cover of the Tommy James' track I Think We're Alone Now ; it was quite big at the time he released his Even Worse album. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - Pork Chop's Little Ditty My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me My song pick three years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Shooting Shark +