Weird Al Yankovic - Off the Deep End
|
Our Price: $29.33 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.16 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Off the Deep End
Free Music Review: TAKE THE PLUNGE!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
In the world of Amazon reviewing, there is nothing more frowned upon than a serious look at a Weird Al record. Many have tried, and many have taken the punch hard, by losing much of the respect of fellow reviewers. This happened to me once before, when I attempted to review Weird Al's 1984 mega hit "In 3-D". Although I still stand by my opinion of it being one of the landmark albums of the eighties, my reputation around these parts took a major downfall, with my reviewer rank plumeting into the octruple digits.
For a long time I decided never to review Al's second best offering, 1991's OFF THE DEEP END... even though I consider it a bonafied classic, in the parody/novelty song genre.And one that begs to be discussed. So here goes...
Perhaps it came around at such an important era of popular culture. When the mass eighties scenes were making way for inovative pop, like the alterna-scene, and a more sophisticated brand of MTV.(remember Kurt Loder?) Times were a-changin', and Weird Al knew that in order to stay relevant, he would have to switch some gears, and this time around instead of parodying the likes of Madonna and Michael Jackson, he would need to extend into parodying more modern trends like Nirvana and REM. The results were brilliant. The opening song SMELLS LIKE NIRVANA shows that no matter what sort of new sound was coming around, AL could still make it hillarious. His further take on alternative culture is displayed in the medley POLKA YOUR EYES OUT. This wasn't the first or last time AL strung pop toppers into a polka medley, but definately the most satisfying, as it shows exactly how we were on the cusp of pop revolution. The Medley flies rapidly from REM, to The B-52's, to Metallica, to Warrant, to Motley Crue without a hitch. Throwing in some Humpty Dance, some Touch Myself and some Ice Ice Baby to cool things down.
More great parodies follow, such as THE WHITE STUFF, a New Kids On The Block sounding jam about Oreo cookies. THE PLUMBING SONG, one Milli Vanilli could lyp synch to (B-b-b-baby; don't forget my plumber!) And who could EVER forget how awesome it was to hear AL take some shots at the Latino-rap community with the song TACO GRANDE, an unmistakable parody of the smash Gerardo hit Rico Suave.
You must also remember that Weird Al was at his best original writing here also. With great numbers like I WAS ONLY KIDDING, in which Al confesses to one of his many lovers that when he told her that he loved her and would always be true... he was in fact "Only Kidding baby- whats the matter with you anyway!" The song blends tender ballad with punk rock style. Genius! The surf rock sound of TRIGGER HAPPY is also worth mentioning, and the gritty rock of WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE and of course my personal favorite, the close out ballad YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE, in which Al is heartbroken at his girlfriends decision to "pluck out his chesthairs with an old pair of pliers" or to "Call him ugly and cheap, and shave off his eyebrows when he is asleep", or how he lost some self esteem when she "made it with the whole hockey team." Greatness.
So, I may take another rank plunge for this one, but I figured whatever. This album is to awesome not to pass on. Take that plunge yourself friends, Off The Deep End is one hell of a ride!
Free Music Review: His Best
Hit: 5 Stars
Here I go again, writing long reviews.Off The Deep End Is no doubt in my mind, Al's best CD. I think that Smells Like Nirvana is so good, It could take Off The Deep End to number 1 all by itself. Let me warn you. If you haven't heard the original songs, you will not enjoy the album. This album is for those who have a life and occasionally watch MTV.
Each song and my personal rating. (1-10) I am very critical of songs. If I don't like it, I will tell you. *xxxxxxxx* means "Top 3 Favorite."
1. *Smells Like Nirvana* (27)
Parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
By Nirvana (Kurt Cobain\Krist Novocelic\Dave Grohl)
New Lyrics By Al Yankovic
Recorded on 1-27-92
This is Al screaming and yelling to Smells Like Teen Spirit tune about how he doesn't know the words to the song. It is halarious. His music video is even better!
2. Trigger Happy (9)
By Al Yankovic
Recorded on 6-6-90
This is about how Al is facinated by firearms. This song is not for the lighthearted.
3. I Can't Watch This (9)
Parody of "U Can't Touch This"
By MC Hammer
New Lyrics By Al Yankovic
Recorded on 12-30-90
The ONLY reason why I rated it high was for Al's bewildering lyrics. It will make your jaw drop. Right behind Jerry Springer (Running With Scissors) I Can't Watch This is Al's best lyric peices.
4. Polka Your Eyes Out (7)
Medley Arranged By Al Yankovic
Recorded on 1-27-92
Awesome
5. I Was Only Kidding (10)
By Al Yankovic
Recorded On 1-27-92
Al's 2nd Best Sick and Twisted Love Songs
- When I said that I'd be faithful
When I promised I'd be true
When I swore that I could never
Be with anyone but you
When I told you that I love'd you
With those tender words I spoke
I was only kidding, Now can't ya take a joke?
Awesome
6. The White Stuff (5)
Parody of "(You Got It Baby)The Right Stuff"
By New Kids On The Block
New Lyrics By Al Yankovic
Personally, I don't care for it. But, If your a
New Kid's On The Block Fan, You might like it.
7. When I was Your Age (6)
By Al Yankovic
Sound like grandpa.
8. Taco Grande (9)
Parody of Rico Suave
?
New Lyrics By Al Yankovic
Al is awesome. Another one of those "Where'd he get thos lyrics?"
