Essential, The
General
| Feb 2010
Reviews
Uncle Steve
Reviewed 2010-05-01
Reviewed 2010-05-01
Weird Al Yankovic-“The Essential Weird Al Yankovic”
(reviewed by “Uncle Steve”) No FCCs Detected
Two greatest hit discs, from the dominant force in musical parody for the last 3 decades. Expect clever lyrics and original-sounding or accordion-based music. And lots of references to food.
Tracks: All are great in their own right, but I suggest: 1-2, 1-7, 1-16, 2-3. 2-14, 2-17
1-1 (Another One Bites The Dust) Accordian & lo-fi vocals
1-2 (Medley) Polka band, with Spike Jonze feel & the original lyrics
1-3 (Beat It) Original music with embellishment.
1-4 (Jeopardy) Original music with embellishment.
1-5 (Lola) Original music with embellishment.
1-6 (Doo-wop parody) Doo-wop music/vocals.
1-7 (Like A Virgin) Original music with embellishment.
1-8 (Devo-esque) Synths/Vocal style right out of a Devo track.
1-9 (And She Was) Talking Heads style + synths
1-10 (La Bamba) Original music with embellishment
1-11 (Marshall Crenshaw-esque) Similar to “Whenever you’re on my mind”.
1-12 (Fat) Original music with embellishment
1-13 (State of Shock-esque) Original music with embellishment.
1-14 (30,000 lbs of bananas) Folk storytelling style song.
1-15 (Surf City-esque) Beach Boys/Jan & Dean style
1-16 (Smells Like Teen Spirit) Original music with embellishment.
1-17 (More Than Words-esque) Power ballad.
1-18 (Under The Bridge/Give It Away) Original music with embellishment.
1-19 (REM-esque) Their style of lyrics/phrasing/guitar work.
1-20 (MacArthur Park) Original music with embellishment.
2-1 (Doo-wop style) A cappella multi-part vocals.
2-2 (Gangsta’s Paradise) Original music with embellishment
2-3 (Lump) Original music with embellishment.
2-4 (They Might Be Giants-esque) Their style of lyrics/phrasing/chord progressions.
2-5 (Soul Asylum Power Ballad) Quiet ballad into power ballad in the chorus.
2-6 (Ska) Similar to Mighty Mighty Bosstones’s songs.
2-7 (It’s All About the Benjamins) Original music with embellishment.
2-8 (American Pie) Original music with embellishment (Star Wars Theme).
2-9 (hard to categorize) (long track) Punk/Pop. Story telling style.
2-10 (I Want It That Way) Original music with embellishment.
2-11 (Dylan-esque) Dylan vocal style/harmonica
2-12 (???) Polka-Pop…I know there’s a reference, but can’t place it.
2-13 (Rage-esque) Power/funky Guitar/Vocal style.
2-14 (American Idiot) Original music with embellishment.
2-15 (Beach Boys-esque) Medley of Beach Boy song styles.
2-16 (We Are the World-esque) Similar instrumentation/vocal phrasing.
2-17 (Ridin) Original music with embellishment.
2-18 (Trapped in the Closet) (long track) Original music with embellishment. Led Zeppelin intermezzo.
(reviewed by “Uncle Steve”) No FCCs Detected
Two greatest hit discs, from the dominant force in musical parody for the last 3 decades. Expect clever lyrics and original-sounding or accordion-based music. And lots of references to food.
Tracks: All are great in their own right, but I suggest: 1-2, 1-7, 1-16, 2-3. 2-14, 2-17
1-1 (Another One Bites The Dust) Accordian & lo-fi vocals
1-2 (Medley) Polka band, with Spike Jonze feel & the original lyrics
1-3 (Beat It) Original music with embellishment.
1-4 (Jeopardy) Original music with embellishment.
1-5 (Lola) Original music with embellishment.
1-6 (Doo-wop parody) Doo-wop music/vocals.
1-7 (Like A Virgin) Original music with embellishment.
1-8 (Devo-esque) Synths/Vocal style right out of a Devo track.
1-9 (And She Was) Talking Heads style + synths
1-10 (La Bamba) Original music with embellishment
1-11 (Marshall Crenshaw-esque) Similar to “Whenever you’re on my mind”.
