Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic

Last updated

Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic
Squeeze box cover.png
Box set by
"Weird Al" Yankovic
ReleasedNovember 24, 2017
Genre
Label Legacy Recordings
Producer "Weird Al" Yankovic, Rick Derringer
"Weird Al" Yankovic chronology
Mandatory Fun
(2014)		Squeeze Box
(2017)		 Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
(2022)

Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic is a 15-album box set by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on November 24, 2017. Squeeze Box marks Yankovic's second box set since 1994's Permanent Record: Al in the Box . [1]

Contents

Packaging

The set is housed inside a replica of Yankovic's accordion, whence its name is derived. [2] This "unprecedented" style of packaging caused the entire set to have a rather long lead manufacturing time. Squeeze Box also comes with "a 100-page book including a treasure trove of unseen photos and memorabilia." [1]

Release

A pre-order for the set was released on January 12, 2017, via Pledge Music, almost ten months ahead of its release. This was due to the time it would take for the manufacturer to create the packaging. The box was available in both vinyl and CD formats. [1] [3] The CD version featured the discs themselves housed in custom-fitted pockets in sleeves with standard LP-size jackets. [4] The LP version marked the first time that five of Yankovic's albums (viz. Alapalooza , Bad Hair Day , Running with Scissors , Poodle Hat , and Straight Outta Lynwood ) appeared on vinyl. [3] Following the Pledge Music pre-order, only a handful of the sets were manufactured and released. [1]

Contents

Squeeze Box collects all of Yankovic's 14 studio albums, ranging from his 1983 debut "Weird Al" Yankovic , to his 2014 studio release Mandatory Fun . Six of these records (viz. "Weird Al" Yankovic, "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D , Dare to Be Stupid , Polka Party! , Even Worse , UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff ) were produced by Rick Derringer. [5] The remaining albums (viz. Off the Deep End, Alapalooza, Bad Hair Day, Running with Scissors, Poodle Hat, Straight Outta Lynwood, Alpocalypse , and Mandatory Fun) were produced by Yankovic himself. [6] "Weird Al" Yankovic through Bad Hair Day had been released by the now-defunct Scotti Bros. Records, Running with Scissors through Alpocalypse were released by Volcano Entertainment, and Mandatory Fun was released by RCA Records. All three labels are now under the control of Sony Music Entertainment, whose Legacy Recordings unit released the compilation. [7] The songs that are featured in this collection have all been remastered. [3] The fifteenth record, Medium Rarities, is a bonus album composed of new and unreleased content. [1]

"Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Ricky" Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn, "Weird Al" Yankovic "Mickey" by Toni Basil 2:36
2."Gotta Boogie"YankovicOriginal2:14
3."I Love Rocky Road" Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Yankovic"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 2:36
4."Buckingham Blues"YankovicOriginal3:13
5."Happy Birthday"YankovicStyle parody of Tonio K [8] 2:28
6."Stop Draggin' My Car Around" Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Yankovic"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 3:16
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
7."My Bologna" Doug Fieger, Berton Averre, Yankovic"My Sharona" by the Knack 2:01
8."The Check's in the Mail"YankovicOriginal3:13
9."Another One Rides the Bus" John Deacon, Yankovic [nb 1] "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen 2:40
10."I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead"YankovicOriginal3:39
11."Such a Groovy Guy"YankovicOriginal3:02
12."Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung"YankovicOriginal1:54
Total length:32:59

"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D (1984)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Eat It" Michael Jackson, Alfred Yankovic "Beat It" by Michael Jackson 3:21
2."Midnight Star"YankovicOriginal [11] 4:35
3."The Brady Bunch"Ivan Doroschuk, Sherwood Schwartz, Frank De Vol, Yankovic"The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats 2:37
4."Buy Me a Condo"YankovicStyle parody of Bob Marley and reggae, specifically "Buffalo Soldier" [12] 3:45
5."I Lost on Jeopardy" Gregory Kihn, Steve Wright, Yankovic"Jeopardy" by the Greg Kihn Band 3:28
6."Polkas on 45"Various
A polka medley including:
4:23
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
7."Mr. Popeil"YankovicStyle parody of the B-52s [13] 4:42
8."King of Suede" Gordon Sumner, Yankovic"King of Pain" by the Police 4:13
9."That Boy Could Dance"YankovicOriginal3:34
10."Theme from Rocky XIII" Frank Sullivan, James Peterik, Yankovic"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor 3:37
11."Nature Trail to Hell"YankovicOriginal [11] 5:55
Total length:44:03

