Weird Al: Damn, it feels good to be a parody master

Straight Outta Lynwood “Weird Al” Yankovic Volcano Records

out of

… Straight Outta Lynwood “Weird Al” Yankovic Volcano Recordsout of

Even though we might not admit it, we all enjoy poking fun at others. Ripping on people comes to some with frightening ease, and “Weird Al” Yankovic proves himself king of the art with Straight Outta Lynwood.

With more than two decades of making fun of artists under his belt, Weird Al assembles his songs with off-the-wall, yet hilariously satirical, lyrics.

The album’s hit, “White ‘ Nerdy,” parodies Chamillionare’s “Ridin'” and marks the best song by far.

When the song begins, it’s difficult not to mistake it for Chamillionare’s original: Yankovic’s precise voice imitation makes the parody even stronger than simply relying on puns.

But as soon as you tune into the lyrics, the full genius of Yankovic’s work rings loud and clear. He explains in the chorus: “I wanna roll with the gangstas/But so far they all think I’m too white and nerdy.”

Weird Al might rely on nerd stereotypes for his material, but there’s no denying their accuracy. Throughout “White ‘ Nerdy,” he incorporates potential tools of nerdery such as MySpace and the “Dungeons and Dragons” video game. Just try to argue that he’s not right on.

Another hilarious track, “Confessions Part III,” parodies Usher’s “Confessions Part II.” Yankovic’s confessions are absurd and nauseating, yet so funny. He confesses, “Once I blew my nose and wiped it on your cat/And I lied: yes, that dress makes you look fat.”

“Trapped in the Drive-Thru,” a parody of R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet,” details a couple’s trip to the drive-thru. The oddly humorous bickering that goes on between the couple displays Yankovic’s talent as a lyricist. While the track goes on for 11 minutes, he proves good enough to make every moment interesting.

Weird Al also parodies Taylor Hick’s “Do I Make You Proud” with his “Do I Creep You Out.” Yankovic’s version follows a man who’s obsessed with a woman, and his stalker-like tendencies will have you laughing uncontrollably.

The man tries to charm his object of desire with such winners as “Gonna carve your name in my leg” and “Can I sniff the pit stains on your blouse?” If nothing else, Weird Al gets the message across to stay away from this man.

The last parody on Straight Outta Lynwood is of Green Day’s “American Idiot.” Yankovic’s version, “Canadian Idiot,” focuses on the Canadian stereotypes perpetuated by Americans. He calls out neighbors to the north “beer-swillin’ hockey nuts” and makes fun of their “silly accent.”

“Canadian Idiot” marks the weakest of the tracks, however, as it is far too short and features considerably weaker lyrics than the other parodies.

“Polkarama!” is sure to be a hit among music buffs. Weird Al sings the lyrics of popular songs – such as “Let’s Get It Started,” “Don’t Cha” and “Gold Digger,” to name a few – while “The Chicken Dance” plays in the background. The upbeat, cheery rhythm of the ridiculous tune contrasted with the random lyrics makes for a great success.

Along with the parodies, Straight Outta Lynwood also features some fantastic originals. “Virus Alert,” by far the best, covers the crazy things a virus can do to your computer.

Most of the symptoms are not to be expected – like making “your iPod only play Jethro Tull” and buying “a warehouse full of pink leotards” – and the off-the-wall lyrics leave us feeling thankful that our computers aren’t among the victims.

The Straight Outta Lynwood DualDisc not only includes 12 humorous hits, but also six music videos, a karaoke-style sing-a-long and a behind-the-scenes documentary on the other side.

The six music videos, which were produced by animation artists, are good for a few laughs, but they don’t compare to Yankovic’s self-produced “White ‘ Nerdy.”

And if that isn’t enough for you, Yankovic’s Web site features a free download of the song “You’re Pitiful,” a parody of James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful.” The song was originally supposed to be on Straight Outta Lynwood, but Blunt’s record company put a stop to it – clearly all the more reason to give it a listen.