Well, this was a strange day.
After putting my Lady Gaga parody on YouTube this morning – and announcing that it wouldn’t be on my next album because Gaga didn’t approve it – there was a huge outpouring of disappointment from the Internet.
Apparently the fact that she didn’t approve it was news to Lady Gaga herself!
Gaga’s manager has now admitted that he never forwarded my parody to Gaga – she had no idea at all. Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that’s what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own.
He’s sorry.
And Gaga loves the song.
I’m thrilled on many levels to hear this, because 1) I truly respect and admire Gaga as an artist and it pained me to think of her as having less than a great sense of humor, and 2) it means I GET TO PUT OUT MY ALBUM!
As promised, all my proceeds from the song (and the MUSIC VIDEO… I can’t wait…) will go to the Human Rights Campaign.
Thank you, Gaga. And thanks to everybody who had my back.
Whew!
Your pal,
Al
AL'S BLOG 
22 Comments
Hey, that’s awesome to hear! [especially since they’re playing Perform This Way all over the radio]
I’m just wondering if Al could get GaGa in on the music vid? I bet she’d go for a cameo appearance. She herself seems to get a hoot out of the parodies.
Al, you are awesome! I downloaded the single yesterday and I love it! And I think it is amazing that you’re giving all the proceeds to HRC! Is it any wonder why you’re one of my favorite performers? Can’t wait to hear the rest of the new album!
hey Al,
You should do a cover of “Don’t Speak” by Gwen Stefani – “Don’t Sneeze”
🙂
Mike
Hey Al, cannot wait to see the video. I love Gaga’s song a lot and I love your work, can’t wait to see them collide. Have you seen “Key of Awesome’s” take on the song? I feel they are loosing their touch. They keep making fun of how her videos don’t match the video, but with a song like “Born this way” it’s hard to have it be literally showing what the song is saying (that’s why we have literal videos.) So anyways, I have a plan on comparing your video with Key of Awesome’s to show the proper way of doing a parody, I hope that you don’t mind.
Hey Weird Al,
My friend and I love to make up new lyrics to songs… Here is our latest number to Ke$ha’s Tick Tock:
(Please do not read if easily offended)
I wake up in the morning and I drop my guts
It has been brewing all night long and screeches out my butt
I look around, holy cow, there’s a hole in my wall
And a spray of putrid crap flying ten feet tall
I’m talkin’ poop flying out in chunks, chunks
Better hide in your trunk,trunk
The cruise ship bloody sunk, sunk
My hairy arse is to be feared, feared
There’ll be ringing in your ears. ears
You got poo floatin in your beer, beer
Chorus:
Huge Plop, out it popped, big and brown it hit a cop
My Arse, likes to blast, better duck, its mean and fast
Dark brown, fat and round. Oh Good God it hit a clown.
Oh uoh oh oh u-oh!
Few things to say…
– Gaga loves parodies, no matter how offensive. Rad Bromance, Lord Gaga, the Chatroulette “Telephone” crossdresser… so it’s obvious she had no idea about this. Any kid born in the 80s grew up with Weird Al on the radio. It was our generation’s KidzBop. 😛 Being parodied by Al is like getting a star on Hollywood Blvd., only even more timeless.
– Her manager made the decision based off of what was good for her image, and used the lyrics/recording/final answer as a way to avoid saying no. Managers have the best intentions, but make the absolute worst mistakes.
– Gaga making a cameo would be HILARIOUS and it must be done! Send another email to her manager to see if she can somehow work herself in. Maybe she could do a fake YouTube fan video (no travel = win-win) singing the lyrics while incognito? Dark wig, parody shirt (ALAL instead of GAGA with your face with a lightning bolt on it)…it sounds perfect.
– I don’t know much about the HRC, but I have always been a huge fan of the ACLU. I’d prefer if the proceeds went to them, but no skin off my nose either way.
– To those who are offended by where the proceeds are going: Y U MAD? Weird Al fans should have open minds and a sense of humor, and your homophobia contradicts both of those things. If it bothers you that much, just donate to your church instead of buying the album. In fact, just stop listening to Weird Al. I heard he parodied other “gay” singers and bands in the past! GASP. Blasphemous!
Al what is your web addy for your fan club
Brilliant, Al! You always inspire me:
To Lady Madonna:
Lady, named Ga Ga, butt cheeks out like bling
Outfits make me forget you still do sing
Dress up so funny, sometimes gender bent
Poker face made money no argument
Bad romance the vid had stripped you naked
Lap danced Russians showed Ga Ga so raw
Burning man is glowing hot in your bed….
