I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC-“Belevdere Cruisin” (1976).

This is the first song that Al recorded and submitted to Dr. Demento.  And it was a huge success.  I hadn’t heard it before (it’s not on his box set (not so surprisingly)).

It is a fairly straight song.  It’s a funny (kind of) song about riding in a Plymouth Belvedere.  I imagine the premise of the song is funnier if its 1976 and you see lots of big old Belvederes on the road (when I looked for pictures online, most of what I got was beautifully restored classics, which undermines the humor here).  Although judging from the promo photo above they’re not exactly a sexy car.

It’s a fully realized song played entirely on the accordion.  The song opens with an intro from Hungarian Rhapsody #2 adding faux drama to the funny ditty. And then Al sings about his family’s car and how much he loves it.  So there’s lines like: “just the thought of a Pinto leaves me shaking” and the nascent smart alec: “Watch me pass that Porsche on the right.”    The chorus gives us the truth: “In a Belvedere I can really get my thrills.”

And while the song doesn’t do anything too weird, there is a funny moment where he sings, “Datsuns ain’t worth a fudge…sicle, no.”

It’s a charming little ditty that in no one prepares one for the mad genius that he would become.

[READ: October 12, 2014] Weird Al: The Book

This biography of Weird Al is written by Nathan Rabin.  I actually read Rabin’s more recent book about Phish and Insane Clown Posse in which he talks about writing the Weird Al book (and how he was a in a dark place when he wrote it).  Having recently watched a bunch of biographical stuff about Weird Al (he’s everywhere lately), there was really nothing new in this book for me.  I should have read it when it came out, duh.

In fact, nearly everything that is mentioned in the book is in the TV specials. The biggest addition that Rabin adds, and its a good one, is his personal insights into Al (he had thanked Al on his memoir).  Most enjoyably, it’s nice to hear someone praise Al’s original songs–sometimes even more than the parodies.  Al’s originals have always been clever and fun and, while fans already know it (and its fans who will buy this book), it’s nice to see it in print as well.

But clearly the high point of this book–and the reasons fans may want it, is because of the scads of photos and the comments from Al himself.  Al says he didn’t want to have write the biography himself, but he was happy to comment on the pictures).  According to the book, Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz has kept everything that Al has ever said or done in his garage.  And so there’s lot of interesting unexpected photos (and some obvious and expected ones which are still cool).  But for each one Al writes a few sentences, which gives wonderful personal context for them.

Al also includes some of his favorites tweets (and there’s some really good ones) and a series of unrelated lists of things that are very typically Al.

In addition, there’s some lengthy pages of lyrics (not necessary, but interesting to see printed out like poetry).  But best of all are the very cool looking drawings from interesting artists (no one I’ve heard of, but their stuff is really great nevertheless).  Oh and there’s even a page of tattoos, which is at once weird and very cool.

So yes, this is a fun and interesting book.  If you know nothing about Al, the style of Rabin’s writing is actually very good for the information–he’s not big on faux drama.  And while Rabin is obviously a fan, and he’s clearly rooting for Al in the dark hours, it’s not a sickly sweet adoration, just fun analysis of Al’s brilliance.