''Dare to Be Stupid'' is the third
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specifi ...
, released on June 18, 1985. The album was one of many Yankovic records produced by former
McCoys guitarist
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer (born Richard Dean Zehringer; August 5, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the 1960s as founding member of his band, the McCoys. Their debut single, "Hang on Sloopy", was ...
. Recorded between August 1984 and March 1985, the album was Yankovic's first studio album released following the success of 1984's ''
In 3-D'', which included the Top 40 single "
Eat It
"Eat It" is a 1984 song by American comedy music artist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of Michael Jackson's 1983 single " Beat It", with the contents changed to be about an exasperated parent attempting to get their picky child to eat any ...
".
The music on ''Dare to Be Stupid'' is built around parodies and pastiches of
pop and
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
of the mid-1980s, featuring reimaginings of
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
,
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
,
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...
, and
the Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...
. The album also features many "style parodies", or musical imitations that come close to, but do not copy, existing artists. These style parodies include imitations of
Devo
Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a ...
and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, as well as imitations of various musical genres such as
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
,
sci-fi soundtracks, and music from the 1920s and 1930s.
Despite a mixed critical reception, ''Dare to Be Stupid'' sold well and peaked at number fifty on the
''Billboard'' 200. The album produced one of Yankovic's more famous singles, "
Like a Surgeon", a parody of Madonna's "
Like a Virgin"; the single peaked at number 47 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album was Yankovic's second
Gold record
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile meta ...
and became certified
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
for sales of over one million copies in the United States. The album was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for
Best Comedy Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement in comedy." The award was awarded yearly from 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to presen ...
in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
.
Production
Recording
In January 1985 Yankovic began the recording sessions for his ''
In 3-D'' follow-up album.
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer (born Richard Dean Zehringer; August 5, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the 1960s as founding member of his band, the McCoys. Their debut single, "Hang on Sloopy", was ...
, former guitarist for
the McCoys
The McCoys were a rock music, rock group formed in Union City, Indiana, Union City, Indiana, United States, in 1962. They are best known for their 1965 hit single "Hang On Sloopy". Their name was changed from Rick and the Raiders to The McCoys, ...
, returned as producer.
Backing Yankovic were
Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz
Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz (born August 18, 1956) is a drummer best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met while recording " Another One Rides the Bus" at the Dr. Demento show on September 14, 1980. Shortly a ...
on drums,
Steve Jay
Eugene Stephen Jay (born January 26, 1951) is an American bassist, best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Early life
Jay was born Eugene Stephen Jay in Detroit, Michigan on January 26, 1951. He auditioned for "Weird Al" Yankovic in 19 ...
on bass, and
Jim West on guitar.
The first session yielded four originals: "
Dare to Be Stupid
''Dare to Be Stupid'' is the third studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 18, 1985. The album was one of many Yankovic records produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between August 1984 and March 1985, the ...
", "Cable TV", "Slime Creatures from Outer Space", and "
One More Minute".
The band also recorded a cover of the theme from ''
George of the Jungle
''George of the Jungle'' is an American animated television series produced and created by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, who also created ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. The character George was inspired by the story of Tarzan and a cartoon char ...
''.
The following month, Yankovic began recording the album's four parodies and polka medley: "
Yoda
Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first appearing in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back''. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until ...
", "
Like a Surgeon", "
I Want a New Duck", "
Girls Just Want to Have Lunch", and "
Hooked on Polkas".
Originals
"This Is the Life", originally commissioned for the
gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
spoof
Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to:
* Forgery of goods or documents
* Semen, in Australian slang
* Spoof (game), a guessing game
* Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets
__NOTOC__ ...
movie ''
Johnny Dangerously
''Johnny Dangerously'' is a 1984 American crime comedy film, and a parody of 1930s crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling.
The film stars Michael Keaton as an honest, goodhearted man who turns to a life of crime to finance hi ...
'' and comically describing a gangster's lavish lifestyle, had already been recorded and released as a single in November 1984.
