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Continuing on from my last blog, it is only elementary to review Al’s sophomore album.
Released in 1984, essentially it could really only go up from here. The first album had flashes of brilliance but didn’t have the whole package, which for a freshman album is more than promising.
On my Listmania at Amazon.com, this album came in fifth amongst in my opinion the best Al albums noting, “Al's sophomore album is probably his most underrated album.”
Today, I’m going to re-listen to the album and see if my assumptions are corrections. Let’s waste no more time, put on those gimmicked glasses, AND GO IN 3-D!!!!
1. “Eat It”: A big parody to kick off this album, as it is the parody of the Michael Jackson song “Beat It”, straight down to the music video! This song is, well, about eating and not wasting any food, although you’d hardly SEE food in the music video. “Eat it, eat it, get yourself an egg and beat it!”
The biggest difference between this album and the debut in the aural presentation is immediately clear. It SOUNDS like an album that was given a more fleshed-out budget, and therefore while some things remain intentionally cheesy, it’s sound feels a lot more professional. Strong opener track!
Original
Imitation. Very close, isn’t it? Sadly, licensing restrictions ban the widget from appearing lyrics. At least that makes up for it!
2. “Midnight Star”: This song is the one I kicked off my underrated Al list, and I still stand by my findings.
An original song, the main thing being poked fun at is the often unbelievable tabloids found in the grocery store. As the main character gets a paper cut in his eye, he gets to learn things he never knew before, like how your pet maybe an extraterrestrial, while the ghost of Elvis in living in your den.
The unfortunate thing about this tune is a lack of a music video in the animated variety. I say that because most of the lyrics are in exaggeration, and some of the best animation is in that frame of mind. Like a tabloid story, dig up Tex Avery from the grave and animate it, please?
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Midnight Star lyrics
3. “The Brady Bunch”: Another parody. This time making fun of “Safety Dance” from Men without Hats, the song is about a family struggling on what to watch, but then they all agree on, well, The Brady Bunch.
Like “Ricky” from the last album, this song definitely does a variation of that famous theme near the end of the song. It is probably one of the best examples of song-twisting I have ever seen, as it seems like sixteenth notes had to hit in 6/8, which is never an easy task. A quick track, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - The Brady Bunch lyrics
4. “Buy Me a Condo”: Original song this time around, mostly a style parody of what sounds like Bob Marley.
The whole song revolves around a man of Jamaican descent moving to the US and needing things to adapt to the culture.
“I’m gonna buy me a condo, I’m gonna buy me a Cuisinart, Get a wall-to-wall carpeting, Get a wallet full-o credit cards!”
He also wants to become a Amway distributor, as he proclaims to not work on the field ever again.
For the most part, it is goofy and out-of-whack to hear Al doing that accent the whole way, but it was a chance that nearly paid off.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Buy Me A Condo lyrics
5. “I Lost on Jeopardy”: A parody, this time of “Jeopardy” by The Greg Kihn Band.
The story of the song revolves around Al going up against a plumber and a architect, both with PHd’s on the Jeopardy game show (as in the original where it’s ‘our love’s in jeopardy’).
I’m not going to describe much about this song other than the music video makes perfect sense about things. Just watch, as also this was my first exposure to Al in the mid-90’s by my aunt who brought over an Al tape of music videos:
“THAT’S RIGHT AL, YOU LOST, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT YOU DIDN’T WIN!” My brother and I would nail that part of the song down perfect every time.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - I Lost On Jeopardy lyrics
6. “Polkas on 45”: If this is the first time you read a review, and wondered what the hell a polka is, well here is your ‘Al’ definition:
A polka is a mish-mash of songs of theme or relevancy, set to sound-effects and accordion!