Dare to Be Stupid (1985)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Like a Surgeon" William Steinberg, Thomas Kelly, Alfred Yankovic "Like a Virgin" by Madonna 3:32
2."Dare to Be Stupid"YankovicStyle parody of Devo [14] 3:25
3."I Want a New Duck" Christopher Hayes, Hugh Cregg III, Yankovic"I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News 3:04
4."One More Minute"YankovicStyle parody of Elvis Presley-like doo-wop [15] 4:04
5."Yoda" Raymond Davies, Yankovic"Lola" by the Kinks 3:58
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
6."George of the Jungle"Stan Worth, Sheldon Allman Cover of titular television theme 1:05
7."Slime Creatures from Outer Space"YankovicStyle parody of 1950s sci-fi soundtracks [16] and "Hyperactive!" by Thomas Dolby 4:23
8."Girls Just Want to Have Lunch" Robert Hazard, Yankovic"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper 2:48
9."This Is the Life"YankovicTheme song of the film Johnny Dangerously . Style parody of 1920s and 1930s music [17] 3:06
10."Cable TV"YankovicStyle parody of "Hercules" by Elton John [18] 3:38
11."Hooked on Polkas"Various
A polka medley including:
3:53
Total length:37:04

Polka Party! (1986)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Living with a Hernia" Daniel Hartman, Charlie Midnight, Alfred Yankovic "Living in America" by James Brown 3:20
2."Dog Eat Dog"YankovicStyle parody of Talking Heads [12] 3:42
3."Addicted to Spuds" Robert Palmer, Yankovic"Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer 3:50
4."One of Those Days"YankovicOriginal3:18
5."Polka Party!"Various
A polka medley including:
3:15
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
6."Here's Johnny" Peter Wolf, Ina Wolf, Yankovic"Who's Johnny" by El DeBarge 3:24
7."Don't Wear Those Shoes"YankovicOriginal3:36
8."Toothless People" Daryl Hohl, Michael Jagger, David Stewart, Yankovic"Ruthless People" by Mick Jagger 3:23
9."Good Enough for Now"YankovicStyle parody of country love songs [19] 3:03
10."Christmas at Ground Zero"YankovicStyle parody of Phil Spector-produced Christmas songs [20] 3:09
Total length:34:07

Even Worse (1988)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Fat" Michael Jackson, Alfred Yankovic "Bad" by Michael Jackson 3:37
2."Stuck in a Closet with Vanna White"YankovicOriginal4:58
3."(This Song's Just) Six Words Long" Rudy Clark, Yankovic"Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison 3:37
4."You Make Me"YankovicStyle parody of Oingo Boingo [12] [21] [22] 3:06
5."I Think I'm a Clone Now" Ritchie Cordell, Yankovic"I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany 3:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
6."Lasagna" Ritchie Valens, Yankovic"La Bamba" by Los Lobos 2:46
7."Melanie"YankovicOriginal3:58
8."Alimony" Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, Robert Bloom, Yankovic"Mony Mony" by Billy Idol 3:16
9."Velvet Elvis"YankovicStyle parody of the Police [23] 4:30
10."Twister"YankovicStyle parody of Beastie Boys [24] 1:03
11."Good Old Days"YankovicStyle parody of James Taylor [12] [25] 3:21
Total length:37:32

UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff (1989)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies" Mark Knopfler, Gordon Sumner, Paul Henning, Alfred Yankovic "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits with lyrics of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" by Flatt & Scruggs 3:11
2."Gandhi II"YankovicSkit1:00
3."Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet Near Mars"YankovicOriginal3:28
4."Isle Thing" Matthew Dike, Michael Ross, Yankovic"Wild Thing" by Tone Lōc 3:37
5."The Hot Rocks Polka"Various
A polka medley of Rolling Stones songs:
4:50
6."UHF"YankovicOriginal5:09
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
7."Let Me Be Your Hog"YankovicOriginal0:16
8."She Drives Like Crazy" Roland Gift, David Steele, Yankovic"She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals 3:42
9."Generic Blues"YankovicStyle parody of the blues [12] 4:34
10."Spatula City"YankovicSkit1:07
11."Fun Zone"YankovicInstrumental1:45
12."Spam" William Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Mills, John Stipe, Yankovic"Stand" by R.E.M. 3:12
13."The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota"YankovicStyle parody of Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot [12] 6:50
Total length:42:28

Off the Deep End (1992)

