# Any singers who have covered parodies of their own work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162 "2007-08-19T18:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/1 "2007-08-19T18:33:54Z")
Many people (even some besides Weird Al) have made parody songs based on popular songs. Sometimes the singers are good sports about it, but has anyone ever performed or recorded a popular parody of a song they originally made famous? I seem to recall that Chamillionaire might have appeared in Weird Al’s “White & Nerdy” (based on "Ridin’ ") video, but I’m not sure about that. Slightly differently, I knew someone who saw Don Henley appear onstage with Mojo Nixon to perform Mojo Nixon’s song “Don Henley Must Die”, which is being as good a sport as I can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/2 "2007-08-19T19:08:17Z")
Don McLean says when he performs “American Pie”, he sometimes accidentally starts singing Weird Al’s “The Saga Begins” instead. Which was based on the “American Pie” melody. [The Saga Begins](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saga_Begins) I don’t know about other singers covering parodies after the fact, but a couple of artists have appeared in Yankovic’s parodies of their work. Greg Kihn sang back up on “I Lost on Jeopardy” (a parody of his hit “Jeopardy”) and appeared in the video. And Mark Knopfler insisted on playing lead guitar on Al’s “Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies” parody as a condition for giving Al permission to use his tune. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/3 "2007-08-19T19:38:23Z")
Do you count The Muppet Show? Lot of people good-naturedly letting themselves be sent up. Personal fave [Rita Morena performing “Fever” with Animal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjoBKEJj2eI) or [REM performing “furry happy monsters”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkHM8xG6i8o) And it’s been posted several times on the boards already, but hey, one more time won’t hurt…[Natalie Imbriglia at The Secret Policeman’s Ball](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0hAUN4bYVk) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/4 "2007-08-19T19:48:46Z")
There was Elton John at Princess Di’s funeral, but I’m not sure if he realised it was a parody. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/5 "2007-08-19T19:54:00Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] There was Elton John at Princess Di’s funeral, but I’m not sure if he realised it was a parody. [/QUOTE] Oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhh! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/6 "2007-08-19T19:56:37Z")
Even though Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” was not a parody of The Four Seasons, but an homage to them, I saw them perform it at the Skydome in Toronto. Their version could be construed as parody, as it wasn’t too great (they were obviously flattered). But I don’t expect to ever witness another original artist playing the song another artist recorded in tribute to them. If this doesn’t count, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/7 "2007-08-19T20:33:02Z")
[QUOTE=TPWombat] And it’s been posted several times on the boards already, but hey, one more time won’t hurt…[Natalie Imbriglia at The Secret Policeman’s Ball](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0hAUN4bYVk) [/QUOTE] That was fantastic. Hadn’t seen it before. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/8 "2007-08-19T20:51:43Z")
I’m not sure if it was for “Eat It” or “I’m Fat” but Weird Al did a video in which he went to a dark eerie castle to approach an enthroned silent Michael Jackson for permission to parody his song, to which he responded with only a thumbs-up. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/9 "2007-08-19T21:22:34Z")
The B-52s briefly spoofed their own song _Love Shack_ for [this _Simpsons_ segment.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucUvJ3wm6DU) ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/10 "2007-08-19T21:47:40Z")
Ageing poptastic legend Cliff Richard first topped the UK singles chart in 1959 with _Living Doll_. His fifth No.1 was _The Young Ones_ released in 1962. _The Young Ones_ was also the title of a BBC comedy series which ran for two seasons between 1982 and 1984. The theme song featured the cast members singing Richard’s _The Young Ones_. For a Comic Relief item in 1986, Cliff Richard joined the cast members in a rendition of _Living Doll_ which was issued as a single and again reached the top spot of the singles chart. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/11 "2007-08-19T21:55:40Z")
John Fogerty sings “There’s a bathroom on the right” on _Premonition._ Just one throwaway line. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/12 "2007-08-19T22:00:58Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] There was Elton John at Princess Di’s funeral, but I’m not sure if he realised it was a parody. [/QUOTE] Dayum. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/13 "2007-08-19T23:34:12Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] I’m not sure if it was for “Eat It” or “I’m Fat” but Weird Al did a video in which he went to a dark eerie castle to approach an enthroned silent Michael Jackson for permission to parody his song, to which he responded with only a thumbs-up. [/QUOTE] It wasn’t for either of those, unless there’s an extended remix of one of the two videos that I don’t know about. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/14 "2007-08-19T23:37:47Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] That was fantastic. Hadn’t seen it before. [/QUOTE] Agreed! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/15 "2007-08-20T00:01:37Z")
On \*\*Let it Be \*\* Lennon adds a nonsense line to _Get Back_ (“sweet loretta fat thought she was a cleaner but she was a frying pan”) before McCartney begins the song. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/16 "2007-08-20T00:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] I’m not sure if it was for “Eat It” or “I’m Fat” but Weird Al did a video in which he went to a dark eerie castle to approach an enthroned silent Michael Jackson for permission to parody his song, to which he responded with only a thumbs-up. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Otto] It wasn’t for either of those, unless there’s an extended remix of one of the two videos that I don’t know about. [/QUOTE] It was actually a video segment which was filmed for the mockumentary video “The Compleat Al.” It wasn’t a part of either “Eat It” or “Fat.” ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/17 "2007-08-20T00:36:45Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] The B-52s briefly spoofed their own song _Love Shack_ for [this _Simpsons_ segment.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucUvJ3wm6DU) [/QUOTE] And Donovan similarly spoofed his own song _Atlantis_ for a [Futurama episode](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rfkSq9tci8) involving “The Lost City of Atlanta” (which has sunk under the waves by the 30th Century, despite being originally landlocked). “The Magician??” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/18 "2007-08-20T01:35:57Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] It was actually a video segment which was filmed for the mockumentary video “The Compleat Al.” It wasn’t a part of either “Eat It” or “Fat.” [/QUOTE] Did Al do any other Michael Jackson song parodies, because I know I saw it as prelude to a song video? Of course, they may have stitched it onto one of his prior videos. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/19 "2007-08-20T01:47:49Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] Did Al do any other Michael Jackson song parodies, because I know I saw it as prelude to a song video? Of course, they may have stitched it onto one of his prior videos. [/QUOTE] I haven’t actually seen the segment, I just remember reading that it was a part of the mockumentary. If you saw it as a prelude to a video, it may have been on “Al TV” or some other show involving Weird Al. The first 10 minutes of it have been shown on TV, so that’s what you may have seen. I have seen both “Eat It” and “Fat”, but I never saw any extra footage attached to either one of those videos. As far as I know, they are the only two MJ parodies Al has done. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162/20 "2007-08-20T02:51:03Z")
I videotaped “Al Music” when he “took over programming” at MuchMusic, Toronto back in the early '90s, and they showed the segment you refer to. I think it was an insert that they played before showing either or both of the MJ parody videos. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-singers-who-have-covered-parodies-of-their-own-work/416162.md?page=2)