I thought I knew everything there was to know about the man called Weird Al, but it turns out I was wrong. A more in-depth analysis awaited me in the pages of Weird Al and the resulting appreciation for my musical hero was only amplified by the insight found within. Weird Al is much more than a year-by-year biography of Weird Al Yankovic, in fact it’s everything but that…. What’s fascinating is the sheer amount of research that has gone into dissecting Al’s musical influence, as Hirsch seems to have read every single interview from print, to television to online outlets that ever referenced Al and arranges them with ease…. If you were ever a Weird Al fan or just want to examine the evidence as to why he wasn’t left behind in the 80’s as a one-gimmick wonder, Weird Al has everything you could ask for and then some.
01/27/2020
Music writer Hirsch celebrates the career of music comedian Alfred “Weird Al” Yankovic in this thoroughly researched debut biography. Best known for his parodies, Hirsch argues that Yankovic is much more than a comedy act, and that his songs allow listeners to “be whoever you are,” as “he creates a mix of tribute and mockery in his work, and he mocks himself just as he slyly takes down the bad behavior of others.” Hirsch charts Yankovic’s rise to fame, beginning with 1979’s “My Bologna” (a take on the Knack’s “My Sharona,” which he recorded in a bathroom at California Polytechnic State, where he worked as a student DJ), and recounts how artists have responded to having their work remade (Coolio was originally outraged by Yankovic’s “Amish Paradise” parody of his “Gangsta’s Paradise,” but years later admitted, “I was being cocky and stupid.... The song’s actually funny as s___”). Hirsch details dozens of songs, at times to the point of overkill, as in an entire section devoted to politics (Yankovic addresses gun violence in several songs including his original song “Trigger Happy” and “Canadian Idiot,” a parody of Green Day’s “American Idiot”). While it probably will not win over any new fans, this is the perfect volume for all who proudly rock out to Weird Al. (Mar.)
Weird Al: Seriously is a bracingly smart, incisive book about a wonderfully, transcendently silly icon who also happens to be a super-genius. It’s an eminently worthy addition to the growing body of literature on Al that gives Al his due as an artist and national treasure. As someone who has spent a LOT of time over-thinking every element of Al’s career I am in genuine awe at just how much thought and care Hirsch has put into her work.
Too easy is Weird Al dismissed as unimportant, but artists who take art and twist it into something fresh and new deserve their own accolades! In Weird Al: Seriously we can truly appreciate the message behind the mask and the man behind the clown.
There's something dangerous about serious analysis of comedy, but musicologist Hirsch's look into the discography of pop parodist 'Weird Al' Yankovic keeps things fun. After a brief look at his influences (including Dr. Demento, who wrote the introduction), she mines literary and socialcriticisms and, backed up by an exhaustive survey of Yankovic in the media, dissects his work toprove that he is more than just a novelty act....Hirsch is clearly a fan, and her geeking out over Yankovic's terrible (wonderful) puns and keen (and keenly juvenile) sense of the absurd will endear the book to readers who are fellow Al-colohics.
Hirsch insists that it is high time that we look at, listen to and talk “about the various aspects of Yankovic’s art that merit serious attention,” to move the reader to revisit Yankovic’s music and listen with fresh ears...Hirsch [makes] a good case for Yankovic’s artistic bona fides while still keeping things hopping.
So happy to see Weird Al getting the recognition he deserves. He’s one of my favorite spirits, entities, performers, and I hear he’s an incredible family man. Also that hair, gotta love that hair.
Weird Al is as smart as he is zany, and his parodies are clearly born of a deep love of music, which is the secret ingredient of successful satire. In her fine new book, Lily Hirsch offers an engaging exploration of Weird Al's place in the cultural landscape.
There's something dangerous about serious analysis of comedy, but musicologist Hirsch's look into the discography of pop parodist 'Weird Al' Yankovic keeps things fun. After a brief look at his influences (including Dr. Demento, who wrote the introduction), she mines literary and social criticisms and, backed up by an exhaustive survey of Yankovic in the media, dissects his work to prove that he is more than just a novelty act. . . . Hirsch is clearly a fan, and her geeking out over Yankovic's terrible (wonderful) puns and keen (and keenly juvenile) sense of the absurd will endear the book to readers who are fellow Al-colohics.
02/01/2020
With 40-plus years in the music industry and multiple Grammy wins, "Weird Al" Yankovic (b. 1959) has enjoyed remarkable success, especially given that his output has consisted almost entirely of song parodies. His hilariously bizarre hits have spoofed everything from Michael Jackson's "Beat It" ("Eat It") to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" ("Amish Paradise"). Musicologist Hirsch (Anneliese Landau's Life in Music) combines a close reading of Yankovic's work with thorough research, explaining that his success is rooted in both his clever turn of phrase and his willingness to take on complex themes. The author searches for deeper meanings, asking probing questions: What is Yankovic saying about race, religion, and gender? What is really going on in "Angry White Boy Polka"? While this scholarly treatment may sound too serious for such entertaining fare, Hirsch keeps the tone energetic. She calls herself an "Al-cademic" (the subject matter makes it impossible to avoid wordplay) and livens the text with funny anecdotes and interviews with Yankovic and his band members. VERDICT This engaging read skillfully documents the hard work that goes into being silly; readers will emerge with a newfound respect for Yankovic.—Terry Bosky, Madison, WI
