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Quiz about Weird Al Yankovic Laugh and Learn
Quiz about Weird Al Yankovic Laugh and Learn

Weird Al Yankovic: Laugh and Learn! Quiz


I loved "Weird Al" Yankovic while growing up, and listening to his older music still makes me smile. This quiz covers his first seven albums -- "Weird Al Yankovic" (1983) through "Off the Deep End" (1992).

A multiple-choice quiz by enfranklopedia. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
104,553
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
10 / 20
Plays
1528
- -
Question 1 of 20
1. In "Happy Birthday," a song from Al's first (self-titled) album, what food does Al suggest is customary to eat with beer on one's birthday? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. Which song on Al's first album contains a reference to singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. What is the last word of the last song on Al's first album, "Mr. Frump In the Iron Lung"?

Answer: (One Word -- think "church")
Question 4 of 20
4. Which song on Al's second album, "In 3-D" (1984), spoofed Jamaican music? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. The phrase that acts as the title of Al's second album, "In 3-D," is actually sung in one of its songs. Which one? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. In "I Lost On Jeopardy," Al is disheartened due to the professions of his two opponents on the game show "Jeopardy." Which profession is embodied by at least one of Al's opponents? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. In "Cable TV," from Al's third album, "Dare To Be Stupid" (1985), Al suggests that his friends envy him because he has seen a certain film 27 times in a single week. What is the film? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. Which song from "Dare To Be Stupid" was used as the theme song for a major motion picture? Hint


Question 9 of 20
9. Which musician or band is NOT the victim of a full-length song parody on the album "Dare To Be Stupid"? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. Some of Al's songs are not direct parodies of established hits, but rather "style parodies," in which he tries to imitate the overall sound of a band or musician using music and lyrics that he has written himself. "Dog Eat Dog," on 1986's "Polka Party!", is a style parody. Which band or musician is being imitated? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. "Here's Johnny," a spoof of El DeBarge's "Who's Johnny?", is all about Ed McMahon, the one-time announcer and second banana on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson." True or False: The real Ed McMahon provides his own voice and laughter on this track.


Question 12 of 20
12. "Polka Party!" contains an original song that spoofs country music -- Al's first venture into that genre, if I'm not mistaken. What's it called? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. "Fat," on 1988's "Even Worse," is a spoof of Michael Jackson's "Bad." In "Fat," how much does Al say his shadow weighs, in pounds? Hint


Question 14 of 20
14. Which song on "Even Worse" contains a reference to "Star Trek"? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. "Melanie" is about a woman whom Al has been spying on and stalking. On what floor of the building across the street from Al's does Melanie live? Hint


Question 16 of 20
16. "Velvet Elvis" is another "style parody" rather than a direct song imitation. Which band or musician is being aped? Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. Which musician or band is NOT spoofed on Al's 1989 release, the soundtrack to the motion picture "UHF"? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. Fill in the missing word in the title of this song from the "UHF" soundtrack: "Attack of the Radioactive _________________ From a Planet Near Mars".

Answer: (One plural word -- think "mammal")
Question 19 of 20
19. The cover of Al's 1992 album "Off the Deep End" parodies the cover of a rather famous album. Which band's or musician's album cover is Al imitating? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. "The Plumbing Song" is actually a medley of sorts, as it directly parodies not one, but two songs by the same band or musician. Which one? Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In "Happy Birthday," a song from Al's first (self-titled) album, what food does Al suggest is customary to eat with beer on one's birthday?

Answer: broccoli

"Well, it's time to celebrate your birthday/it happens every year/
We'll eat a lot of broccoli and drink a lot of beer." I love this song, but I LOATHE broccoli...and I'm not too keen on beer, either. Oh, well.
2. Which song on Al's first album contains a reference to singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell?

Answer: I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead

"I can't stand the smell of incense/I don't really like to jog/No Joni Mitchell eight-tracks in my car -- ooooo!" The "ooooo" is tailored to sound like Joni and her harmonizing back-up singers. I wonder if Joni was consulted before this mild slam was released...?
3. What is the last word of the last song on Al's first album, "Mr. Frump In the Iron Lung"?

Answer: amen

"And now I bring to you the very last thing that Mr. Frump had to say...." [deep "iron lung" breathing that flutters wildly and dies off suddenly]

"Aaaaaaa...[up an octave]...MENNNNN!"
4. Which song on Al's second album, "In 3-D" (1984), spoofed Jamaican music?

Answer: Buy Me a Condo

"Buy Me a Condo" seems, specifically, to be a Bob Marley pastiche. Al even tries out a Jamaican accent.
5. The phrase that acts as the title of Al's second album, "In 3-D," is actually sung in one of its songs. Which one?

Answer: Nature Trail To Hell

The chorus of "Nature Trail To Hell" reveals that the film being described, about a pack of Cub Scouts slaughtered by a maniac, is indeed "in 3-D."
6. In "I Lost On Jeopardy," Al is disheartened due to the professions of his two opponents on the game show "Jeopardy." Which profession is embodied by at least one of Al's opponents?

Answer: plumber

"I was there to match my intellect on national TV/Against a plumber, oh, and an architect, both with a PhD..." I'm not sure why someone with a PhD. makes a living as a plumber, but hey -- it takes all kinds.
7. In "Cable TV," from Al's third album, "Dare To Be Stupid" (1985), Al suggests that his friends envy him because he has seen a certain film 27 times in a single week. What is the film?