Original compact disc release
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Smells Like Nirvana" Kurt Cobain, David Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Alfred Yankovic "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana 3:42
2."Trigger Happy"YankovicStyle parody of the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean [26] 3:46
3."I Can't Watch This" Stanley Burrell, Rick James, Alonzo Miller, Yankovic"U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer 3:31
4."Polka Your Eyes Out"Various
A polka medley including:
3:50
5."I Was Only Kidding"YankovicStyle parody of Tonio K [27] 3:31
6."The White Stuff" Maurice Starr, Yankovic"You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block 2:43
7."When I Was Your Age"YankovicOriginal4:35
8."Taco Grande"Christian Carlos Warren, Gerardo Mejia, Alberto Slezynger, and Rosa Soy, Yankovic"Rico Suave" by Gerardo 3:44
9."Airline Amy"YankovicOriginal composition inspired by the songs of Nick Lowe and Jonathan Richman [28] 3:50
10."The Plumbing Song" Frank Farian, B. Nail, Diane Warren, Yankovic"Baby Don't Forget My Number" and "Blame It on the Rain" by Milli Vanilli 4:08
11."You Don't Love Me Anymore" (includes hidden track [note 1] )YankovicOriginal [30] 14:14
Total length:41:18

Note

  1. ↑ After 10 minutes of silence, the hidden track "Bite Me" is "six seconds of primal screaming". [29] The hidden track (and silence) was removed from future pressings and digital versions.

Alapalooza (1993)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Jurassic Park" Jimmy Webb, Al Yankovic "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris 3:55
2."Young, Dumb & Ugly"YankovicStyle parody of AC/DC [31] 4:24
3."Bedrock Anthem" Anthony Kiedis, John Frusciante, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith, Yankovic"Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers 3:43
4."Frank's 2000" TV"YankovicStyle parody of R.E.M.'s early work [31] 4:07
5."Achy Breaky Song"Don Von Tress, Yankovic"Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus 3:23
6."Traffic Jam"YankovicStyle parody of Prince [32] 4:01
7."Talk Soup"YankovicOriginal4:25
8."Livin' in the Fridge" Steven Tyler, Anthony Pereira, Mark Hudson, Yankovic"Livin' on the Edge" by Aerosmith 3:35
9."She Never Told Me She Was a Mime"YankovicOriginal glam rock song4:54
10."Harvey the Wonder Hamster"YankovicOriginal; from Al TV 0:21
11."Waffle King"YankovicStyle parody of Peter Gabriel [33] 4:25
12."Bohemian Polka" Freddie Mercury, YankovicPolka version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen with "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic3:39
Total length:44:34

Bad Hair Day (1996)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Amish Paradise" Artis Ivey Jr., Doug Rasheed, Larry Sanders, Stevland Morris, Alfred Yankovic "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio feat. L.V. 3:20
2."Everything You Know Is Wrong"YankovicStyle parody of They Might Be Giants [34] 3:46
3."Cavity Search" Paul Hewson, David Evans, Adam Clayton, Laurence Mullen Jr., Yankovic"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 4:16
4."Callin' in Sick"YankovicStyle parody of grunge3:41
5."The Alternative Polka"Various
A polka medley including:
5:00
6."Since You've Been Gone"YankovicOriginal a capella song1:20
7."Gump" Christopher Ballew, Yankovic"Lump" by the Presidents of the United States of America 2:11
8."I'm So Sick of You"YankovicStyle parody of Elvis Costello [35] 3:25
9."Syndicated Inc." David Pirner, Yankovic"Misery" by Soul Asylum 3:46
10."I Remember Larry"YankovicStyle parody of Hilly Michaels [36] 3:55
11."Phony Calls"Marqueze Etheridge, Lisa Lopes, Organized Noize, Yankovic"Waterfalls" by TLC 3:21
12."The Night Santa Went Crazy"YankovicOriginal3:59
Total length:42:13

Running with Scissors (1999)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."The Saga Begins" Donald McLean III, Alfred Yankovic "American Pie" by Don McLean 5:27
2."My Baby's in Love with Eddie Vedder"YankovicStyle parody of the Zydeco genre [37] 3:25
3."Pretty Fly for a Rabbi" Bryan Holland, Yankovic"Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by the Offspring 3:02
4."The Weird Al Show Theme"YankovicOriginal1:14
5."Jerry Springer" Ed Robertson, Yankovic"One Week" by Barenaked Ladies 2:46
6."Germs"YankovicStyle parody of Nine Inch Nails [38] 4:38
7."Polka Power!"Various
A polka medley including:
4:20
8."Your Horoscope for Today"YankovicStyle parody of Reel Big Fish and other 1990s third-wave ska [39] 4:00
9."It's All About the Pentiums" Sean Combs, Sean Jacobs, Jason Phillips, David Styles, Christopher Wallace, Kimberly Jones, Deric Angelettie, Yankovic"It's All About the Benjamins" (Rock Remix) by Puff Daddy 3:34
10."Truck Drivin' Song"YankovicStyle parody of truck-driving country [40] 2:27
11."Grapefruit Diet" Stephen Perry, Yankovic"Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies 3:30
12."Albuquerque"YankovicStyle parody of the Rugburns, George Thorogood, and Mojo Nixon [41] [42] 11:22
Total length:49:44

