Weekly ‘Weird Al’ Wednesday #5 – ‘UHF’ First and Last
“Weekly ‘Weird Al’ Wednesday” where Ben examines a selection from the ‘Weird Al’ cannon, each week, on Wednesday.
The first time I saw Al in concert was in 1996 on the Bad Hair Day Tour. During one of the costume changes, when they play video clips, they showed the scene from UHF where the kid finds the marble in the oatmeal. When Stanley Spadowski began to shout his iconic line, the crowed joined in and we all shouted "You get to drink from the firehouse!"
These were my people, I've found my spiritual home. I'd never felt closer to humanity then at that moment, for the rest of the show we were one. After the show I left the building and remembered I was at a county fair, on a Saturday night, in Nebraska, and I quickly returned to my anti-social sensibilities.
So, I've long had a special spot for the UHF soundtrack, it softens my cynical shell and reminded me of the good in people and - blah, blah, blah. Anyways, this time on the WWAW I want to focus on the first and last songs on the UHF soundtrack.
First, "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies." The genius of this song is hidden in it's simplicity. It is basically a reappropriation of the lyrics from the Beverly Hillbillies' theme song mashed up with Dire Straits "Money for Nothing." And they go together so well you'd never guess it wasn't the way it was suppose to be.
The last song on the album, "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," is a sprawling, beautiful, story song about traveling to see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. It's a style parody of Harry Chapin or Gordon Lightfoot type folk music. The song is another excellent example of Al talking small, mundane parts of life and describing them in grandiose terms and inflating them to epic adventures. In this case it's taking a family vacation. From packing the car to stopping for pickled wieners and diet chocolate soda Al creates a world with the song that is at the same time silly and heartbreakingly nostalgic.
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