Answer: Porky's

"My friends are gettin' kinda worried/They think I'm turning into some kinda freak/Oh, but they're just jealous 'cause I've seen "Porky's" twenty-seven times this week..."

Grammar Geek alert: Al says "jealous," but he really means "envious." Look it up.
8. Which song from "Dare To Be Stupid" was used as the theme song for a major motion picture?

Answer: This Is the Life

"This Is the Life" was used as the title theme to "Johnny Dangerously," starring Michael Keaton and Marilu Henner.
9. Which musician or band is NOT the victim of a full-length song parody on the album "Dare To Be Stupid"?

Answer: Michael Jackson

"Like a Surgeon" apes Madonna's "Like a Virgin"; "I Want a New Duck" is a take-off on Huey Lewis and the News' "I Want a New Drug"; and Cyndi Lauper's first big hit is imitated in "Girls Just Want To Have Lunch." Michael Jackson is one of Al's favorite targets, but none of his songs are parodied at full length on this album.

A couple of lines from "State of Shock," Jackson's collaboration with the Rolling Stones, show up in "Hooked On Polkas," a medley of hit songs put to polka music, but that's it.

There's no full-length Jackson parody on the album.
10. Some of Al's songs are not direct parodies of established hits, but rather "style parodies," in which he tries to imitate the overall sound of a band or musician using music and lyrics that he has written himself. "Dog Eat Dog," on 1986's "Polka Party!", is a style parody. Which band or musician is being imitated?

Answer: Talking Heads

The keyboards, synthesizers, harmonies, and Al's David Byrne-like vocal stylings are clearly meant to remind listeners of the Talking Heads. He even borrows the "This is not by beautiful home! This is not my beautiful wife!" bit from the Talking Heads' hit "Once in a Lifetime"...but Al changes the wording to, "This is not my beautiful stapler! This is not my beautiful chair!"
11. "Here's Johnny," a spoof of El DeBarge's "Who's Johnny?", is all about Ed McMahon, the one-time announcer and second banana on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson." True or False: The real Ed McMahon provides his own voice and laughter on this track.

Answer: False

It clearly states in the liner notes of "Polka Party!" that the voice of "Ed McMahon" was provided by a man named John Roarke.
12. "Polka Party!" contains an original song that spoofs country music -- Al's first venture into that genre, if I'm not mistaken. What's it called?

Answer: Good Enough For Now

"Good Enough For Now" contains steel guitars, rich harmonies, and a rather hesitant declaration of love. It's pretty funny. ("Toothless People" is actually a direct parody of Mick Jagger's "Ruthless People.")
13. "Fat," on 1988's "Even Worse," is a spoof of Michael Jackson's "Bad." In "Fat," how much does Al say his shadow weighs, in pounds?

Answer: 42

"And my shadow weighs forty-two pounds/Lemme tell you once again --who's fat?"
14. Which song on "Even Worse" contains a reference to "Star Trek"?

Answer: Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White

"Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White" is filled with unusual dream imagery that Al is describing to his psychiatrist. Case in point: "Now I'm bein' followed by these Russian spies/They give me some velcro, and an order of fries/Suddenly I'm bowling on the Starship Enterprise..."
15. "Melanie" is about a woman whom Al has been spying on and stalking. On what floor of the building across the street from Al's does Melanie live?

Answer: the 15th

"She lived across the street on the fifteenth floor of the Gilmore building/I saw her in the shower reaching for some soap..."
16. "Velvet Elvis" is another "style parody" rather than a direct song imitation. Which band or musician is being aped?

Answer: The Police

The instrumentation, harmonies, and percussion of the song are meant to emulate The Police (my favorite band!). In particular, bits of "Don't Stand So Close" and "Synchronicity II" seem to have been inspirational in the writing of "Velvet Elvis." The Beastie Boys get a style parody on this album as well -- it's called "Twister."
17. Which musician or band is NOT spoofed on Al's 1989 release, the soundtrack to the motion picture "UHF"?

Answer: Bryan Adams

"She Drives Like Crazy" spoofs FYC's "She Drives Me Crazy". "Isle Thing" is a goof on Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" (as well as the TV show "Gilligan's Island"!). "Spam" is a take-off on R.E.M.'s "Stand." No Bryan Adams parody appears on this album.
18. Fill in the missing word in the title of this song from the "UHF" soundtrack: "Attack of the Radioactive _________________ From a Planet Near Mars".

Answer: hamsters

"Man oh man, you oughtta hear 'em squeal/Now the whole wide world is their exercise wheel!"
19. The cover of Al's 1992 album "Off the Deep End" parodies the cover of a rather famous album. Which band's or musician's album cover is Al imitating?

Answer: Nirvana

The cover of Nirvana's "Nevermind" depicts a naked baby swimming in pursuit of a dollar dangling from a fishing hook. The cover of "Off the Deep End" features a naked Weird Al swimming after a donut on a fishing hook.
20. "The Plumbing Song" is actually a medley of sorts, as it directly parodies not one, but two songs by the same band or musician. Which one?

Answer: Milli Vanilli

Al merges parodies of "Don't Lose My Number" and "Blame It On the Rain" into one track. He changes the lyrics to make a number of plumbing-related jokes at the expense of Milli Vanilli (who deserved it).
Source: Author enfranklopedia

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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