This is a list of my top ten favorite Weird Al songs, with an explanation of why I like 'em so much (read: me gushing over how dang cool they all sound). To keep up (most of) the suspense, I'll be listing them from number 10 all the way to number 1. Enjoy the ride.
And no, I promise I didn't get the words mixed up in the header. It would be a missed opportunity not to make an accordion pun!
I'm starting off my list with the bouncy, fast-paced polka-rama that is...uh, "Polkarama". It's what I call "music to dance to". Seriously, just listen to that instrumental! He swaps between various styles (especially through "Don't Cha" through "Pon de Replay") and it's a joy to hear. I just love the way Al flows through each song, y'know? Alas, there are just some songs that are bouncier or catchier (and also have more things I can think of saying about 'em). Keep that first part in mind.
Out of all the medleys, this one has the best opening; it's a delightful lick. It's not as style swapping as "Polkarama!", but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable to listen to. My favorite parts are "Enter Sandman" and "Cherry Pie", both because I liked the original songs and I loved how Weird Al sang 'em. And, of course, I find the whole "pointing at the drummer during his solo" thing neat.
"...Hey, hey, wait a minute," you may be asking. "The song you named your freaking fansite over...is only your ninth favorite Weird Al song?!"
Look, look. "Polka Your Eyes Out" is my favorite polka medley, and a generally catchy song to listen to, but in the sea of all the other Weird Al songs...it just doesn't have as much luster. And besides, "polka your eyes out" is really fun to say.
A major interest in technology + a nerdcore rap rock song about computers = a sweet, sweet place on this list. There's just something about a man bragging about his coding skills and powerful CPU that makes a song great. The music video is immaculate, even with its occasionally strange dance moves and Al's COMDEX outfit. And not to mention that rockin' instrumental...! Still, it's low on the list because...well...you've seen what happened to the last two entries, haven't you? (Those dang dance moves aren't helping its case, either!)
This song was also (indirectly) how I found out what a "Pentium" was. It's an Intel processor, by the way. Man...
Speaking of computers, Weird Al has a equally delightful song about a destructive computer worm (being A) spread through email spam and B) effectively self-replicating). Alas, "Worm Alert" doesn't quite roll off the tongue. What does roll off the tongue though is those lyrics. His voice is weirdly reassuring, even though he's singing about a virus that'll destroy your life (kinda like TV Tropes, but with more real-life consequences). And, of course, the instrumental is just as great. It even has the honor of being my favorite animated Weird Al music video!
I'll say it now, I'm a sucker for synthesizers. And synth pop, which is what this song happens to be. It's just a joy to listen to (and also sing to, but that's notes for another day). That instrumental! That story progression! And most importantly, that reverb! Seriously, it wouldn't be as high up on this list if it didn't have any reverb. Bonus points for being a song about science (one of my favorite subjects) and cloning in particular.
Weird Al knows how to scare people when he wants to. Just listen to him pull those chains! In all seriousness, though, he does an amazing job setting the atmosphere for the song. Relatedly, I love how he does the buildup to the chorus. The way Al sings here is immaculate; it's just so dang silky smooth and movie-traileresque. The only reason it isn't higher on the list is because that damn bubbling keeps bringing me out of the picture.
(Note: I've since gotten over myself about that. Still, I like to be a little petty.)
How could you not obsess over a song with a riff like that? Just like a proper advertisement, it's instantly recognizable. Not to mention the quality of the rest of the song; it matches the vibes of the movie perfectly. Of course, given it's named after said movie, it'd have to. Ahem, back to the song; I just find these lyrics immaculate. They're also slightly sinister sounding, which is always a plus.
Four words, everyone. Weird Al. Speed metal. And does it rock! The way the voices overlap in the chorus... The hardware tools being incorporated into the instrumental... The way he talks about that dang hardware store... And, last but not least, the most glorious, multilayered, and fast-paced list in a song I've ever heard. It's not just five Als' worth of hardware store appliances and five Als out of five; I'd go out to say it's one of Weird Al's greatest originals.
Synth music is, as I've mentioned before, awesome. And so are nonhuman aliens tormenting humans in exaggerated ways. Well, quite conveniently, "Slime Creatures from Outer Space" features both. The descriptions of what those aliens were doing are hilarious - violently so - albeit to the annoyance (and not much else) of the singer. I'll give him a pass, though, because the way he sings makes the song so dang catchy. And have you seen the way Al plays the synth when he's singing it live? It's absolutely fascinating. This song's a low-budget horror B-movie in music form, and that's what makes it amazing.
And here is number one; one of the lyrics being used for the tab text maybe gave it away. I don't care though, because just about everything with "Genius in France" is perfect. The composition, the lyrics, the fact they got Dweezil freakin' Zappa to play the opening lick... Not to mention, it's a beautiful style parody of Frank Zappa (just look at all the songs he referenced!). And I sound like a broken record by this point, but I don't care; listen to that [honk]ing instrumental! What else do I have to say?!
Wait, I do actually have one more thing to say. To paraphrase the song; "I dig it's mystique, I think it's c'est magnifique!". ("Très magnifique", actually, but that's besides the point.)
(Also, uh, feel free to read the addendum for this afterwards.)
Come back home, won't you?