BBB Reviews: Dare to be Stupid

Yesterday I went to my brother’s graduation party from college… well his second one. He received his Master’s degree, and in addition to that, he earned tenure from the school from where he teaches.
So you’re thinking: why the heck does this have to do with an album review?
Well, it’s quite simple. ‘Dare to be Stupid’ is my brother’s favorite album of Al’s, and I definitely can’t see the problem with it. This is considered to be Al’s ultimate album of the 80’s, and why not? His most famous original song is here, some of his most talked-about parodies are here, and well, it’s just all-around a solid piece of vinyl. So what about I review this one, shall I? Here we go!
1. “Like a Surgeon”: BEEP BOOP BEEP BOOP. You know exactly what you’re getting into. Not only is the song a parody of “Like a Virgin” by Madonna, but the music video is too. More on that in a minute.
The basic plot of the song revolves around “barely passed” med grad Al, whom all we wants in the world is to not have a malpractice suit. Through the song lyrics, you know he’s a quack, and by the end, he knows it. “It’s a fact, I’m a quack, a disgrace to the AMA, ‘cause my patient’s died… before he can pay…”
Sickly enough, he can hear the patient’s heartbeat for the last time, and the song ends on a flatline, a more than appropriate undertone for the hilarity of medical hijinks that only The Three Stooges could pull off. Yet, it also sounds like a ‘Scrubs’ plot episode, imagine John Dorian going before the board for pulling someone’s insides out?

Look at Al, WHAT A SLUT!

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Like A Surgeon lyrics
2. “Dare to be Stupid”: This song’s purpose is kind of a parallel to the famous sitcom ‘Seinfeld’. While it's original in lyrics yet a style parody to Devo*, the song is essentially about "nothing".
The lyrics, as you’ll see in the widget (and music video), is full of nonsensical, irrelevant, and goofy imagery. Yet it WORKS! 
Beginning of the song features a synthesizer riff going into, “Put down your chainsaw and listen to me, it’s time to join in  the fight!” This is your cue to know this is NOT going to be your normal rhythm and verse!
The moral of the story: “Mashed potatoes can be your friends!”
For such a legendary song, there’s little to write because it is a song that can only be interpreted by the eye of the beholder. While the song has some nostalgic overtones of perhaps Al’s past, there is nothing that can coherently link itself together.
“The future’s up to you, so whatcha gonna do? DARE TO BE STUPID!”

Watch for when they put the ice cream on their heads!

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Dare To Be Stupid lyrics 
3. “I Want a New Duck”: As referenced to in an earlier blog about underrated songs, here is my take on the track:
“Once again, another parody. This time its from a very popular band in the 80s’ called Huey Lewis and the News, who had a single called, “I Want a New Drug”. In typical Al looney-ness, it describes how Al desperately wants a new duck with the characteristics of a human, “not a swan or a goose… I’ll name him Bruce!” Look out for segments in the song where the “backup” immediately turns into ducks quacking! As a eight-year old that cracked me up, and as an older person it still does. And you thought I was going for the pun? Nah!”

I want a drake I’ll dress real cute, I’m think I’m gonna name him Bruce!

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - I Want A New Duck lyrics
4. “One More Minute”: A classical Al breakup/gore song. An original, though its beat has the spirit of doo-wop from the 50’s, revolves around a breakup that’s a hardship in a big way to Al.
Apparently, this relationship made Al so “bitter”, he burned down the malt shop where they used to go because it reminded him of her.
While that imagery is disturbing, the more psychologically damaging thoughts come through the form of multiple metaphors.
“I’d rather clean all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station, with my tongue, then spend one more minute with you.”
“I’d rather dive into a swimming pool full of double-edged razor blades, then spend one more minute with you.”
Harsh ain’t it? It’s nothing like the finale!
“I’d rather take my heart out of the ribcage with my bare hands and throw it on the floor and stomp on it till I die! Then spend one more minute….with you…..”
The music video is one of relative mundane imagery, as it’s Al and backup singers and pretty much nothing more, which is why I’m not posting the video. I’ll post lyrics though.

