Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/04/13/weird-al-covers-billy-idols.html
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I don’t know which shocks me more, that he sang it, or that Weird Al sounds pretty damn good singing it. I know, I know, career musician and all, but still: I’m shocked!
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He’s been playing cover songs that fit thematically (more or less) for the cities he’s in; in Boston, he played Dirty Water by the Standells, and during their two-night stint at the Apollo, he did covers of Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl and, of all things, Close to You by The Carpenters. For a guy who’s made his career doing funny voices, it’s easy to forget how crazy talented he and his band are.
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I’ve never heard him sing a popular song that wasn’t his parody, so that was really something. I’m not surprised that he crushed it though. @nungesser nailed it: tremendous talent.
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Just to add to the “gosh they’re talented” thread – after many of the stops on the tour, his guitarist & bass player (Jim West & Stephen Jay) go directly to a nearby club to play an additional set until the wee hours on their own “Parallel Universe Tour” – here’s a sample.
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Toronto was Tutti Frutti. Not sure if that’s thematically appropriate, but it was fun.
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I have front row middle tickets to this show in KC. I’m pretty excited for this to say the least. We took the kids to see him a couple years ago. But this one is just for the wife and I. Some of his best work is his original songs. But I’ll take a non-parody cover any day as well.
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Took my son to see him in Poughkeepsie, NY (first night of the tour!). He began the encore set with “Smoke on the Water”, which he claimed was the song they were probably best known for. Everyone in this thread is right, he and his band are crazy-talented musicians. This tour is a brilliant reminder.
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Also:
Surely this is a sign of the end times.
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I took my kids to see him a few years back in Garland, TX. It was a great show, but the thing that really sticks with me is that I have never seen a parking lot empty out in such an orderly fashion.
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That’s a pretty nice cover, but I still can’t help but feel it needs more accordion.
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Unfortunately, the overlapping and blurring of parody and reality in the modern world can be seen in many more alarming places than the work of Weird Al Yankovich.
At his concert here he thanked the audience for not shouting out requests, then said, now everybody shout your request. Then he played whatever the hell he wanted, obvs, which turned out to be an obscure Devo song. I’m a little surprised he’d pick something as well-known as Rebel Yell, but not surprised that he rocks it.
May I recommend his Doors song:
EDIT: Oh! I found my family’s favorite bit from the concert:
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Here’s a video of him pulling that “request” shenanigan in Lexington KY and playing Freebird (and Yoda!)
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Jim “Kimo” West has another life playing Hawaiian slack key guitar. His playing is highly regarded in the Hawaiian music community, a feat which few other non-Hawaiians have accomplished. He’s also really nice guy.
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Talented, yes. But he is singing this while sitting down. I’m having trouble with that. Guess I got what I paid for.
I’m looking forward to see what he decides to play when he gets to Seattle next month.
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He is a national treasure.
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