Not a parody post

October 23 marked the 52nd birthday of one of my generation's greatest comedic minds.  Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic blew out the candles Saturday.  I've been a "Weird Al" fan since I was in elementary school.  I've enjoyed his mega-hits like "Eat It", "Fat" and "Amish Paradise" as well lesser known tracks such as "She Drives Like Crazy" and "Do I Creep You Out?".  And who could forget the Al Originals like "Dare to be Stupid", "UHF" and "The Night Santa Went Crazy"?  Al has had a fantastic career and to this day remains the undisputed champion of the parody.  In honor of his birthday, I am going to discuss a few of my all-time favorite "Weird Al" songs.

"A Complicated Song" -- A parody of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated"
When I think of jokes about constipation, incest and accidental beheadings, I'm expecting a stand-up routine from Larry the Cable Guy.  However, Al pulls this song off without going overboard with the humor.

"Truck Drivin Song" -- A "Weird Al" original
I wonder if Al was watching Smokey and the Bandit when he was inspired to write this song about a cross-dressing truck driver.  The combination of trucker lingo and descriptions of the outfit being worn make this one of Al's best original songs ever.

"Ode to a Superhero" -- A parody of Billy Joel's "Piano Man"
OK, I am one of the people who thought Spider-Man was a terrible movie.  But Al's five-minute recap of the entire movie sung to the tune of the classic Billy Joel song is fantastic.  It's the entire story without the horrible acting of Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

"Theme to Rocky XIII" -- parody of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"
Wow, there were almost enough Rocky  sequels to make this accurate. 

"Happy Birthday" -- A "Weird Al" original
Only Al could make nucelar annihilation and the destruction of the planet hilarious.

"It's All About the Pentiums" -- A parody of Notorious B.I.G.'s "It's All About the Benjamins"
This is one of Al's most under-appreciated songs and I can't figure out why.  With lines such as "You're just about as useless as JPEG's to Helen Keller!" and "If I ever meet you I'll Ctl-Alt-Delete you!", this is one of Al's most hilarious songs.

"Headline News" -- A parody of Crash Test Dummies "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm"
A Weird Al roast of the ridiculous news stories which captivated America in the early 1990s.  The verse about JohnWayne Bobbitt is over-the-top and funny enough to make your tummy hurt from laughter.

"One More Minute" -- A "Weird Al" original
This break-up song from Al discusses all the horrible and disgusting things he'd rather do than spend another solitary minute with the former love of his life.  It's a classic.

"Weird Al" has been performing for nearly 30 years and still remains at the top of his game.  His comic genius will never be matched.  Even with a few missteps, (like most of the Alapalooza album) he has continued to entertain us again and again.  Thanks Al, and keep the laughs coming!