The album's title track, "
Dare to Be Stupid
''Dare to Be Stupid'' is the third studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 18, 1985. The album was one of many Yankovic records produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between August 1984 and March 1985, the ...
", is an ode to living life stupidly. According to the liner notes of
The Ultimate Video Collection, the song represents "Al's motto in life".
The song is a style parody of the band
Devo
Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a ...
, whose reaction to the pastiche was positive.
Yankovic said, "Right after I finished ''Dare To Be Stupid'', I went over to
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh (; born May 18, 1950) is an American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose " Whip It" was a top 2 ...
's house and played it for him. He seemed to enjoy it a lot."
The song was later released on the soundtrack to the 1986 film ''
The Transformers: The Movie'',
and Yankovic later mused that more people were introduced to the song by the movie than by his own album.
"One More Minute", about an ex-girlfriend, was written in the style of an
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
song.
According to the liner notes of ''
Permanent Record'', Yankovic was preparing to write songs for ''Dare to Be Stupid'' when his then-girlfriend broke up with him.
In order to mentally deal with the heartbreak, Yankovic decided to write a humorous song to express his anger, eventually writing "One More Minute".
Yankovic tears up her picture in the video.
"Slime Creatures from Outer Space" features prominent usage of a
theremin
The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
, courtesy of
Steve Jay
Eugene Stephen Jay (born January 26, 1951) is an American bassist, best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Early life
Jay was born Eugene Stephen Jay in Detroit, Michigan on January 26, 1951. He auditioned for "Weird Al" Yankovic in 19 ...
, in order to emulate the sound of "cheesy 50s sci-fi soundtracks."
Parodies and polka
On February 21, 1985, Yankovic began recording the parodies for ''Dare to Be Stupid''.
The first parody recorded for the album was "
Yoda
Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first appearing in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back''. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until ...
". "Yoda" was originally written by Yankovic during the initial run of the 1980 American film ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
''.
After the success of the movie, Yankovic toyed with the idea of writing a song based on the break-out character, but was unable to find a suitable song to use as the base.
Yankovic remembers, "I was still in college at the time, and a friend of mine named Mike suggested that I do the song to the tune of '
Lola
Lola may refer to:
Places
* Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama
* Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States
* Lola Prefecture, Guinea
* Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture
* Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands
People
* Lola (fo ...
'—which I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of myself, since I was such a huge
Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...
fan."
Yankovic wrote and recorded a version of the song, using only an accordion,
on a four-track cassette
Portastudio
The TASCAM Portastudio was the first four-track recorder based on a standard compact audio cassette tape. The term ''portastudio'' is exclusive to TASCAM, though it is generally used to describe all self-contained cassette-based multitrack rec ...
.
This version of "Yoda" was a hit on ''The Dr. Demento Show'', and even managed to hit, and hold onto, number one on the Funny Five countdown for several weeks.
This early demo was later released on the sixth volume of
Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen (born April 2, 1941), known professionally as Dr. Demento, is an American radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograp ...
's ''Basement Tapes''.
After the success of the demo version, Yankovic wanted to put the song on one of his albums.
However, securing permission from
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
and the Kinks delayed the release of the song for about five years.
Eventually, after Lucas gave Yankovic permission, the song's publishers turned Al down.
Several versions of why the parody was turned down exist. In a 1985 interview with ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'', Yankovic explained that, "We approached
Ray Davies
Sir Raymond Douglas Davies ( ; born 21 June 1944) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the rock band the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother Dave on lead guitar and backing voca ...
he song's composer we've been approaching him every year and a half, two years before each album comes out and he's always been a little skeptical, a little afraid because 'Lola' was a very personal song for him. Then just out of the blue he decided this time to let us do it."
However, the liner notes to the ''
Permanent Record'' present a different story. According to the album's notes, the song may have remained unreleased for some time had it not been for a chance encounter Yankovic had with the song's original songwriter, Ray Davies. When Yankovic asked why he hadn't given him permission, Davies remarked that he had never been asked.
Davies immediately gave Yankovic permission to record the song, and the song was later released on ''Dare to Be Stupid''.