9. Airline Amy (3)
By Al Yankovic
You see, Al is all about comedy. Airline Amy isn't funny. It's a classic, but it is just plain and simply, not funny.
10. The Plumbing Song (1)
?
Stupid
11. You Don't Love Me Anymore (12)
By Al Yankovic
Sooooo funny.
Free Music Review: Another hilarious Weird Al-bum
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a Weird Al fan for a while, but I just bought my first 2 albums of his (Off The Deep End and Poodle Hat) in 2010. Out of those 2 though, I liked this one a little more.
Smells Like Nirvana, a parody of Smells Like Spirit by Nirvana, is the one that caused the most controversy because he was singing about how they "don't remember the words"/"don't know what they're singing". However, the band (especially Kurt) said they were honored to be parodied by Weird Al. It's a really funny song either way.
As for the other tracks:
Trigger Happy (a style parody of The Beach Boys) is another funny one about a guy who is obsessed with people for a living.
I Can't Watch This (parody of U Can't Touch This) is one of my favorites off the album. It's about someone complaining about every single thing on TV.
Polka Your Eyes Out is another one of his polkas. My least favorite on the album, but not necessarily skip-worthy.
I Was Only Kidding - the ultimate break-up song. Hahah. Never use this to break up with someone, but use it for a big laugh. XD
The White Stuff (parody of You Got It (The Right Stuff) by New Kids On The Block) is about Weird Al being obsessed with what's in the middle of an Oreo. Every kid's dream song. Haha.
Sure to be the parental favorite, When I Was Your Age, is about Weird Al telling a kid how inconsiderate he is, because when Al was his age "all he got for Christmas was a lousy bag of rocks" and stuff like that.
Taco Grande is about Al telling us how good tacos/Mexican food is.
In the next song Airline Amy, Weird Al meets his true love on a flight who "looks pretty hot in an oxygen mask".
The Plumbing Song (parody of "Baby Don't Forget My Number" and "Blame It On The Rain" by Milli Vanilli) is about... well, plumbing.
You Don't Love Me Anymore (followed by a hidden track) is an original where he wonders why his love is doing all this crazy stuff to him. What went wrong?
Overall, a great and hilarious album. You know for certain I'll be buying more of his albums in the future.
Free Music Review: greatest album ever made in the history of music
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the greatest album ever made. The original songs on this are just brilliant which along with good parodies place this album in the gods' jukebox.The legendary Smells Like Nirvana (parody of Smells Like Teen Spirit) song is the first track. One of the best ever parodies "Weird Al" ever did. I Can't Watch This (parody of Can't Touch This) is an hilarious take on television but since MC Hammer has faded probably has lost some of its appeal for many. The White Stuff (parody of The Right Stuff) is again brilliant and is a song about sugar but likewise New Kids on The Block demise has probably let this song down. Taco Grande (parody of Rico Suave) is half in English and Spanish. If you speak Spanish then maybe you'll get more out of this song than me. The English parts aren't that funny. The final parody on this album The Pluming Song (parody of Baby Don't Forget My Number and Blame it on the Rain) is again hysterical but since the original artists have faded probably never reached its potential on the hall of fame ladder.
What makes this album brilliant and a must buy is the sensational original songs. The final track You Don't Love Me Anymore was released as a single and you will probably remember it when it is played. It is the funniest song ever written and is about a guy who's girlfriend treats him like ... doing all kinds of things to him and he gets a feeling she doesn't love him anymore. You will never hear a better song than this.
When I Was Your Age is another classic, an hilarious exaggeration of the stories older people always tell those younger than them about growing up. Trigger Happy is pretty much the American redneck's national anthem and puts to song all the stupid things those in favour of arming citizens with mass killing weapons for their own protection say. I Was Only Kidding is a funny song about a guy who has been telling his girl he loves her but then confesses he was only kidding. Airline Amy is about falling in love with an airline hostess but isn't a classic when compared to the songs is has the misfortune of being put on the same album as.
Unless you are deaf you will want this album.
Free Music Review: Dive off the deep end into the best "Weird Al" album
Hit: 5 Stars
"Weird Al" Yankovic's third comeback (for those who are counting) came in 1992 with what is arguably his best album ever, "Off the Deep End." Like his previous best, "Even Worse," it features a cover that is itself a recognizable parody of Nirvana's "Nevermind," which is appropriate since "Smells Like Nirvana" is the monster hit on this satirical album. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is usually picked as the greatest song/music video of the last quarter of the 20th century so its prominence makes it perfect for a "Weird Al" interpretation. Again, the music is a dead on version of the original, but the lyrics are as fine as anything Yankovic ever set to someone else's music, managing to make fun of the unintelligible lyrics of the original and the entire Seattle grunge scene ("it sure beats raising cattle"). Yankovic also took advantage of the three years since his previous album, the "UHF" soundtrack, to write what I think is his best original song, "You Don't Love Me Anymore." A couple of his other original compositions, "Trigger Happy" and "When I Was Your Age," are a notch below. When you consider how lame most of his early original songs were this is an improvement of historical proportions. In terms of the parodies "I Can't Watch This" and "Taco Grande" are both above average and "Polka Your Eyes Out" is another great polka medleys (seriously, can you do a bad polka medley of contemporary music?). This time around everyone from Suzanne Vega and the B-52s to R.E.M. and Janet Jackson are delightfully skewered at break neck speed in less than four minutes (and do not forget the drum solo), ending with the best finale of any "Weird Al" polka medley.