Do I LOVE Weird Al Yet?: "'Weird Al' Yankovic in 3-D"

It's that time of our lives again. The parody composer Weird Al Yankovic has released his latest album "Mandatory Fun." Upon listening to it, I was left with one feeling: Why are people obsessed with this guy? He did a lot of good songs, but there's a lot of untapped material that I am unaware of. For the next two weeks, I will be listening and reviewing each day Weird Al's discography from "'Weird Al' Yankovic" to "Mandatory Fun" with thoughts on the highs and lows and answer the eternal question: Do I LOVE Weird Al Yet?

Album: "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D
Release Date: February 28, 1984
Record Label: Rock 'n Roll Records, Scotti Brothers

Preconceived Notions: After a really solid debut, I was expecting more of the same with exception to possibly better production values. Maybe more accordion and use of funny sound effects. Opening up with probably his most iconic song, "Eat It," I assume that the album will feature more classic vintage tracks that time has unfortunately forgotten. However, more accordion and an absurd amount of enthusiasm behind every parody. Spin Magazine named it one of the Top 40 Best Comedy Albums of All Time, which has to mean something, right?

Track List:

1. Eat It
2. Midnight Star
3. The Brady Bunch
4. Buy Me a Condo
5. I Lost on Jeopardy
6. Polkas on 45
7. Mr. Popeil
8. King of Suede
9. That Boy Could Dance
10. Theme from Rocky XIII (The Rye or the Kaiser)
11. Nature Trail to Hell

Best Song: "Theme from Rocky XIII (The Rye or the Kaiser)"

As likely to become more evident as this continues, I am saving this category for the song that left me with the strongest impression and not necessarily one that I am most familiar with. I also am trying to make each of these categories a different song. However, when I saw this track on the album, I was really expecting something uninspired and really dumb about how Rocky is in a nursing home or something. I was pleasantly surprised that it became a song all about him working at a deli in ways that worked beyond the confines of him being a washed up boxer. You don't need to know Rocky to like this song, which I found rather effective. Also, it is weird how many songs in Weird Al's career have so far been about marketing. This album is chocked full of them.

Worst Song: "Gonna Buy Me a Condo"

Speaking as "King of Suede" is a few tracks away, I do find this song a little jarring. Maybe it has to do with growing up in the 90's where white men playing reggae/third wave ska has been overplayed. The lyrics are fine, but I feel like the joke is more in a white guy doing reggae, and it wears thin for me pretty quickly. Also, it is not memorable and slows down the album, which already for me has trouble getting going with the front half being a little dated.

Was That a Parody?: Okay, I love "I Lost on Jeopardy" even before going through this experiment. I love how accurate it all is and that it somehow captures the atmosphere of game shows with some clarity. However, until I researched it on Wikipedia, I was unaware that it was a parody of The Greg Kinh Band's "Jeopardy." Maybe it is because that song has since faded into obscurity, but I also can't see it being nearly as interesting as this version.

Most Dated Song: "The Brady Bunch"

Love them or hate them, referencing all of these TV shows is not a method that will hold up to the next generation. Somehow "Ricky" exceeded this by commenting on sitcom tropes, but "The Brady Bunch" goes straight for the obvious idea of not watching all of these different shows that were referenced. Most of all, as inspired as setting the lyrics to The Brady Bunch theme over Men Without Hats' "Safety Dance," it feels arbitrary to the rest of the song. It is a clever idea, but sadly loses momentum for those who don't know the iconic theme.

Strangest Song: "Nature Trail to Hell"

Again with the marketing songs. This is all essentially an advertisement for a fake horror film full of graphic violence. Anyone who has affinity for b-movies can appreciate the lyrical craft here. With haunting back-up vocals, it is perverse and exciting. Also, it does bring home the great idea of a song mentioning a movie "In 3-D." I feel like that reference alone reflects untapped potential for this album to be more thematic. Then again, it really does feel like it is trying to sell you stuff, so maybe it is.

Great Notes: The legendary announcer Don Pardo makes a cameo on "I Lost on Jeopardy" and takes that parody over the top by doing what he does best: telling you what you lost. Having appeared on almost all of Saturday Night Live's run to date, he is an unprecedented highlight and honorable mention anytime he pops up anywhere.

Final Thoughts: Maybe I set my hopes too high, but this album really felt disappointing. While I think that "Eat It" holds up nicely, the first half is exceptionally dated and feels too familiarized with its goofiness. It could be the quick turnaround from the first album (10 months), but this feels a lot more rushed and novelty. Yes, the craft keeps it from being anything resembling a waste, but even the better songs on here ("King of Suede," "That Boy Could Dance") don't have nearly as much momentum in its humor. It could just be the poor source material, but that is undermined by the overall still impressive dedication to craft. Also, the first polka medley with "Polkas on 45" makes its appearance here and it is a fresh idea that I feel remains strong.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Do I LOVE Weird Al Yet?: It is complacent. While I found a few solid tracks here, I still yearn for the vibrant madness of the debut to shine through.

Polka Ranking (All Albums)

1. "Polkas on 45" (from "'Weird Al' Yankovic in 3-D" - 1984)

Ranking (All Albums)

1. "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)

2. "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D (1984)

UP NEXT: Dare to Be Stupid (1985)