Buttmunker

I recently heard this song on one of those download music sites. It sounds live, and it is actually quite good (funny). But I own all of Weird Al's albums (sans UHF) and there aren't any live tracks on any of them, least of all this one.

Oh, and it definitely sounds dated. Like, it sounds very 1982-ish due to the references Al uses in the song.

Snowmaker

Never heard of it, and I have most of his CDs and have seen him twice.

You sure its Al? I've seen a lot of parody songs listed as his that really weren't. Maybe Bob Rivers?

GoVegan

No, it's him. I think it was released on an old Dr. Demento LP.

Buttmunker

Yeah, its definitely him. I'd know his voice anywhere. And I know its vintage because it has his accordian, which he used almost exclusively in the old days.

Lokimok

I don't think it was ever released. I vaguely remember an old interview where he mentioned that Billy Joel wasn't happy & he felt kind of bad about it. & we all know that Al always asks permission. It was years before he was able to put "Yoda" on a record.

I saw Al live in '85 & a definite highlight was his Fabulous Food Medley which included classics like My Bologna along with unreleased songs like Whole Lotta Lunch (Zeppelin), Don't You Forget About Meat (Simple Minds?), Avocado (Eagles), & probably others I've forgotten.

Michael Corvin

I've heard it once. Like others said, I don't think it was ever released.

What about B-sides? Those are usually easy to forget. Did Al ever have actual "singles?"

Tscott

"It's Moldy Now" to the tune of "Hold Me Now" by Thompson Twins is the one I most remember when I saw him live back then. "I had a pizza" was the first line, instead of "I had a picture". Here's a link to the full lyrics

Adam Tyner

Yup. Volume 5 of "Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes". As far as I know, that's the only official release it's gotten.

JP5683

Every volume of the Basement Tapes has one Weird Al rarity. I have Volume 6, I was only in the Demento Society for one year. It has the original version of Yoda.

There are many unreleased Al songs.

Some just don't fit on the albums, others he doesn't get clearance to officially release but can perform in concert.

I remember seeing him live in 2000 and he did two songs that have never been released. "Laundry Day" using "Come Out and Play" by the Offspring (gotta keep 'em separated!), and "Free Delivery" using "My Heart Will Go On" (near, far, I'll jump in my car, something something, the toppings will go on!)

EDIT: Anyone know where to get copies of the other basement tapes? Or how many there are? I think I got #6 in 1999, but I could be wrong.

GoVegan

Back when Sharingthegroove still existed, someone put up a torrent of every unreleased Al song. It was 5 CDs, but I didn't see it until CDs 1-2 were already dead and I've never seen it since. I'm sure you could find someone out there who has the whole collection, though.

Mazje

I'd love to get my hands on some copies of unreleased Al stuff. So if anyone has any, drop me an email at [email protected]. Thanks.

UAIOE

Al did "Free Delivery" at the concert i went to last year.

Buttmunker

Billy Joel is a big stiff for not giving Al permission to use her songs - I realize that not one Billy Joel song was ever used in Al's 20+ years.

Draven

Not true. The Spiderman song on his latest album is to the tune of "Piano Man."

Snowmaker

He always seems to have a food medley. When I saw him on the Off the Deep End tour, he included Chicken Pot Pie (Paul McCartney or G 'n R).

Numanoid

I think it's an unfortunate side effect of the sex change.

Buttmunker

I forgot about that one. I guess Ms Joel okay'ed it because it wasn't derogatory towards Joel himself or his music.

Such strange clause-considerations.

kvrdave

I thought parody was something you didn't need permission to use. Do you mean that permission wasn't given and Al chooses to go along with the wishes of the artists?

Triple S

With the exception of Coolio, yes.

Michael Corvin

Correct. He asks permission to release them. If the artist says no, he moves on.

Dr. DVD

Coolio was a case where Al's reps told him to move ahead when he in fact didn't give permission. Al really did regret it and apologized to Coolio.

Interesting note: apparently when he did his spoof of "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits', Mark Knopfler only granted permission if he himself could play guitar on it. Also, the title for "Like a Surgeon" was first developed by Madonna.

I think that's kind of neat; the artists are like "well if you're going to make fun of me, do it the right way."

Buttmunker

In the case of Amish Paradise, Coolio didn't, in fact, own the rights to the song. While Coolio didn't want it used for parody, he had no control since the owners of the song (whoever they are - the record label, I guess it was) granted Yankovic permission. I guess the record company saw $$$ instead of artistic integrity.

UAIOE

And i give artists that much more respect if they can joke around and don't mind someone else poking fun at them


Unlike Eminem.

Adam Tyner

Dr. DVD's description is what I've always heard -- someone at Al's label assured him that Coolio gave him the thumbs-up, which never happened. Coolio was incensed because he thought the song delivered an important message and shouldn't be parodied in that way. I don't think there was ever any doubt that Stevie Wonder was behind the music -- Al's pretty savvy about that sort of thing.

Buttmunker

Eminem was cool. He did, after all, allow Al to use Lose Yourself (the song) but just forbid him to make a video. What difference it would have made, I have no idea.