2006年VOA标准英语-'Weird Al' Yankovic Returns with More Parody on

By Larry London
Washington
28 December 2006
 
Watch Weird¹ Al report

In the very competitive world of pop music, where there is little room for eclectic tastes or experimentation², there should be absolutely no room for anything "weird", let alone anyone called "Weird".  Larry London has this unique and interesting story.

 
'Weird Al' Yankovic 
Under normal circumstances it would not be considered weird to win three Grammy Awards among nine nominations³, release five platinum⁴ and three gold records.  For "Weird Al" Yankovic, who was inspired by a nationally syndicated radio program, however, he accomplished⁵ all that and directed all his own videos.  Those accomplishments⁶ would make it seem strange to call him weird.

"That was a name I actually picked up in college.  It was my college radio name.  Everyone on the station had some bizarre name like Macho Mike, or Goofy Debbie.  But I played weird music like Dr. Demento [a nationally-syndicated radio host whose program specialized⁷ in novelty/comedy songs], so it seemed to fit and it stuck."

 
Straight Outta Lynwood
From his earliest releases like "My Bologna" and "Another One Rides The Bus" in the early 1980s to his new album Straight Outta Lynwood, "Weird Al" seems to be anything but weird.  His latest achievement is the Top 10 hit "White And Nerdy."

"I know this would be hard for you to imagine, but it's basically my life story," he said.  "I've been white and nerdy my entire life, and I'm basically using a lifetime worth of experience and wedging it into a 2:50 pop song."

This year marks the first time in his 27-year parody⁸ song career that "Weird Al" has had a single in the Top 10 at the same time as the album it is from "Straight Outta Lynwood".

"The new album is actually a dual⁹ disc," he said. "In other countries outside the U.S., I think it's a separate CD and DVD.  The DVD has six new music videos.  The whole album [is produced] in 5:1 surround sound [and has] karaoke versions.  Like I said, there's a nine-minute 'making of the album' featurette.  It's chocked full of added value.  This is my way to combat piracy¹⁰.  Instead of just having the album, it's loaded with extra features. so people basically are forced to buy this thing."

His new CD is named for the California city where he grew up.  "Weird Al" says Straight Outta Lynwood is a parody of gangsta rap group N.W.A.'s  Straight Outta Compton album.  Like all his other videos, "White And Nerdy", a spoof¹¹ of Chamillionaire's hit song, "Ridin'", is loaded with surprises.

"Donny Osmond gets to be featured in the video," he said. "If you do a song called 'White And Nerdy,' who else do you get, really?  He was the first call.  He was just unbelievable.  Seth Green is in the video; Judy Tenuta, and, a couple guys from Mad TV [a U.S. ensemble¹² comedy TV program].  The video was a lot of fun to do."

"Weird Al" studied architecture in college, and helped pay his way by being an accordion¹³ teacher.  Looking back, "Weird Al" Yankovic says it was not easy to change careers.

"People didn't want to give me a record deal because they figured, 'Oh, he does comedy music, and people who do comedy music have like one hit single if they're lucky, and then nobody ever hears from them again.'  I've been able to buck¹⁴ the trends," he said. "The ironic¹⁵ thing about my whole career is that I've been able to hang on for a lot longer than most of the people I've parodied¹⁶ over the years."

Among his collection, one of the most-popular remains¹⁷ "Eat It", the 1984 parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It".  "Weird Al" says he plans to do more international touring so worldwide audiences can enjoy the "Weird Al Experience".  For Al Yankovic, it's not bad being weird.

1 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

2 experimentation   

n.实验，试验，实验法

参考例句：

• Many people object to experimentation on animals.许多人反对用动物做实验。
• Study and analysis are likely to be far cheaper than experimentation.研究和分析的费用可能要比实验少得多。

3 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

4 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 parody   

n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文

参考例句：

• The parody was just a form of teasing.那个拙劣的模仿只是一种揶揄。
• North Korea looks like a grotesque parody of Mao's centrally controlled China,precisely the sort of system that Beijing has left behind.朝鲜看上去像是毛时代中央集权的中国的怪诞模仿，其体制恰恰是北京方面已经抛弃的。

9 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

10 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

11 spoof   

n.诳骗，愚弄，戏弄

参考例句：

• The show was a spoof of college life.那戏是对大学生活的讽刺。
• That is Tim Robbins's spoof documentary about a presidential campaign.那是蒂姆·罗宾斯关于总统选举的讽刺纪录片。

12 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

13 accordion   

n.手风琴；adj.可折叠的

参考例句：

• The accordion music in the film isn't very beautiful.这部影片中的手风琴音乐不是很好。
• The accordion music reminds me of my boyhood.这手风琴的乐声让我回忆起了我的少年时代。

14 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

15 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

16 parodied   

v.滑稽地模仿，拙劣地模仿( parody的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• All these peculiarities of his style have been parodied by his assailants. 他的所有这些风格特征都受到攻击者模仿嘲弄。 来自互联网
• The above examples are all slightly parodied versions of classical dance steps. 上述例子都可以说是经典舞步的模仿版本。 来自互联网

17 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。