Poodle Hat (2003)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Couch Potato" Jeffrey Bass, Marshall Mathers III, Luis Resto, Alfred Yankovic "Lose Yourself" by Eminem 4:18
2."Hardware Store"YankovicOriginal [43] [44] 3:44
3."Trash Day" Charles Brown, Cornell Haynes Jr., Pharrell Williams, Yankovic"Hot in Herre" by Nelly 3:12
4."Party at the Leper Colony"YankovicStyle parody of the Bo Diddley beat [45] 3:38
5."Angry White Boy Polka"Various
A polka medley including:
5:04
6."Wanna B Ur Lovr"YankovicStyle parody of Midnite Vultures -era Beck [46] 6:14
7."A Complicated Song" Avril Lavigne, Yankovic"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne 3:40
8."Why Does This Always Happen to Me?"YankovicStyle parody of Ben Folds [47] 4:52
9."Ode to a Superhero" Billy Joel, Yankovic"Piano Man" by Billy Joel 4:53
10."Bob"YankovicStyle parody of Bob Dylan [48] 2:29
11."eBay" Andreas Carlsson, Martin Sandberg, Yankovic"I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys 3:36
12."Genius in France"YankovicStyle parody of Frank Zappa [48] [49] 8:58
Total length:54:38

Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."White & Nerdy" Hakeem Seriki, Juan Salinas, Oscar Salinas, Anthony Henderson, Alfred Yankovic "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone 2:50
2."Pancreas"YankovicStyle parody of Brian Wilson [50] 3:48
3."Canadian Idiot" Billie Joe Armstrong, Yankovic"American Idiot" by Green Day 2:23
4."I'll Sue Ya"YankovicStyle parody of Rage Against the Machine [50] 3:51
5."Polkarama!"Various; arranged by Yankovic
A polka medley including:
4:17
6."Virus Alert"YankovicStyle parody of Sparks [51] 3:46
7."Confessions Part III" Usher Raymond IV, Jermaine Mauldin, Bryan-Michael Cox, Yankovic"Confessions Part II" by Usher 3:52
8."Weasel Stomping Day"YankovicStyle parody of animated musical specials of the 1960s [51] 1:34
9."Close but No Cigar"YankovicStyle parody of Cake [51] 3:55
10."Do I Creep You Out" Tracy Ackerman, Andy Watkins, Paul Wilson, Yankovic"Do I Make You Proud" by Taylor Hicks 2:46
11."Trapped in the Drive-Thru" Robert Kelly, James Page, Robert Plant, John Baldwin, Yankovic"Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly; contains an interpolation of "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin 10:50
12."Don't Download This Song"YankovicStyle parody of 1980s charity songs [52] 3:54
Total length:47:45

Alpocalypse (2011)

No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Perform This Way" Stefani Germanotta, Jeppe Laursen, Paul Blair, Fernando Garibay, Alfred Yankovic "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga2:54
2."CNR"YankovicStyle parody of The White Stripes [53] 3:21
3."TMZ" Taylor Swift, Liz Rose, Yankovic"You Belong with Me" by Taylor Swift3:40
4."Skipper Dan"YankovicStyle parody of Weezer [53] 4:01
5."Polka Face"Various
A polka medley including:
4:47
6."Craigslist"YankovicStyle parody of The Doors [53] 4:53
7."Party in the CIA" Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly, Jessica Cornish, Yankovic"Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus 2:56
8."Ringtone"YankovicStyle parody of Queen [53] 3:24
9."Another Tattoo" Bobby Simmons Jr., Peter Hernandez, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Yankovic"Nothin' on You" by B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars 2:49
10."If That Isn't Love"YankovicStyle parody of Hanson [53] 3:48
11."Whatever You Like" Clifford Harris Jr., James Scheffer, David Siegel, Yankovic"Whatever You Like" by T.I.3:41
12."Stop Forwarding That Crap to Me"YankovicStyle parody of Jim Steinman [53] 5:42
Total length:45:56

Mandatory Fun (2014)