The day after recording "Yoda", Yankovic started recording "Like a Surgeon", the lead single for the album.
Although Yankovic normally refuses to use parody ideas from other people,
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
is partly responsible for "Like a Surgeon". Madonna asked one of her friends how long it would take until Yankovic satirized her song "Like a Virgin" into "Like a Surgeon". This friend was a mutual friend of Al's manager, Jay Levey. When word got back to Yankovic, he decided it was a good idea and wrote the song. This is the only known time that Yankovic has gotten a parody idea directly from the original artist.
The third parody recorded for the album was a parody of "
I Want a New Drug
"I Want a New Drug" is a song by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News from their third album ''Sports''. It is its second single, following the top-ten hit " Heart and Soul" in January 1984. The single reached number six on the U.S. ''Bill ...
" by
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...
entitled "
I Want a New Duck".
After the recording of "I Want a New Duck", Yankovic was comfortable with releasing the album as it was. However, Scotti Bros. insisted that Yankovic include a parody of a
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
song.
Yankovic complied, producing "Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch". However, because he was effectively forced to record the parody, Yankovic has cited "Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch" as one of his least favorite songs, and ultimately left it off his 1993 compilation album ''
The Food Album
''The Food Album'' is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 22, 1993, by Scotti Brothers Records. The release features ten of Yankovic's song parodies, all of which pertain to food. A similar albu ...
''.
Yankovic also approached
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
about a potential parody of "
When Doves Cry
"When Doves Cry" is a song by American musician Prince, and the lead single from his sixth studio album '' Purple Rain''. According to the DVD commentary of the film '' Purple Rain'' (1984), Prince was asked by director Albert Magnoli to write a ...
", circa 1984.
Prince refused, and did not accept any future parody ideas Yankovic presented to him.
On March 25, 1985, Yankovic rounded out the recording of his new album with a
polka medley of then-popular songs in music.
''Dare to Be Stupid'' also includes "George of the Jungle", a cover of the theme song to the
1967 TV series.
It was the first of only a few cover songs, not counting polka medleys, released by Yankovic. The song later appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
of ''George of the Jungle''.
Reception
Promotion
After the release of the album, Yankovic undertook the 70-city "Stupid Tour"; this was his biggest tour of the 1980s, and featured "costume changes, carefully designed lighting, and several of Al's videos cleverly integrated into the stage show".
Yankovic's on-stage wardrobe changed dramatically during the tour, and he specifically stipulated that every promoter "had to supply one garish Hawaiian shirt" for him to wear.
Yankovic eventually acquired "a couple closets full" of them.
Yankovic also started wearing exclusively
Vans
Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams. From 1996 to 2019, the comp ...
, and joked that "whenever I need some they let me go to their warehouse and take home an armload."
The videos that were made to promote ''Dare to Be Stupid'' were later compiled, with additional material, into a direct-to-video
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
called ''
The Compleat Al
''The Compleat Al'' is a mockumentary about the life of "Weird Al" Yankovic, from his birth in 1959, to 1985. It was partially written by Yankovic and directed by Jay Levey. An abbreviated version premiered on August 7, 1985 on the Showtime netwo ...
''. This production, directed by Yankovic's manager Jay Levey and
Robert K. Weiss
Robert K. Weiss is an American film and television producer. His productions include films by director John Landis, producer Lorne Michaels, and the " Z. A. Z." team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker. He also co-created the science- ...
, was one of "the first programs of its kind to be made specifically for the home video market".
A 60-minute version was later aired on
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
. To go along with the video, the tongue-in-cheek book ''The Authorized Al'' was also released. The book, co-written by Yankovic and
Tino Insana
Silvio Peter "Tino" Insana (February 15, 1948 – May 31, 2017) was an American actor, producer, writer, and comedian.
Life and career
Insana was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 15, 1948, the son of Silvio A. Insana, a musician, and Hilora ...
, has since gone out of print.
Critical response
''Dare to Be Stupid'' received moderately favorable reviews from critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
reviewer
Eugene Chadbourne
Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic.
