Is there any difference between “a doo-wop style parody” and “a doo-wop song”? It sounds to me like this criticism against Weird Al basically boils down to “he successfully writes in many different genres”.
That’s exactly how I feel. I respect him for what he does and how he does it. He’s probably the best of his genre. But I’ve never actually enjoyed anything he’s ever done. I still think he belongs.
IMO, it’s a question of the lyrics. Al doesn’t do “straight” (i.e., non-funny) songs. When he chooses to parody another artist, or a style/genre of music, it seems, to me, that it’s always with an eye to “how can I make this funny, in the context of that style?”
Just to reiterate: I love his music, I think he’s brilliant, and I do think he belongs in the Hall.
I think it’s a testament to Weird Al as an entertainer that nobody here has thrown any shade on his talent as an artist. We don’t often have a thread with near universal praise for a singer.
The only person I’ve ever seen get as much positive commentary as Weird Al is Mister Rogers.
He’s even a vegetarian!!
He’s also (allegedly) a devout Christian, as was Mister Rogers. And btw, I’m just pointing out a similarity between the two men. That is all. I could just as easily have said they were both Pittsburgh Pirates fans, is it were true.
I know it’s already been mentioned, but Genius in France is a parody of the style of Zappa, and brilliantly-done I might add. Warning: nine minutes long. (Is it the longest song of his?)
And when Al does a parody of a musician’s or band’s style, he usually doesn’t do it to poke fun at them. Quite the opposite: in most cases he’s a genuine fan, and the song is a homage to them. (I know he’s always been a huge Zappa fan.)
I always liked Weird Al but I’ve come to appreciate him more with age. It’s not an easy feat to find a niche, master it, connect with fans, and then spin that out into broad appeal and popularity without compromising your authenticity. He is uniquely and unapologetically himself and it works for a lot of people.
Are you maybe thinking of “Blackbird”?
Absolutely. His music has never resonated with me very deeply; after about half a song, I’m thinking, “Okay, I get the idea. I’m good.”
That said, I can recognize that he’s doing what he wants to do, he’s world-class good at it, lots of people like it, and it’s all in good fun. I can agree with all that, and I got nothing bad to say about it.
OMG that is hilarious! I’d never heard it before, but it sounds exactly like Zappa! There’s no possible doubt who he’s imitating.
This one isn’t a parody of (or homage to) anything in particular:
It can all be true! According to this site, “Penny Lane” uses the piccolo from “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major”, and “Blackbird” is based on “Bourrée in E minor”.
My point is that even if those are not simply John & Paul lyrics set to Bach melodies, they are well beyond inspired or influenced by Bach, but directly borrow from his pieces. Similarly, Weird Al’s songs that are done in specific styles are only considered parody because of silly lyrics or the incongruous placement of an accordion. Many artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame move between different genres and subgenres of rock.
And let’s not forget about his totally original song “Eat It”, that was so good and popular that Michael Jackson wrote “Beat It” as a parody to it.
Also can we please start some kind of movement to get Madonna out of the HoH? She killed poor Al!
I met Al after a show he did in Merrillville, Indiana a few years ago. He’s an absolute sweetheart. Extremely nice, respectful, and accommodating as an entertainer. I’ve met several celebrities over the years, and Al was the epitome of what you would want an encounter with a celebrity to be like.
I met him at a book signing at a local bookstore, about a decade ago, when he was on tour to promote his first children’s book. I completely agree: he was nice, good-natured, patient, and was clearly happy to be meeting his fans.
Well, it was here on the SDMB that I learned about Al’s dark side.
…and Ray Charles.
If I were one of the voters, I would not be voting for including Weird Al. Just completely not my taste and never has been.
Would you only vote for artists who are to your taste, whether or not you found them otherwise objectively worthy?