With that out of the way, here is the song list of the initial outing of Polka:
"Jocko Homo" by Devo
"Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple
"Sex (I'm A...)" by Berlin
"Hey Jude" by The Beatles
"L.A. Woman" by The Doors
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
"Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix
"Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads
"Hot Blooded" by Foreigner
"Bubbles In The Wine" by Lawrence Welk
"Every Breath You Take" by The Police
"Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" by The Clash
"Jumping Jack Flash" by The Rolling Stones
"My Generation" by The Who
Weird, wasn’t it? That was my main impression of this polka, and it is definitely not the best one Al would do. Since it’s a first one though, I’ll give this one a free pass like a car a lap down in a NASCAR race.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Polkas On 45 lyrics
7. “Mr. Popeil”: An original in spirit, but a style parody of the B-52’s. Remember all those infomericials in the ‘80s with this guy trying to cut a can with a knife, or any other stupid gadget rolling across your way?
That man my readers is Ron Popeil, a man who made quite the living off these products and infomericials that made him (in)famous.
“How much would you pay? Don’t answer yet, just look what else you get!”
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Mr. Popeil lyrics
8. “King of Suede”: Another parody, this time of “King of Pain” by The Police. In typical Al fashion, this track revolves around a suede businessman who really, uh, tries to undersell everything and eventually goes out of business.
This song sounds like a track that should be a commercial for Men’s Warehouse, “I guarantee it!”
Unfortunately, “Don’t miss out on our giant liquidation sale,” lets you know that Al’s tactics as salesman don’t pay off as while the coupons arrive in next week’s mail, it’s the same old sale as yesterday!
No lyrics, but here’s the song as apology!
The song, as told from Al’s point of view, makes Al sound like a bully while the kid is just one of those Machiavellian little twerps just struggling to get by. “Picking teams he would always be last, he couldn’t run very far, he couldn’t think really fast.”
This sounds like a movie that should have been made already, just with the imagery of the kid’s bad luck, bad glasses, and just being downright humiliated.
While the kid’s beginning was less than promising, “When he was much older, he had a dance studio. He had a tiny-bopper fan club, he had his own TV show.” Plus he owns half of Montana! Damn, and you can see the unaccomplishment in the face of Al.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - That Boy Could Dance lyrics
10. “Theme from Rocky XIII”: Pardon my laziness, but here is a cut and paste from a prior blog entry:
While the song may not sound familiar, the tune it parodies is celebrated the world over. A parody of “Eye of the Tiger” from Survivor, this ditty revolves around a hypothetical THIRTEENTH Rocky movie whose plot sets around the main character owning a deli. Yes, I am serious. In the song, it talks about Rocky in his older (and apparently fatter) days, “sold his gloves, threw his eggs down the drain!” Follow the non-existent plot and then just bask in the glory of Al in his youth making up something goofy.
I don’t think 10 minutes of thinking could have made anything better. It does truly represent youth and imagination, as it was present on the whole album. Now kids, get your glasses ready, because for the last track, you will NEED them!
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Theme From Rocky Xiii lyrics
11. “Nature Trail to Hell”: The finale, and one hell of a gory original track to boot.
It’s a parody of a reboot of 3-D, full of “in-your-face” imagery and “Satan eating cheese whiz” (the backwards message 3/4 of the way in).
“See severed heads fall right in your lap, see that bloody hatchet, coming right at you! You’ll never see hideous effects like these again, ‘til we bring you Nature Trail to Hell part 2!”
At this point, it’s also Al’s longest track at just under six minutes in length. While it drags a little in the middle, it is actually fast–paced despite the brooding tempo of trying to promote a 3-D horror movie. It also starts a tradition of putting the longest song on LAST in an album, but this song feels like another grindhouse feature tacked onto an album full of light, cheery ambivalence.
Lyrics | Weird Al Yankovic lyrics - Nature Trail To Hell lyrics
In conclusion, this album is still Al’s most underrated. He tackled a lot of new genres, with mostly success to boot, and he even debuted a polka, something that no other artist has tried to duplicate. The next album Al will have is what I think is his zenith in the 80s’, and my theory will be put to the test, NEXT!
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