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Off The Deep End
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Scotti Brothers Records, 1992
REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/12/1999
Back in the early '90s, "Weird Al" Yankovic was hurting. His
movie
UHF was a critical failure (though it was slowly on its way
to becoming a cult favorite, thanks to machine-gum airings by
Comedy Central), and musically, he seemed at a standstill. He
needed a new target for his unique brand of satire besides Michael
Jackson.
Enter Nirvana in 1992 -- and with them would come Yankovic's
"comeback" (though he hates that word) album
Off The Deep End, an album which re-affirmed his place as
one of this generation's leading satirists. It's only been seven
years since this disc was released, and while every single group he
parodied (not counting the "medley") has gone the way of the
passenger pigeon, the material still sounds fresh.
The highlight for me on this disc, ironically, isn't a parody;
rather, it's a Yankovic original, "You Don't Love Me Anymore." A
tale of love that has run its course, Yankovic questions the, aah,
"actions" of his inamorata. (Almost sounds like the woman in the
song was a relative of Lorena Bobbitt.) No matter how many times I
listen to this song, it's guaranteed to at least put a smile on my
face, if not put me on the floor in hysterics. Likewise, "Trigger
Happy" is a powerful original that, at least at one time, would
have been hilarious. (Unfortunately, with the outbreak of gun
violence these days, jokes about guns and an itchy trigger finger
might not seem funny to some people -- but at least Yankovic means
no malice towards anyone.)
In fact, it's strange to admit, but the originals on
Off The Deep End actually are, at times, stronger than the
parodies. I mean, I love the slam against television and M.C.
Hammer with "I Can't Watch This," and "Smells Like Nirvana" has its
charms. But a few others sound a bit forced. "The White Stuff"
dares to bring New Kids On The Block back to the forefront, even if
it's only for target practice; regrettably, Yankovic's ode to the
Oreo just doesn't have the kind of punch one would come to expect
from him. Same goes with "The Plumbing Song" -- and, let's face it,
parodying Milli Vanilli is kind of like hitting below the belt with
an 18-pound sledgehammer.
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