Mandatory Fun track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Parody ofLength
1."Handy"
"Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX 2:56
2."Lame Claim to Fame"YankovicStyle parody of Southern Culture on the Skids [54] 3:45
3."Foil"
"Royals" by Lorde 2:22
4."Sports Song"YankovicStyle parody of college football fight songs [55] 2:14
5."Word Crimes"
"Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams 3:43
6."My Own Eyes"YankovicStyle parody of Foo Fighters [54] 3:40
7."Now That's What I Call Polka!"
Various writers:
A polka medley including:
4:05
8."Mission Statement"YankovicStyle parody of Crosby, Stills & Nash [54] 4:28
9."Inactive"
"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons 2:56
10."First World Problems"YankovicStyle parody of Pixies [54] 3:13
11."Tacky"
  • Williams
  • Yankovic
"Happy" by Pharrell Williams 2:53
12."Jackson Park Express"YankovicStyle parody of Cat Stevens [54] 9:05
Total length:45:20

Medium Rarities

Medium Rarities
Medium Rarities coverart.jpg
Compilation album by
"Weird Al" Yankovic
ReleasedNovember 24, 2017
Genre Comedy
Length51:58
Label

Medium Rarities is the name of the fifteenth album included in Squeeze Box. This release, exclusive to this box set, is composed entirely of rare and unreleased tracks from Yankovic's career. [1]

No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."Take Me Down"
Promotional song for San Luis Obispo, California 2:28
2."My Bologna"
Capitol single version; parody of "My Sharona" by the Knack 2:20
3."Yoda"
Demo; parody of "Lola" by the Kinks 3:27
4."Dr. Demento Jingle"
  • Yankovic
Original0:10
5."Pac-Man"
Parody of "Taxman" by the Beatles 2:31
6."Dare to Be Stupid"
  • Yankovic
Instrumental; style parody of Devo 3:23
7."Jurashiku Park"
"Jurassic Park" sung in Japanese; parody of "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris 3:53
8."Headline News"
Parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies 3:46
9."Since You've Been Gone"
  • Yankovic
Karaoke version1:20
10."The Night Santa Went Crazy"
  • Yankovic
"Extra Gory Version"4:03
11."Spy Hard"
  • Yankovic
Theme to Spy Hard 2:49
12."Lousy Haircut"
  • Yankovic
From the Weird Al Show episode "Promises, Promises"; style parody of "Firestarter" by the Prodigy 0:40
13."Homer and Marge"
From the episode "Three Gays of the Condo" of The Simpsons ; parody of "Jack & Diane" by John Mellencamp 1:49
14."The Brain Song"
  • Yankovic
From the 3-D short film Al's Brain 2:41
15."30 Rock Theme Parody"
From an episode of 30 Rock ; parody of "30 Rock Theme" composed by Jeff Richmond 0:30
16."Super Duper Party Pony"
From the episode "Pinkie Pride" of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic 1:46
17."Sir Isaac Newton vs. Bill Nye"
From the webseries Epic Rap Battles of History 2:47
18."Let the Pun Fit the Crime"
  • Andy Bean
  • Francisco Angones
From the episode "The Boy Wander" of Wander Over Yonder 2:10
19."Hey, Hey, We're the Monks"
From the episode "Completely Mad... Alena" of Galavant 1:16
20."Comedy Bang! Bang! Theme"
Theme to Comedy Bang! Bang! (Season 5 only)0:30
21."It's My World (And We're All Living In It)"
Theme to Milo Murphy's Law 2:27
22."Beat on the Brat"
 Ramones cover2:37
23."Happy Birthday"
  • Yankovic
New version2:35

"Pac-Man"

One of the first rarities announced for the album was "Pac-Man", a parody of the Beatles' song "Taxman", and based on the arcade game of the same name. The song had been recorded in 1981, and was popular on the Dr. Demento Show . Yankovic, who recorded the song in a friend's garage on a TEAC Cassette Portastudio, sampled sounds from the actual Pac-Man arcade game for use in the song. After the song was played a few times on Dr. Demento's radio program, the host received a cease-and-desist letter from the Beatles' lawyers ordering him to stop airing the spoof. In order to get the song on the Medium Rarities album, Yankovic had to get permission from both Bandai Namco Entertainment (the company that owns the rights to Pac-Man) and the estate of George Harrison (the writer of "Taxman"). The former "had a good sense of humor about" the parody. [56] To clear the parody with the Harrison estate, Yankovic worked with Dhani Harrison, the son of George Harrison. [56]

Accolades

Squeeze Box won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package. As one of the box set's art directors, Yankovic received the award along with the other art directors, Meghan Foley and Annie Stoll. [57]

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [58] 185
US Top Comedy Albums (Billboard) [59] 1

