1. Categorizing the works of “Weird Al”
Most sites describing Weird Al’s music will say that he does parodies of current events and popular music[8]. A few mention his original song writing, which comprises at least half of every CD he publishes. Some also mention his penchant for and great skill at writing torch songs for the broken-hearted comprised of bloodshed and anguish[9]. So those first two categories will not really be explored in this section. Using Weird Al’s music as societal reflections does not seem to be as widely discussed, however. I’m not referring here to using “The Saga Begins” and “Yoda” as evidence of the continued popularity of “Star Wars”. I’m referring to songs such as “Fat,” “You’re Pitiful,” and “Headline News” that can be taken as invitations to explore the disturbing and the ridiculous sides of ourselves/our society, should we want to.
The Fat, White and Nerdy Amish: An Exploration of Social Consciousness
First, there’s the song “Fat.” An 80’s parody of Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” the video tells the story of a young man of thin build who, confronted by members of his old ‘fat’ gang and copious amounts of food[10], finds himself (and his clothes) expanding to gargantuan size. When the song was first released, Mr. Yankovic said that he hoped people would take the song in the spirit in which it was intended[11], as an obese individual bragging about his weight. Weird Al has again donned the “Fat” suit for his current tour, indicating the song’s continued popularity. I didn’t like “Fat” when it first came out, and I don’t like it now. Back in the 80’s I figured the artist was insensitive, and I admit I pretty much dismissed him. Now, seeing a larger body of the artist’s work (please pardon the pun), I have a more complete picture of the artist and greater respect for the man. But I do still wonder about this song.
“Fat,”[12] being a parody, is full of self-debasing comments presumably made by a very overweight male with an eating problem. But Al himself isn’t overweight. So does he have the right to make these comments? There is a continuum of “really, you shouldn’t” that runs the gambit from men making comments about menstrual woes to white rappers (or any Caucasian individual) using the infamous “N”-word. This continuum makes the statement, ‘if you’re not it, you can’t use it or mock it.’ And a thin man singing about being “Fat” falls on this continuum, though I’m not sure where or on what side of the line of acceptability. As a society we’ve developed more awareness in the last decade about the causes and contributors to obesity. Back in the 80’s the prevalent view was that obesity was a sign of laziness/poor character; people ate too much and/or exercised too little, and they got fat because they let themselves get that way. To some extent, we still hold that view. But we are now also aware of other risk factors that contribute to obesity, including (a) your genes, (b) your parents’ weight and thus early childhood influences and environment, (c) the amount of weight your mother gained during pregnancy, and (d) your natural metabolism, as well as the food types and quantities ingested and how much you exercise. In other words, obesity is no longer seen purely a sign of poor character or lack of self-control, so it’s now even more politically incorrect to mock overweight people.
Yet the song remains popular. Is this evidence of the continued need to create an “us” versus “them” identity, or was Weird Al able to ‘slip’ the song in before the societal zeitgeist changed? If it were to come out now, would it be so readily accepted? I don’t have an answer.
I compare the ‘appropriateness’ of “Fat” with “White and Nerdy,”[13] because both songs pertain to specific subsections of the population, defined by specific characteristics. One song focuses on weight, the other on a stereotyped persona; that of the white nerd, a ping-pong-playing-mayonnaise-eating-computer-progamming-action-figure-collecting-weird-dancing male who just wants to hang with the gangstas. The first song starts with a man trying to reject his former friends and ‘real’ identity but then accepting it in a self-deriding fashion; the latter song embraces the ‘real’ identity while simultaneously bemoaning the inability to fit in with the desired social group. In both songs, the character accepts his perceived identity, but the singer is not a member of the first parodied group, and is of the second. White and Nerdy males also make up a significant portion of Weird Al’s demographic, as evidenced by the popularity of “It’s All About the Pentium.”[14] So on the surface, this does seem to be a more ‘politically correct’ song.
