Weird Al Yankovic – Dare To Be Stupid

There is no doubt Weird Al Yankovic is the king of the funny song and novelty song. The funny song and novelty song is a genre that comes and goes.

It was quite popular for a while with Alan Sherman and Ray Stevens and was also a staple of mid-seventies radio in the summer when song spoofs like The Tide is High had a decent run. Weird Al was born in a musical family and started out young, having his first hit on Dr. Demento before he was eighteen. The reason Weird Al Yankovic and his funny songs, such as those on Dare To Be Stupid are such a great his is the power of video and MTV. You can now get visual support for all the funny jokes Weird Al Yankovic slips into his songs. Maybe the DVD of Dare To Be Stupid would be more interesting over all.

Dare To Be Stupid is one of many Weird Al Yankovic funny song compilation CDs. Like his other funny song CDs, it is a hit and miss proposition, some song spoofs being more successful than others, some songs being more interesting than others in terms of arrangements. Like a Surgeon, a funny spoof of Madonna’s Like a Virgin doesn’t quite work, the beat sounds computerized and Weird Al’s voice is too Britney Speared (studio enhanced) I Want a New Duck is a very funny song take-off of the Huey Lewis song and sounds just as good. Yoda is a hilarious take on the famous Lo-lo-lo-Lola song.

Perhaps the best funny song on Weird Al Yankovic’s Dare To Be Stupid is his Girls Just Want To Have Lunch. There are some definite misses on this CD of funny songs such as Slime Creatures From Outer Space, This Is The Life, and Cable TV. The least funny of the funny songs is without a doubt the last cut on this CD Hooked On Polkas.

Funny songs, like any kind of music, is a matter of taste. Some people love the genre, some really dislike it, and most enjoy the odd very funny song but it really has to be good. Weird Al Yankovic has enjoyed quite a few big hits in his career but there is also a reason why you often find his CDs in the bargain bin at the used CD store and at garage sales: cute trick but no real lasting power. Then again, so is most bubble-gum pop.

Dare To Be Stupid
Weird Al Yankovic
Scotti Bros

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