Notes

  1. ↑ While Yankovic wrote new lyrics for the song, on February 2, 1981, he transferred copyright of the parody to John Deacon. [9] This is reflected in the liner notes for the album itself, which lists only Deacon as the parody's writer. [10]

Related Research Articles

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

Poodle Hat is the eleventh studio album by the American parody musician "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>Bad Hair Day</i> 1996 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Bad Hair Day is the ninth studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on March 12, 1996. It was Yankovic's last studio album for the Scotti Brothers label before it was purchased by Volcano Entertainment in 1999. The album produced an array of hit comedy singles; lead single "Amish Paradise", which lampoons both Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" and the Amish lifestyle, charted at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Gump", which parodies "Lump" by the Presidents of the United States of America and the movie Forrest Gump, reached at No. 102.

<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 the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 29, 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>Alapalooza</i> 1993 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Alapalooza is the eighth studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1993. By the completion of his previous album, Off the Deep End, Yankovic had already written all of the original songs that he planned to use on his next release. This new album, which would eventually be titled Alapalooza in reference to the music festival Lollapalooza, consisted of seven original songs and five parodies. It produced three parody singles: "Jurassic Park", "Bedrock Anthem", and "Achy Breaky Song". "Jurassic Park" was a top five hit on the Canadian magazine The Record's single chart.

<i>Off the Deep End</i> 1992 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Off the Deep End is the seventh studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1992. This album was the first album self-produced by Yankovic, after six albums with Rick Derringer. Recorded between June 1990 and January 1992, the album was a follow-up to the unsuccessful soundtrack to Yankovic's 1989 film UHF. Off the Deep End and its lead single "Smells Like Nirvana" helped to revitalize Yankovic's career after a lull following his last hit single, "Fat", in 1988.

<i>UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff</i> 1989 studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff is the sixth studio album and soundtrack album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on July 18, 1989. The album is the final of Yankovic's to be produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between December 1988 and May 1989, the album served as the official soundtrack to the 1989 film of the same name, although the original score by John Du Prez is omitted. The album's lead single was the titular "UHF", although it was not a hit and did not chart.

<i>Even Worse</i> 1988 album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Even Worse is the fifth studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on April 12, 1988. The album was produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between November 1987 and February 1988, this album helped to revitalize Yankovic's career after the critical and commercial failure of his previous album Polka Party! (1986).

<i>Dare to Be Stupid</i> 1985 album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Dare to Be Stupid is the third studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 18, 1985. The album was one of many Yankovic records produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between August 1984 and March 1985, the album was Yankovic's first studio album released following the success of 1984's In 3-D, which included the Top 40 single "Eat It".

<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 the American parody musician "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.

<i>"Weird Al" Yankovic</i> (album) 1983 album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic is the debut studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. The album was the first of many produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Mostly recorded in March 1982, the album was released by Rock 'n Roll Records as an LP and on Compact Cassette in 1983.

<i>Polka Party!</i> 1986 album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Polka Party! is the fourth studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on October 21, 1986. The album was produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between April and September 1986, the album was Yankovic's follow-up to his successful 1985 release, Dare to Be Stupid. The album's lead single, "Living With a Hernia", failed to chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headline News ("Weird Al" Yankovic song)</span> 1994 single by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Headline News" is a parody song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the Crash Test Dummies' 1993 hit "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm". It was released as the lead-off single for the compilation box set Permanent Record: Al in the Box on September 27, 1994. The song was written after Yankovic's label insisted he craft a new song to promote the album; Yankovic in turn combined the music of the Crash Test Dummies' song with three news stories that were popular in late 1993 and early 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Bologna</span> 1979 single by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"My Bologna" is the debut single by American musical parody artist "Weird Al" Yankovic, originally released in December 1979. It is a parody of the Knack's hit song "My Sharona". Yankovic originally wrote the lyrics while he attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California; the original version of the parody was recorded in a bathroom across the hall from the campus radio station, KCPR, at which Yankovic had worked as a DJ. The title refers to Bologna sausage, specifically the Oscar Mayer brand popular in the United States. Yankovic sent "My Bologna" to Dr. Demento, who aired the song on his nationwide radio program, The Dr. Demento Show. The song was a hit on the program, and eventually gained the number one spot on Dr. Demento's "Funny Five" countdown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another One Rides the Bus</span> 1981 single by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Another One Rides the Bus" is a song by comedy musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released in February 1981 and is a parody of Queen's song "Another One Bites the Dust". Yankovic's version describes a person riding in a crowded public bus. It was recorded live on September 14, 1980, on the Dr. Demento Show, hosted by Barret "Dr. Demento" Hansen. Accompanying Yankovic was Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, who would go on to be the artist's long-time drummer.