1-12 (Fat) Original music with embellishment
1-13 (State of Shock-esque) Original music with embellishment.
1-14 (30,000 lbs of bananas) Folk storytelling style song.
1-15 (Surf City-esque) Beach Boys/Jan & Dean style
1-16 (Smells Like Teen Spirit) Original music with embellishment.
1-17 (More Than Words-esque) Power ballad.
1-18 (Under The Bridge/Give It Away) Original music with embellishment.
1-19 (REM-esque) Their style of lyrics/phrasing/guitar work.
1-20 (MacArthur Park) Original music with embellishment.
2-1 (Doo-wop style) A cappella multi-part vocals.
2-2 (Gangsta’s Paradise) Original music with embellishment
2-3 (Lump) Original music with embellishment.
2-4 (They Might Be Giants-esque) Their style of lyrics/phrasing/chord progressions.
2-5 (Soul Asylum Power Ballad) Quiet ballad into power ballad in the chorus.
2-6 (Ska) Similar to Mighty Mighty Bosstones’s songs.
2-7 (It’s All About the Benjamins) Original music with embellishment.
2-8 (American Pie) Original music with embellishment (Star Wars Theme).
2-9 (hard to categorize) (long track) Punk/Pop. Story telling style.
2-10 (I Want It That Way) Original music with embellishment.
2-11 (Dylan-esque) Dylan vocal style/harmonica
2-12 (???) Polka-Pop…I know there’s a reference, but can’t place it.
2-13 (Rage-esque) Power/funky Guitar/Vocal style.
2-14 (American Idiot) Original music with embellishment.
2-15 (Beach Boys-esque) Medley of Beach Boy song styles.
2-16 (We Are the World-esque) Similar instrumentation/vocal phrasing.
2-17 (Ridin) Original music with embellishment.
2-18 (Trapped in the Closet) (long track) Original music with embellishment. Led Zeppelin intermezzo.
Recent airplay
Trigger Happy
ThermoNuclear Bar — Oct 05, 2013
Dare To Be Stupid
Tragical History Tour — Sep 01, 2013
Polkas On 45
Uncle Steve's Dance Party — Apr 20, 2013
I Lost On Jeopardy
Slanford and Sponge — Feb 23, 2013
The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota, Bob
That's Not Bluegrass — Aug 07, 2012
Dare To Be Stupid
Pre-Easter Hullabaloo — Apr 07, 2012
Charting
2010-05-09 — 2010-07-11
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jul 11 | 5 |
| Jun 27 | 1 |
| Jun 20 | 2 |
| Jun 13 | 2 |
| Jun 6 | 1 |
| May 30 | 1 |
| May 23 | 3 |
| May 16 | 6 |
Track listing
| 1. | Another One Rides The Bus | ||
| 2. | Polkas On 45 | ||
| 3. | Eat It | ||
| 4. | I Lost On Jeopardy | ||
| 5. | Yoda | ||
| 6. | One More Minute | ||
| 7. | Like A Surgeon | ||
| 8. | Dare To Be Stupid | ||
| 9. | Dog Eat Dog | ||
| 10. | Lasagna | ||
| 11. | Melanie | ||
| 12. | Fat | ||
| 13. | Uhf (Single Version) | ||
| 14. | The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota | ||
| 15. | Trigger Happy | ||
| 16. | Smells Like Nirvana | ||
| 17. | You Don't Love Me Anymore | ||
| 18. | Bedrock Anthem | ||
| 19. | Frank's 2000" Tv | ||
| 20. | Jurassic Park | ||
| 21. | Since You've Been Gone | ||
| 22. | Amish Paradise | ||
| 23. | Gump | ||
| 24. | Everything You Know Is Wrong | ||
| 25. | The Night Santa Went Crazy (Extra Gory Version) | ||
| 26. | Your Horoscope For Today | ||
| 27. | It's All About The Pentiums | ||
| 28. | The Saga Begins | ||
| 29. | Albuquerque | ||
| 30. | Ebay | ||
| 31. | Bob | ||
| 32. | Hardware Store | ||
| 33. | I'll Sue Ya | ||
| 34. | Canadian Idiot | ||
| 35. | Pancreas | ||
| 36. | Don't Download This Song | ||
| 37. | White & Nerdy | ||
| 38. | Trapped In The Drive-Thru |