Am I Right

Last updated
Am I Right
Amiright.png
Type of site
Popular music/Internet humor
OwnerCharles R. Grosvenor, Jr.
Created byCharles R. Grosvenor, Jr.
URL http://www.amiright.com
CommercialNo
RegistrationNot required
Launched2000
Current statusActive

Am I Right is a popular music and humor website dedicated to topics as song parodies, [1] misheard lyrics (mondegreens), [2] [3] [4] and album cover parodies. Visitors may submit their own without registering. It was created by Charles R. Grosvenor Jr. [5] (born July 7, 1972, known as Chucky G) The site was first launched March 23, 2000, [6] and has since grown considerably.

Contents

Am I Right is a community based website, with all the content contained on the website created by visitors. New material is submitted online by individuals and reviewed by a group of "editors" who remove entries that do not conform to community standards regarding obscene content or spam.

Sections of the website

Song Parodies

The main part of the site where people write their own versions of popular songs. A voting system of 1 (worst) to 5 (best) enables readers to vote on how well it matches the pacing of the original song, how funny it is and its overall score. A 555 is a perfect score meaning the parody should be read by everyone while a 111 score means the parody is not funny, does not match the pacing and is pretty much pointless.

Every few years, there will be a trend spreading throughout the site where one song is parodied more frequently than others, such as “Rhythm Steps” by Herbie Kay and his Orchestra; as of March 2024, there were over 200 different parodies of the song submitted to the site.

On March 8, 2024, this section of the site reached 100,000 parodies.

Misheard lyrics

Since the website's inception, the site has offered the possibility for visitors to submit misheard lyrics, aka "mondegreens", to the site; these are displayed along with the true lyrics. As of October 11, 2007, there are a total of 101,716 misheard lyrics. [7] There is a section where contributors admit their more embarrassing misheard lyric mishaps and the moment they came upon their mistakes. Another section associated with misheard lyrics includes "Misheard Lyrics in Film", where visitors recall moments where actors or actresses recall lyrics as misquoted by actors in either film or television from famous songs.

Comedy recordings

The recordings section is for recorded performances of parodies or other musical comedy pieces. Am I Right does not host the files, so the section is essentially an index of other sites that contain recordings. All entries in this section are submitted to the site by the original authors.

Album cover parodies

The Album Cover parody section lets people humorously edit an album cover from an original artist's album, using Amazon to scrape metadata and original album covers for users to edit and submit to the site.

Music trivia

This section is focused on strange and funny facts about various songs and performers. Most pages consist of songs of performers that have certain commonalities in common such as songs that have been banned, performers that have criminal records, or songs that have backwards messages recorded in them.

Names

This section deals with band name origins, [8] pseudonyms, names of the offspring of famous musicians, song and band name parodies, user-created band names, inventive portmanteaus of individual band or performer names, inappropriate commercial soundtrack selections, proposed duets, inappropriate songs to play while on hold, adding, removing, or changing letters from titles to create new titles, lyrics that are literally impossible, and the use of song titles as questions and answers.

Real lyrics

The "real lyrics" section contains lyrics that fit certain categories, such as those which are "Misrhymed", "Insincere", or "Dirty".

Publications

Two books which each gather over 500 misheard lyrics submitted to the site have been published. Hold Me Closer Tony Danza (and Other Misheard Lyrics) (October 28, 2007). Charles R. Grosvenor Jr, Sasquatch Books, ISBN   1-57061-533-0 and Hit Me With Your Pet Shark (and Other Misheard Lyrics) (October 1, 2008). Charles R. Grosvenor Jr, Sasquatch Books, ISBN   1-57061-576-4

Each book has several pages with information pulled from the various sections of the site including: [9]

Reception

Am I Right has been mentioned in various articles and other publications over the years.

Related Research Articles

A mondegreen is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase in a way that gives it a new meaning. Mondegreens are most often created by a person listening to a poem or a song; the listener, being unable to hear a lyric clearly, substitutes words that sound similar and make some kind of sense. The American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling a childhood memory of her mother reading the Scottish ballad "The Bonny Earl of Murray", and mishearing the words "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beat Happening</span> American indie pop band

Beat Happening was an American indie pop band formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1982. Calvin Johnson, Heather Lewis, and Bret Lunsford have been the band's continual members. Beat Happening were early leaders in the American indie pop and lo-fi movements, noted for their use of primitive recording techniques, disregard for the technical aspects of musicianship, and songs with subject matters of a carefree or coy nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Postal Service</span> American indie rock band

The Postal Service is an American indie pop group from Seattle, Washington, consisting of singer Ben Gibbard, producer Jimmy Tamborello, and Jenny Lewis on background vocals.

<i>Poodle Hat</i> 2003 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Poodle Hat is the eleventh studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on May 20, 2003. It was the fifth studio album self-produced by Yankovic. The musical styles on the album are built around parodies and pastiches of pop of the early-2000s. The album's lead single, "Couch Potato", is a parody of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. The single failed to chart, although the album's song "eBay" eventually peaked at 15 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles in 2007.

<i>Running with Scissors</i> ("Weird Al" Yankovic album) 1999 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Running with Scissors is the tenth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 28, 1999. It was the fourth studio album self-produced by Yankovic, and his first album for Volcano Records after its acquisition of Scotti Brothers. The musical styles on the album are built around parodies and pastiches of pop and rock music of the late 1990s, largely targeting alternative rock and hip-hop. The album's lead single, "The Saga Begins", however, was a parody of the 1971 single "American Pie" by Don McLean, and it recounts the plot of the film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which was released around the same time. None of the album's singles charted domestically, although "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi", a parody of "Pretty Fly " by the Offspring, charted at number 67 in Australia.