<i>The Food Album</i> 1993 compilation album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

The Food Album is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 22, 1993, by Scotti Brothers Records. The release features ten of Yankovic's song parodies, all of which pertain to food. A similar album, The TV Album, which features songs entirely about television, would be released two years later.

<i>Greatest Hits Volume II</i> ("Weird Al" Yankovic album) 1994 greatest hits album by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Greatest Hits Volume II is a compilation album of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic, featuring his best known songs that did not appear on "Weird Al" Yankovic's Greatest Hits, plus the new single "Headline News" which had first appeared on the box set Permanent Record: Al In The Box, released a month prior. The compilation album was met with mostly positive critical reviews, and it managed to chart on the Billboard 200 at number 198. However, it ranks as one of Yankovic's least-selling records.

<i>Permanent Record: Al in the Box</i> 1994 box set by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Permanent Record: Al in the Box is a four disc compilation box set of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on September 27, 1994. The album, released by Scotti Brothers Records so that the label could make monetary projections for the fiscal year, collects Yankovic's favorite songs from his first eight studio albums. The collection also includes alternate versions of "My Bologna", "Happy Birthday", "UHF" and the new single, "Headline News", a parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies. It peaked at number 104 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jurassic Park (song)</span> 1993 song by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Jurassic Park" is a parody of Richard Harris's version of Jimmy Webb's song "MacArthur Park", written and performed by "Weird Al" Yankovic; it was released both as a single and as part of Yankovic's Alapalooza album in October 1993. "Jurassic Park" was penned by Yankovic after he remembered the enjoyment he had when he combined a classic rock track with a recent movie theme with his 1985 song "Yoda". Yankovic decided to combine the plot of the recent movie Jurassic Park—a film about a park on a fictional island where geneticists have succeeded in cloning dinosaurs—with the classic Richard Harris track "MacArthur Park".

"Yoda" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic from his third album, Dare to Be Stupid (1985). It is a parody of the song "Lola" by the Kinks. Inspired by the events of the movie The Empire Strikes Back, the song is told from the point of view of Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker and concerns his dealings with Master Yoda on the planet Dagobah. The song was initially written and recorded in 1980, during the original release of The Empire Strikes Back and achieved success on The Dr. Demento Show; however, securing permission from both Star Wars creator George Lucas and "Lola" songwriter Ray Davies delayed the physical release of the song for about five years.