Life and career
Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...
awarded the album three and a half stars, and cited "Like a Surgeon" and "Dare to Be Stupid" as some of Yankovic's best songs.
Christopher Thelen from The Daily Vault wrote that "while ''Dare To Be Stupid'' is not Yankovic's finest album
..there's enough on this one to recommend it".
The song "Yoda" has gone on to become one of Yankovic's most famous songs. Although it was left off his
first greatest hits album,
the song was featured on the
second volume,
the box set ''
Permanent Record'',
and the 2009 compilation ''
The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic
''The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic'' is a two disc compilation album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. A limited edition "3.0" version of the album has a third disc. It is published by Sony Music's Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is an America ...
''.
The song appeared on "The Time Machine" episode of ''
The Weird Al Show
''The Weird Al Show'' is an American television show hosted by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Produced in association with Dick Clark Productions and taped at NBC Studios, it aired on Saturday mornings on the CBS TV network. The show ran for one season, f ...
'', and on the compilation album ''
Radio Disney: Kid Jams''.
Although the lead single "Like a Surgeon" and the parody "Yoda" were met with praise, many criticized the album's other parodies.
Many critics were split on the amount of emphasis the original songs were given. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' writer David Hinkley wrote positively that "the pick of this album's original litter is 'One More Minute', which is a parody of a style (
Fifties vocal group) rather than a specific song and is a superb tune besides – right down to the perfect little gasp right before the final chorus".
In contrast, Chadbourne was disappointed with the original material, stating that "only someone who is missing important brain cells would suggest this artist's original songs are any good".
The album was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for
Best Comedy Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement in comedy." The award was awarded yearly from 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to presen ...
in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
,
though it lost to
Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...
's ''Whoopi: Original Broadway Recording''.
Commercial performance
''Dare to Be Stupid'' was released on June 18, 1985; it was the first album of musical comedy to be released on
compact disc
The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then rele ...
.
''Dare to Be Stupid'' eventually peaked on the
''Billboard'' 200 at number 50.
The album spent a total of eight weeks on the chart. On January 27, 1986, a little less than a year after its release, the album was certified
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). On February 24, 2003, the album was certified
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the RIAA.
Track listing
Personnel
;Band members and production
*"Weird Al" Yankovic –
accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
, keyboards,
theremin
The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
, vocals, background vocals
*
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer (born Richard Dean Zehringer; August 5, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the 1960s as founding member of his band, the McCoys. Their debut single, "Hang on Sloopy", was ...
– guitar,
producer
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
*
Steve Jay
Eugene Stephen Jay (born January 26, 1951) is an American bassist, best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Early life
Jay was born Eugene Stephen Jay in Detroit, Michigan on January 26, 1951. He auditioned for "Weird Al" Yankovic in 19 ...
–
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
, bass guitar, background vocals
*
Jim West – guitar, background vocals
*
Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz
Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz (born August 18, 1956) is a drummer best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met while recording " Another One Rides the Bus" at the Dr. Demento show on September 14, 1980. Shortly a ...
– percussion, drums
*Tony Papa –
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
*Donald Lane – art direction
*Lou Beach – illustrations
*Dennis Keeley – photography
;Other personnel
*Warren Luening –
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
*Joel Peskin –
clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...
*Gary Herbig – clarinet,
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
*Pat Regan –
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
*
Bill Scott – yodeling
*
Al Viola
Alfred Viola (June 16, 1919 – February 21, 2007) was an American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years. He played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film ''The Godfather''.
Biography
Viola grew up in an Italian fami ...
– banjo
*The Glove -
scratching
Scratching, sometimes referred to as scrubbing, is a DJ and turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds. A crossfader on a DJ mixer may be used to fade between two record ...
*The Waters Sisters – background vocals
*Belen Alvarez – The Queen
Charts and certifications
Charts
Certifications
Singles
References
{{Authority control
"Weird Al" Yankovic albums
1985 albums
Albums produced by Rick Derringer
Rock 'n Roll Records albums
Scotti Brothers Records albums