Which is not to say that our humour is entirely controlled by political correctness. Though there are fewer racial jokes, we still tell Newfie jokes in Canada (except east of Quebec, I imagine) and inbreeding jokes about several of the States[15]. But it does seem true that the only people who can be safely mocked are white males[16]. A part of me feels sorry for them now that they’re everybody’s piñata. However, another part of me, with experiences of harassment because of my gender, my religion, my cultural heritage, for being ethnic-looking, for being bright, for just being… that part of me thinks, “well, it’s about time.” I’ve had it comparatively easy with regards to harassment and racism. When people yell ethnic slurs at me, I am insulted on behalf of the people they are slurring, but not for myself. Racists are obviously too stupid to even recognize the ethnicity they hate, ‘cause they never get mine right[17]. But the rest gets tiring, being dismissed because of my gender/religious beliefs/value system/hair colour/shoe size…. In comparison, white males have had it easy for centuries. However, these white males haven’t had it easy. Current white males dealing with representative hiring practices and “man-bashing time[18]” attitudes are not responsible for centuries of oppression/harassment/injustice. They may be contributing to current issues, but then, aren’t we all?
But I digress. And I don’t know that I have any conclusions, just musings. Wonderings. And those wonderings include the Amish. “Amish Paradise”[19] is a fun song and a great video. It has a good rhythm, nice mix of rap and choral singing, fun lyrics, and attitude. I’ve enjoyed it for several years. Lately, though, I’ve been thinking that it isn’t the most respectful of videos. It isn’t likely that many Amish will actually hear it/about it, so protest/retaliation seems unlikely. However, I am again wondering.... On the one hand, the Amish lifestyle is religion-based, and this song does mock those lifestyle choices. However, Weird Al made it in fun, and sings it in fun; so on what side of the line does it fall? At what point does jest become jeer? Since “Amish Paradise” remains one of his most popular songs, I am again left wondering if it is society that is just a bit too intolerant, if I as a psychologist am a bit too sensitive, or if it’s ‘six of one, half-dozen of the other?’
The Parody and the Profound (or is that profane?)
Moving on; the fourth category in which some of Weird Al’s music can be placed are songs presented as humour with an unexpected twist of psychological profundity, should you wish to consider it. The examples I have of this category are explored herein, though further consideration of his works (I await delivery of a couple more CDs) will likely reveal more.
“Wanna be Ur Lover,”[20] is another favourite of mine for the great lyrics and wonderful presentation. In concert, Weird Al goes through the audience and sings a collection of the dumbest, most blatantly sexualized, worst pick-up lines EVER while dancing and gyrating with grace, flair, and fun. (And the suit works too!) The whole song reads like some smarmy jerk in a bar with delusions of getting laid. Yet, there are those two lines of the chorus; “I wanna be your lover, baby, I need somebody to love.” Those lines can turn the song from smarm to a strange kind of pathos, if you process it… from being sung by a horny jerk to a lonely social misfit trying on a role he thinks will work because he doesn’t know how else to connect. (As further evidence that the singer is a social misfit and not a horndog: what horndog would say “I wanna take you home right now… so you can meet my mom;” that’s totally a misfit line!) This is a song that likely only Weird Al could get away with. From “serious” singers, we’re expecting meaning and angst and pathos, so we would sit through the fun waiting for the angst. With Weird Al, however, the opposite is true. We expect fun, we get fun, and the angst is there should we wish to address it. And it isn’t angsty-angst in a way that’s going to dampen our mood; it’s the opportunity for a little reflection, to say ‘yeah, I know someone like that,’ to recognize ourselves/ others in a safe, detached manner. From a psychological perspective, those two lines invite the listener to look beyond the behaviour (that is, the stupid pick-up lines) to see the motivation/ true feelings behind it. And if we do that looking-behind-the-behaviour-and-not-taking-things-at-face-value thing with a song, a book, a film or television show, we’re more likely to do it in real life. So “Wanna be Ur Lover” isn’t just fun fluff mocking inept horndogs… it’s a gentle tap on the shoulder pointing out the importance of thinking “why” instead of just “go away.” Plus, it’s wickedly funny!
“Christmas at Ground Zero”[21] is another personal favourite that appeals to my dark/black humour. I have this ever-so-slightly-twisted sense of humour, the likes of which have also been found in individuals with terminal illness, survivors of abuse, and those who follow the political machinations of our respective countries. “Christmas at Ground Zero” is the finding of a kindred spirit and a brief break from the trenches to recognize the absurdity of our world. When it was originally released, this song was banned from most (if not all) radio stations for being an ‘inappropriate’ holiday song[22], what with the juxtaposition of holiday cheer with impending death and mass destruction. And yet, isn’t that really what society is really like; cheer in the face of sadness, joy in the face of pain? Research tells us that those with depression actually have a more realistic view of the world than do those deemed ‘normal’ or ‘healthy,’ as they see and acknowledge the darker side and do not turn away or deny it’s existence. With this in mind, “Christmas at Ground Zero” becomes more than ‘just’ a spirited, tongue-in-cheek song of nuclear destruction and holiday celebration. It is recognition of potential disaster and a demonstration of the strength of the human spirit to celebrate even in the face of death. To ban this song because of the mention of war and nuclear destruction is to ignore the fact that, at any given time, at least two countries on our planet are at war, and that nuclear destruction has been and continues to be a real possibility. This isn’t a song for children, obviously, but then, Christmas isn’t ‘just’ for them either.
