1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: a show for those interested in the big and small 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: moments of history. I'm Gay Bluzier, and in this episode 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: we're talking about the one and only Weird Owl, champion 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: of the Squeeze Box and an inspiration to all who 7 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: dared to be stupid. The day was October nineteen fifty nine. 8 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: The parody singing polka playing musician known as Weird Owl 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: was born. For the first two decades of his life, however, 10 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: he went by his given name, Alfred Matthew Yankovic. He 11 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: was born in Downey, California, and raised in Lynnwood by 12 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: his parents, Mary Elizabeth and Nick Yankovic. On the eve 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: of his seventh birthday, a chance encounter set young Alfred 14 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: on a life defining path. A door to door salesman 15 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: came to the Yankovic house to solicit business for a 16 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: local music school, which offered lessons on how to play 17 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: either the guitar or the accordion. Alfred's father was of 18 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: Yugoslavian heritage, and the family happened to share its surname 19 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: with an unrelated musician named Frankie Yankovic, also known as 20 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: America's King of Polka. Because of this tangential connection, Alfred's 21 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: parents chose the accordion for their son, and the rest 22 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: is music history. As a student, Alfred learned to play 23 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: polka and classical music, but in his free time, he 24 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: also taught himself how to recreate his favorite rock and 25 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: pop songs on the accordion, a skill that would serve 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: him well in later years. A particular favorite was the 27 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Elton John album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which Alfred would 28 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: listen to over and over as he tried to play 29 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: along by year. In addition to musical talent, Alfred Yankovic 30 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: was also a gifted student. In fact, he graduated high 31 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: school as valedictorian at the age of just sixteen. That 32 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: same year, a popular comedian and radio personality named Dr 33 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: Demento happened to pay a visit to his school. Alfred 34 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: was a big fan of Demento's work and gave him 35 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: a demo tape of his own original comedy songs that 36 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: he had recorded at home. Apparently, Doctor Demento liked what 37 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: he heard, because soon after he played one of those songs, 38 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: Belvedere Kruzen on his radio show It Can Take a Blue. 39 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 1: Alia got a through Vedren Later that year, Alfred attended 40 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: Polytechnic State University in California, seeking a degree in architecture. 41 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: He also found an outlet for his musical passion by 42 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: working as a disc jockey at the campus radio station. 43 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: He spun records every Wednesday from midnight to three am, 44 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: and because every DJ needs a nickname, he dubbed himself 45 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: Weird Al. He didn't get a chance to play much 46 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: weird music during the gig, the station's format restricted him 47 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: to new wave music only, but Dr Demento, who was 48 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: the inspiration for the Weird Al Moniker, continued to play 49 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: Al's early compositions on his own show. In nine, Al 50 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: wrote an accordion driven parody of the popular song My 51 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: Sharona by the band The Knack. Al called his version 52 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: wait for It My Bologna show me How. He recorded 53 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: it in the bathroom across the hall from the college 54 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: radio station because he thought the tiled walls and floor 55 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: provided better acoustics. The song became a huge hit on 56 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: Dr Demento's radio show, but that was just the beginning. 57 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: When The Knack played a concert on campus. Al managed 58 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: to meet the band backstage, and the lead singer confessed 59 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: to being a fan of Al's parody. In fact, the 60 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: singer turned to Rupert Perry, the vice president of Capitol Records, 61 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: and said, you guys ought to put this song out. 62 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 1: Perry agreed, and My Bologna was soon released as a 63 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: satirical single by the record label. At this point, you 64 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: may be wondering how all this parody business works well. 65 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: According to US copyright law, parody falls under the provision 66 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: of fair use. This means that you don't need an 67 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: artist's permission to parody their work as long as you 68 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: pay them royalties if your parody turns a profit. That said, 69 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: by all accounts weird. Al is a stand up guy, 70 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: and as a courtesy, he likes to ask for permission anyway. 71 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: It's rare for an artist or label to refuse his request, 72 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: but when it does happen, he respects their wishes. For example, 73 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: Paul McCartney famously withheld his blessing for a parody of 74 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: Live and Let Die because Al's version, titled Chicken pot Pie, 75 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: was it odds with McCartney's staunch vegetarianism. Al has performed 76 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 1: pieces of that song during a fast food metally at 77 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: some of his concerts, but he never released it on 78 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 1: any album. After getting his degree in nineteen eighty, Al 79 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: built on the success of My Bologna by releasing Another 80 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: One Rides the Bus, a parody of Queens Another one 81 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: Bites the Dust. Should have got half a couple of 82 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: months ago, but I could and get to the door. 83 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: There isn't an over me to brain and now we're 84 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:59,559 Speaker 1: gonna pick up more. Yeah, another on his version became 85 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: a hit in its own right, and was quickly followed 86 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: by I Love Rocky Road, a parody of I Love 87 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: rock and Roll by Joan Jet and the Black Hearts, 88 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: and if That's fine with me, just Lock Me and 89 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: the Fraser, and throw Away Road. When Rocky Road made 90 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: it onto the top forty radio chart, Al signed a 91 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: deal with Scotti Brothers Records and released his first full 92 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: length album, Weird Al Yankovic in. He followed it up 93 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: a year later with the release of his second album, 94 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: Weird Al Yankovic In three d. That record proved to 95 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: be the big breakthrough of Al's career, due in large 96 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: part to the single eat It, a parody of Michael 97 00:06:52,320 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: Jackson's Beat It and Have Some and Doesn't. The parody 98 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: song got a lot of play on MTV, and it 99 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: became weird Owl's highest charting song until the release of 100 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: White and Nerdy in two thousand six equation you bring 101 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: a fluent in JavaScript as well as clay in. The 102 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: fact that weird Awl topped his own success twenty two 103 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: years later is a testament to the longevity of his career. 104 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: He hit a rough patch in the late eighties, but 105 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: rebounded in the early nineties with the release of parody 106 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: songs like Smells Like Nirvana, An Amish Paradise and You 107 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: Finished Stein Then to Night We're Going to Party Like 108 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: in We've been banded most lives. He's remained more or 109 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: less in the limelight ever since. In fact, his popularity 110 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: hit a new high in when he released his fourteen 111 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: studio album, The Grammy winning Mandatory Fund. It debuted in 112 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: the number one spot of the Billboard Top two hundred chart, 113 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: the first comedy album to ever do so. Against the odds, 114 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: weird Owl has built a sturdy award winning career on 115 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: parodies and polka due to his creativity and humor. His 116 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: fame as outlasted countless serious musicians, including many of the 117 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: ones he's parodied. He may be weird, but his talent 118 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: is no joke. I'm gay, bluesier, and hopefully you now 119 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 120 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: If you want to keep up with the show, you 121 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t 122 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: d i HC Show, and you can let me know 123 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: your favorite weird owl song by writing to this day 124 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: at heart media dot com. Thanks to channel Or Mays 125 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 1: for producing the show, and thank you for listening. I'll 126 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: see you back here again tomorrow for another day in 127 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: History class. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit 128 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 129 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.