<i>Another One Rides the Bus</i> (EP) 1981 EP by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Another One Rides the Bus is the debut extended play (EP) by American parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released in 1981 by Placebo Records. The title song is a parody of English rock band Queen's 1980 single "Another One Bites the Dust". The EP also features three other songs, all of which are original recordings. All four songs on Another One Rides the Bus later appeared on Yankovic's eponymous debut studio album; the three original songs were re-recorded for the album, while the title song is the same version that appears on the EP.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ""Weird Al" Yankovic: Squeeze Box". Pledge Music. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  2. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (January 12, 2017). "'Weird Al' Yankovic Plans Career-Spanning Box Set With Rarities LP". Rolling Stone . Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Blevins, Joe (January 12, 2017). "That Career-Spanning 'Weird Al' Box Set Is Finally Available for Pre-Order". The A.V. Club . The Onion . Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  4. ↑ "'Weird Al' Yankovic: Squeeze Box – Exclusives". Pledge Music. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Players". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Weird Al Yankovic". AllMusic . Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Latest Releases". Legacy Recordings . Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  8. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2011). "Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A.V. Club . Chicago, Illinois: The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Another One Rides The Bus". United States Copyright Office . Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983). "Weird Al" Yankovic (LP liner notes). California, United States: Rock 'n Roll Records. PZ 38679.
  11. 1 2 Yankovic, Alfred (July 15, 2014). "'Weird Al' Yankovic confirming that both 'Midnight Star' and 'Nature Trail to Hell' are not style parodies". Reddit . IAmA . Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hansen, Barret (1994). Permanent Record: Al in the Box (liner). "Weird Al" Yankovic. California, United States: Scotti Brothers Records.
  13. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (January 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for July 1999". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  14. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (January 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for January 2000". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  15. ↑ 'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection (Media notes). Jay Levey, "Weird Al" Yankovic. Volcano Entertainment. 2003. 82876-53727-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (December 1998). "'Ask Al' Q&As for July/August 1998". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  17. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (April 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for April 2000". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  18. ↑ "#023: Cable TV (Style Parody of Hercules by Elton John)". The "Weird Al" Phabet Podcast. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  19. ↑ Thelen, Christopher (September 2, 2001). "Polka Party!". Daily Vault. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  20. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2011). "Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A.V. Club . Chicago, Illinois: The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  21. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (June 28, 2006). "'Ask Al' Q&As for June 28, 2006". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
  22. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (January 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for January, 2000". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  23. ↑ Yankovic, Al. "47: Kansas City, MO" (Concert recording). Stitcher . Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  24. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (September 1998). "'Ask Al' Q&As for September, 1998". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  25. ↑ Chadbourne, Eugene. "Even Worse Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  26. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (March 1999). "'Ask Al' Q&As for March, 1999". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  27. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (June 2006). "'Ask Al' Q&As for June, 2006". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  28. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (March–April 2006). "'Ask Al' Q&As for March/April, 2006". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  29. ↑ Yankovic, Weird Al. "Ask Al". "Weird Al" Yankovic.
  30. ↑ 'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection (Media notes). Jay Levey, "Weird Al" Yankovic. Volcano Entertainment. 2003. 82876-53727-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. 1 2 Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2011). "Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A.V. Club . Chicago, Illinois: The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  32. ↑ Greenman, Ben (2017). Dig If You Will the Picture: Funk, Sex, God and Genius in the Music of Prince. New York City: Henry Holt and Company. p. 58. ISBN   978-1250128362.
  33. ↑ McCall, Tris (May 17, 2011). "Song of the Day: 'Dare to Be Stupid,' 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The Star-Ledger . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  34. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2011). "Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A.V. Club . Chicago, Illinois: The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  35. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (June 1999). "'Ask Al' Q&As for June, 1999". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  36. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (June 28, 2006). "'Ask Al' Q&As for June 28, 2006". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  37. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (February 1998). "'Ask Al' Q&As for January/February, 1998". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  38. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (January 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for January, 2000". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  39. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (February 2000). "'Ask Al' Q&As for February, 2000". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  40. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (August 1999). "'Ask Al' Q&As for August, 1999". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  41. ↑ "'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A. V. Club . June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  42. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (June 28, 2006). "'Ask Al' Q&As for June 28, 2006". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  43. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred (July 15, 2014). "Hmm. ..." Reddit . IAmA . Retrieved July 15, 2014. I guess 'Hardware Store' would fall in that category as well – that was originally going to be in somebody else's style, but then I scrapped that idea and made it a pure original.
  44. ↑ "Weird Al" Yankovic Breaks Down His Most Iconic Tracks. GQ. December 23, 2022. Event occurs at 15:59. Retrieved December 27, 2022. It started out as a pastiche, but I won't tell you of which band because its going to wind up as a Wikipedia entry.
  45. ↑ Cunningham, Jen (September 23, 2015). "10 Times "Weird Al" Parodied Pre-1980s Hits (And Was Awesome)". REBEAT Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  46. ↑ Yankovic, Alfred M. (August 2003). "'Ask Al' Q&As for August 7, 2003". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  47. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (June 29, 2011). "Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic". The A.V. Club . Chicago, Illinois: The Onion, Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  48. 1 2 Moss, Corey (May 7, 2003). "Weird Al Parodies 'Lose Yourself' But Won't Spoof Em's Video". VH1. Archived from the original on December 26, 2004. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  49. ↑ Anderson, Kyle (July 3, 2014). "'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Stories Behind The Songs". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  50. 1 2 "Weird Al Unleashes His New Album With a Bill Plympton Video Don't Download This Song!!!". Ain't It Cool News . September 11, 2006. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
  51. 1 2 3 Moss, Corey (September 26, 2006). "Track By Track: In Weird Al's Lynwood, Green Day's 'Idiot' Is Canadian". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  52. ↑ Martens, China (September 18, 2006). "Don't Not Download This Song". IDG News Service. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Yankovic, Weird Al (2011). Alpocalypse (liner). Jive Records.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 Mandatory Fun (liner). "Weird Al" Yankovic. RCA Records. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  55. ↑ Kenneth Partridge (July 15, 2014). "'Weird Al' Yankovic's 'Mandatory Fun': Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard . Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  56. 1 2 Grosinger, Matt (February 16, 2017). "Weird Al Talks His Previously Unreleased Song 'Pac-Man', Which You Can Finally Hear!". Nerdist Industries. Archived from the original on February 21, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  57. ↑ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (February 10, 2019). "How Weird Al Topped Guns N' Roses And The Grateful Dead For His Latest Grammy Win". Forbes . ISSN   0015-6914. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  58. ↑ "Weird Al Yankovic Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  59. ↑ "Weird Al Yankovic Chart History (Top Comedy Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.