Then there’s “Do I Creep You Out,”[23] a declaration of love from a stalker to his victim; not exactly typical song fodder. Stalking is a serious issue; roughly 1, 006, 970 women and 370, 990 men are stalked annually in the States[24]. Stalking behaviour ranges from observing from a distance, to voyeurism, to harming/killing the object of their affection if the stalker feels rejected. Weird Al’s take on the song mocks stalkers and shows the ridiculousness of obsession[25]. As such, it sheds light on and defuses a serious issue. Plus, the video, ending with the singer being made into the ‘love interest’ of a fellow inmate, is delightful justice! This is one of those songs where the psychologist in me says, “we shouldn’t be making light of this issue,” and the dark-humour-as-coping-mechanism part of me says, “oh yes we should!” It’s a guilty pleasure for which I am very grateful.
Finally, there is the killing of “You’re Beautiful”[26] with the parody “You’re Pitiful.”[27] While not containing the psychological power of the first two songs (and indeed, having lyrics and a message that are verbally aggressive), it does a community service, and mental health workers everywhere are in Weird Al’s debt.
I have never minded the original song itself, although I did object to the mind-numbing frequency with which local radio stations played it. What bothers me is the video. For those ‘not in the know,' the original song is about a young man who sees a beautiful woman, falls instantly in love, and laments that he can never have her. In the video, he strips himself of his clothes and worldly possessions, and then dives off a cliff. The video thus presents suicide as a realistic, and perhaps logical, response to seeing someone with whom you cannot have a meaningful relationship[28]. If suicide truly were a logical response, however, Weird Al (and many other celebs) would have been regularly losing his fan base over the past few decades. And while suicide is unfortunately a not uncommon response to unrequited love and/or loss, is it something we wish to celebrate? The video’s presentation is not an attempt to convince people to seek help or alternative choices/ relationships. There isn’t a “don’t do this at home” message, and this troubles me. I’m not saying people would go out and kill themselves because of this video. I’m also not saying that it should not have been made. But I’m very, very happy that the video (and song) have been lampooned. Unlike the original, the parody, though verbally aggressive, is made in jest and comes across as such. Its own presentation diminishes any potential negative emotional effects. (Plus, how seriously can you take insults delivered by a guy in a Spongebob t-shirt, pink tutu, and boxers?)
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
[9] www.geocities.com/mjareviews/weirdal.html; www.imdb.com/name/nm0946148/bio
[10] “Ding-dong, man, ding-dong.”
[11] weirdal.0catch.com/txt/ecr050488.html
[12] youtube.com/watch?v=wFvCVs-NPz8
[13] youtube.com/watch?v=wFvCVs-NPz8
[14] www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vaNeaWQoHI
[15] And let’s face it: a rabbi, a priest, and a minister walking into a bar will always be funny… though you’d think one of them would have seen it….
[16] and Christians, so, of course, Christian white males get slaughtered, thus proving that we have come full-circle and returned to the practices of the Roman Empire.
[17] Because I can use chopsticks, I must be Asian? And I wasn’t even tanned when I got told to go back to my teepee… my hair was just braided!
[18] Bowser and Blue, not Weird Al. Sorry.
[19] www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsfVw9xxoNY
[20] youtube.com/watch?v=legnB3ihRjc&mode=related&search=
[21] youtube.com/watch?v=EGdrMOttV_s
[22] www.imdb.com/name/nm0946148/bio
[23] www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4bL97tAbpA
[24] http://www.allencountyprosecutor.com/Stalking%20Press%20Release,%20January,%202006.pdf
[25] “Something I should ask about, can I smell the pit stains in your blouse?”
[26] www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y7WDWP8WMs
[27] www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvgmFqdfMHw&mode=related&search=, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN93RLGJBKE&mode=related&search=
[28] According to www.answers.com/topic/you-re-beautiful?cat=entertainment, a follow-up video of the character swimming with three mermaids has been made to counter people’s belief that the song is about suicide.
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