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - One More Minute lyrics
5. “Yoda”: Al’s first (and not last) song of the Star Wars vein. A parody of “Lola” by The Kinks, this song talks about Al via the eyes of Luke Skywalker and his experiences growing up to be a Jedi master under the guiding hand of Yoda.
Not much here to write about, as the lyrics can explain it better than I can. It’s a neat little ditty tying together the first three movies (I mean IV-VI), and nothing more.

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Yoda lyrics
6. “George of the Jungle”: Wow, really? I have to summarize  a COVER of the famous theme to the Jay Ward cartoon? Well guess what, I’m not! Read the lyrics, and then watch some episodes on DVD.

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - George Of The Jungle lyrics
7. “Slime Creatures from Outer Space”: Just like ‘Duck’, I’m taking the lazy route and cut and pasting my analysis of the song from a prior blog entry:
“One of the very first songs to be recorded for the album, this song in a way feels like it should have been recorded for “In 3-D”. The song revolves around, well, the slime creatures coming in from outer space and completely destroying Earth as we know it. “They’re not very nice to the human race,” Al says, as he hopes none of them come in because he just washed the rug. That’s lyrics you just don’t hear from anyone else, and again, eclectic Al does the impossible!”
For further clarification on the “In 3-D” comment, I still feel this way. In 3-D had a whole bunch of songs that could qualify as Grindhouse-quality features. This song would EASILY qualify on that basis, with perhaps “Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters From a Planet Near Mars” from UHF.

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Slime Creatures From Outer Space lyrics
8. “Girls Just Want to Have Lunch”: This song is a parody of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, and primarily serves as a “vent” of how since Al has a diner’s card, he has always had to pay for lunch with the ladies.
Nothing really about the lyrics grabs my eye as much as the tone of voice Al uses getting his message across. It actually sounds “bitchy”, and as you’ll see from the words, it makes sense in a way.

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch lyrics
9. “This is the Life”: An original song, but the initial outing for this song did not come on this album.
As a matter of fact, it was featured in the credits of "Johnny Dangerously", a film that is HIGHLY underrated and a glorious romp of 90 minutes.
The song’s story/characterization is quite simple. Al is “living the life”, one of rich and pompous bravado. He hires people to chew his food, he’s upwardly mobile, eats filet mignon seven times a day, etc.
Music video is pretty good too, and has some sample clips of the film:

Michael Keaton FTW!

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - This Is The Life lyrics
10. “Cable TV”: An original song, about something that was BRAND NEW and CUTTING EDGE (no, not WWE Edge).
After his girl died, Al filled the void in his life by getting cable, as opposed to the 2-3-4-7-11 (or reasonable facsimile) lineup most Americans have viewed at that time. Even my mother says, “It’s the greatest thing since TV!”
So look at the possibilities. Midget wrestling on channel 3, Bugs Bunny in Atlanta, Mr. Wizard is on at five, and heck, Al even has a dish on the back of his car so he can watch MTV when he drives. I wonder if the ‘Al TV’ special from back then had that as a segment?

Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Cable Tv lyrics
11. “Hooked on Polkas”: Here’s the lineup of songs used to make this frankenstein concoction (courtesy of Wikipedia and the automatic hyperlinks on the cut and paste:

• "12th Street Rag" by Euday L. Bowman
  
• "State of Shock" by Mick Jagger and Tina Turner (originally by The Jacksons)
  
• "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top
  
• "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner
  
• "Method of Modern Love" by Hall & Oates
  
• "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes
  
• "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister
  
• "99 Luftballons" by Nena
  
• "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins
  
• "The Reflex" by Duran Duran
  
• "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" by Quiet Riot
  
• "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
  
• "Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic

While a improvement from the original “on 45” from In 3-D, it would be a couple of albums before Al truly perfected this “art form”. There were some highly clever bits, like the sample from “Lonely Heart”, and the slow-mix of the Twisted Sister track. Of the first three albums, this one ranks second in the “best last track” category.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Hooked On Polkas lyrics
In conclusion, what a trip down memory lane. One of the first Al albums I ever had, and yet it has held up. There’s an inspired lunacy that runs rampant, and it never distracts from the mission of the album to ENTERTAIN THE MASSES!
Click here to buy the album, and become ‘Weird’ in the process!

*: Denotes the fact it slipped my mind to include this in, so credit to rageguy from Freaking Awesome Network forums to cluing me in. Check the forum out today: http://realwrestlecrap.proboards.com/index.cgi