<i>"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D</i> 1984 album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on February 28, 1984, by Rock 'n Roll Records. The album was one of many produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between October and December 1983, the album was Yankovic's follow-up to his modestly successful debut LP, "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Hatten är din is an Internet meme from 2000. It is a Flash animation featuring the music of Lebanese musician Azar Habib; the name of the song playing is "Miin Ma Kenti". The animation prominently features a hat, Swedish text, and an assortment of bizarre imagery.

"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" is a 1935 popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young. It has been recorded many times, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook. It was popularized by Fats Waller, who recorded it in 1935 at the height of his fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson (song)</span> Song recorded by Wheeler

"Jackson" is a song written in 1963 by Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Leiber. It was recorded in 1963 by the Kingston Trio, Wheeler, and Flatt and Scruggs. It achieved its most notable popularity with two 1967 releases: a country hit single by Johnny Cash and June Carter, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country Singles chart, and a pop hit single by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood, which reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 39 on Easy Listening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayonaise (song)</span> 1993 song by the Smashing Pumpkins

"Mayonaise" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was first made available in 1993 on the band's second studio album Siamese Dream as the ninth track. It is subsequently released as the album's fifth single on November 20, 2023 through Capitol Records as part of the Siamese Dream 30th Anniversary celebrations and shows. The song was produced by Butch Vig and Billy Corgan.

<i>Straight Outta Lynwood</i> 2006 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Straight Outta Lynwood is the twelfth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on September 26, 2006, the title drawing inspiration from hip hop group N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton. It was the sixth studio album self-produced by Yankovic. The musical styles on the album are built around parodies and pastiches of pop and rock music of the mid-2000s. The album's lead single, "White & Nerdy", is a parody of Chamillionaire's hit single "Ridin'". The single debuted at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #9 the following week; "Canadian Idiot", a parody of Green Day's "American Idiot", also charted, peaking at #82.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Bring Me Down</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album Discovery. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going</span> 1982 single by Jennifer Holliday

"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is a torch song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. In the context of the musical, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is sung by the character Effie White, a singer with the girl group The Dreams, to her manager, Curtis Taylor Jr., whose romantic and professional relationship with Effie is ending. The lyrics to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", often considered the show's signature tune, describe Effie's love for Curtis, both strongly devoted and defiant. She refuses to let Curtis leave her behind, and boldly proclaims to him, "I'm staying and you ... you're gonna love me."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Lonely</span> 1978 single by the Police

"So Lonely" is a song by British rock band the Police, released as the third and final single on 17 November 1978 from their debut studio album Outlandos d'Amour (1978), and again on 4 February 1980 as a re-release. The song uses a reggae style, and featured Sting on lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Fatals Picards</span> French rock/punk band

Les Fatals Picards is a French rock/punk band, founded in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hip to Be Square</span> 1986 single by Huey Lewis and the News

"Hip to Be Square" is a song by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Bill Gibson, Sean Hopper, and Huey Lewis, and released in 1986 as the second single from the multi-platinum album Fore!.

MarilynManson.com is the official website of American rock band Marilyn Manson. The website, since its launch in 1998, has been integral to the promotion and direction of the band. In the past, Marilyn Manson was known to launch hidden sites to promote select albums, but promotion campaigns by this method have since been discontinued. Similarly, during the Celebritarian era of the band, a code that was thought to be hidden was discovered.

<i>Trouble over Bridgwater</i> 2000 studio album by Half Man Half Biscuit

Trouble over Bridgwater is the eighth album by UK rock band Half Man Half Biscuit, released in 2000. The title is a play on words, based on the Simon and Garfunkel classic, "Bridge over Troubled Water". Bridgwater is a town in Somerset, England, but the similarly named Bridgewater Canal runs nearby the band's home of the Wirral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">"Weird Al" Yankovic</span> American comedy musician (born 1959)

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American musician, comedian, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing comedy songs that often parody specific songs by contemporary musicians. He also performs original songs that are style pastiches of the work of other acts, as well as polka medleys of several popular songs, most of which feature his trademark accordion.

SongMeanings is a music website that encourages users to discuss and comment on the underlying meanings and messages of individual songs. As of May 2015, the website contains over 110,000 artists, 1,000,000 lyrics, 14,000 albums, and 530,000 members.

References

  1. Schofield, Jack. "Online: Web watch: Pie eyed", The Guardian , 2002-08-29, p. 6.
  2. Berman, A. S. "Hotfoot it to a matchless site", USA Today , 2002-06-04, p. D3.
  3. Anderson, Laurie Smith. "Mondegreens chronicled in books and Web sites", The Advocate , 2001-10-14, p. H1.
  4. Serpick, Evan. "Am I Right", Entertainment Weekly , 2001-07-20, p. 71.
  5. Korbelik, Jeff. "Did I hear that right?", Lincoln Journal Star , 2007-01-16.
  6. Wayback history page Original What's New Page
  7. Website statistics Retrieved October 11, 2007
  8. "What to browse when the boss isn't looking", Evening Standard , 2007-01-08, p. 19.
  9. Hold Me Closer Tony Danza Book info List of book sections and sample pages
  10. "Four Amazing Rock Websites," Spin Magazine, May 2005.
  11. "AskMen.com - Am I Right". AskMen.com. 2005. Archived from the original on 28 October 2005. Retrieved 25 October 2005.
  12. "50 Best Web Sites". Chicago Tribune.com. 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2006.
  13. "Am I Right Synopsis on EZHelp Radio Show". EZHelp.org. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved September 24, 2006.
  14. "Chucky G Interview on EZHelp Radio Show". EZHelp Radio Show. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-03-25. Retrieved September 24, 2006.