Sparks from your bra!
Lady, named Ga Ga, tattooed back is sweet
Shot by Paparazzis new song’s complete
Clothes on and off!
Lady, named Ga Ga, dressed like Mars’ new queen
Every costume showing like Halloween
Bra and panties fashion is quite widespread
New vid in red latex dressed up like a nun
Alejandro claiming that in your bed…
All bets are on!
Lady, named Ga Ga, won the VMA’s
Celebrate with all since you go both ways…
Hey Al.. I cant wait till June 21 to hear your new songs..Im a huge fun and hope you come back to Knoxville,tn soon…Have a great day
She is great!
I can’t wait for the new album, Al! I wish I could afford the deluxe version but since I live off the government (because of a meantal dissability) I will be there the moment it hit’s Wal-Mart’s shelves! I have always been a lifelong ever since the song Another Rides the Bus! Your songs have always lifted my spirits. You are just what the Doctor ordered!
Hi, my mom did a parody of your Perform This Way parody. Enjoy. See you there!!!!!
Bob
AKA SpikeyGloveMan0909 AKA VinylAndOtherMusic AKA NamcoLetsPlays AKA LizardCatching (well kinda)
I can’t wait for the video. I loved the original and hated Key of Awesome’s parody. I myself have plans on doing my own but I am going to wait for your video so I won’t make the same lyrics. I haven’t heard the song yet, waiting for he video. Wish I could be in it, maybe I will take a vacation in LA for a while.
Hi Al!
This isn’t strictly related to this particular post, but I couldn’t find a more suitable method of contact.
I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for making your new album available for early streaming, and also for the other ways you make your music available to fans.
I’ve been a fan for almost 20 years, and of course I’ve been excited about this new album for over a year now. Since I knew you were working on a full album, I waited for the opportunity to pre-order the full album rather than purchasing the Internet Leaks content (since I enjoy the extra content you often put on the physical CD release).
But I haven’t had to wait to hear the songs from the CD since you initially offered the free download of Whatever You Like, as well as videos of the rest of the Internet Leaks songs (and, for that one day, the lyrics video of Perform This Way). Of course, this is nothing new, as I similarly enjoyed Don’t Download This Song and You’re Pitiful leading up to the release of Straight Outta Lynnwood. And now that I’ve been able to stream the rest of the songs, I can certainly say that I really love the album as a whole.
I understand how generous a move it is for you to make it available this way, since piracy and filesharing can directly affect the monetary impact of an album’s release.
I hope these generous offerings pay you back in the way of increased interest in the album, more “buzz” around its release and greater album sales. I’m trying to do my part in the way of word-of-mouth (word of Facebook?).
I hope this isn’t the only positive feedback you get on this subject, since I know I’m not alone in enjoying these advance offerings, or the news from Facebook and your blog.
Thanks again, and I’ll look forward to whatever’s next.
Oh, by the way: only possibility to actually hear the song (or see your vid) in Germany is through proxies or through other services but youtube. It’s geofu**ed here.
Il video di “Perform this Way” è il più bello degli ultimi 10 anni!
(Now, since you’re |uknown_percentage| Italian, I thought there was no problem with it.)
Unfortunately, there’s no fair-use law here! And believe me, some people DO deserve a parody.
So wait, when I buy the album then part of the money will go to the Human Rights Campaign in honor of Lady Gaga? I don’t want that. I was about to go pick it up, but wtf. Can anyone confirm this?
Al the song was F#@king good man
It seemed strange that someone as FREE as GaGa would have such an issue with it. Glad your art can be shared with your fans. Keep on making us smile Al….
nice!so coooooooooooool!
Thank you for making fun of her & her music. I honestly cannot stomach anything she stands for, yet her music is everywhere. When her song is stuck in my head, I now have a version I can deal with, so thank you
Why is everyone so cynical? Everyone outcry’s that Gaga’s a huge bitch because she said no, and now they’re like “oh this is bullshit she probably made the story up”. I’m not a die-hard Gaga fan or anything but I have a harder time believing an artist like her DOESN’T have a sense of humor, than she actually didn’t hear the song. Take some things on faith. And if nothing else, take Weird Al’s word for it. He respects her, you all should do the same. Trashing on her isn’t what he wants, I don’t think. He wants what I’m sure all of us want. Laughter, love, and peace.