Power Rankings: Weird Al's Top 26 Songs

[Cadence]

Summer camp staff in the mid-80s, the kitchen staff one year had a lot of Dare to Be Stupid and In 3-D playing, balanced out by a bunch of recordings from Dr. Demento's radio show

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I always like the songs Jerry Springer, Slime Creatures from Outer Space, and I Think I'm a Clone Now.

There's always two of me just a hangin' around ....

It's the official song of Paranoia! Plus ... sending yourself out for pizza? chef's kiss

 

[Gradine]

If you are depressed, we recommend you listen to a couple Weird Al albums - those will cheer you up right quick.

Not so much a "fun" fact, but one time when Al was on tour he heard the news that both of his parents had died due to a carbon monoxide accident. He decided to go on stage that night, because "it seemed like a better idea than sobbing for hours" and he thought that if his music was so good at lifting other peoples' spirits it would work for him as well. It apparently worked.

As for list commentary, "Albuquerque" is Al's magnum opus and its absence might very well stand in violation of the Helsinki Declaration, at a minimum.

"Dog Eat Dog" and "Melanie" are great deep cuts though. There are some other great underrated songs that haven't been mentioned yet, like "A Complicated Song", "Foil", "Genius in France", "Don't Wear Those Shoes" and "Couch Potato" (though the latter has a few unfortunate jokes that don't hold up well) (I think I was thinking of "Jerry Springer" here).

"The Alternative Polka" is the best medley, though Hamilton is also an instant classic.

I don't like "Word Crimes" much at all, but that's due to a confluence of several personal bugaboos.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

As for list commentary, "Albuquerque" is Al's magnum opus and its absence might very well stand in violation of the Helsinki Declaration, at a minimum.

I will address this because others have mentioned it.

Originally, Albuquerque was on the list. I listed it as one of the originals (in #8) since I did the originals first. But then I did the parodies, and I was writing "Eat It," and I wrote the bit about how it dared to be stupid ... and I was like ... oh .... I forgot a song. So it got bumped.

It's not a polka. And it's certainly not a deep cut (it's a concert staple). Now, could a reasonable person replace one of my top 8 originals with it? Sure!

Weird Al has 14 studio albums, along with songs on various other platforms, compilations, and singles. There are a lot of choices.

This was more to provoke a celebration of one of the greatest American artists. Whether you're a fan of his parodies, or his originals. Whether you think Weasel Stomping Day is the greatest song ever, or can't stop listening to Skipper Dan. Whether you've watched Al perform in Vegas before an orchestra, or saw him touring with scissors in Cape Cod ... it's all good.

 

[jolt]

I can't believe I forgot to mention 'Can't Watch This'.

 

[trappedslider]

"Couch Potato"

Sadly like a number of his pop-culture-centric parodies it didn't age very well. IIRC he's talked about the turnaround time on making his albums/songs when he was locked in a contract due to the material quickly aging out of the limelight.

 

[Meech17]

I will address this because others have mentioned it.

Originally, Albuquerque was on the list. I listed it as one of the originals (in #8) since I did the originals first. But then I did the parodies, and I was writing "Eat It," and I wrote the bit about how it dared to be stupid ... and I was like ... oh .... I forgot a song. So it got bumped.

It's not a polka. And it's certainly not a deep cut (it's a concert staple). Now, could a reasonable person replace one of my top 8 originals with it? Sure!

Weird Al has 14 studio albums, along with songs on various other platforms, compilations, and singles. There are a lot of choices.

This was more to provoke a celebration of one of the greatest American artists. Whether you're a fan of his parodies, or his originals. Whether you think Weasel Stomping Day is the greatest song ever, or can't stop listening to Skipper Dan. Whether you've watched Al perform in Vegas before an orchestra, or saw him touring with scissors in Cape Cod ... it's all good.

At least you acknowledged it.. I'll accept Albuquerque as the honorary 9th place.

I was a pre-teen and my dad gave me this album. I remembered sitting there listening to it dumbfounded at how a song could be so damned long, and somehow manage to get both stupider, and funnier the longer it went.

That was the day where Weird Al was elevated in my mind from "Goofy Parody artist" to "Legend Status Musician."

 

[CleverNickName]

There's another category of Weird Al songs that wasn't discussed: Covers.

His cover of George Harrison's "What Is Life" is one of my favorite covers of all time, and solely because of the PURE ENERGY the man brings to his performance in the video.


And this little gem always makes me smile:


On my list of cover songs, "What Is Life" is the only Weird Al song that made my personal top ten...but that's not Al's fault. The competition is fierce in this category (I mean, it's hard to compete with Johnny Cash covering Nine Inch Nails, or Aretha Franklin covering Otis Redding.)

 

[billd91]

His cover of George Harrison's "What Is Life" is one of my favorite covers of all time, and solely because of the PURE ENERGY the man brings to his performance in the video.

THE BEST GEORGE HARRISON SONG!!!!
Thanks for sharing.

 

[aco175]

Man's 65 years old, at this time and not when the thread started a few years ago, and still has the jealousy hair. I say that since I now have no hair.