Coming up, it’s the unbelievable story of 5 artists who passed on collaborating with one of the most iconic musicians of the past four decades. Weird Al Yankovic….Working with this guy was a golden opportunity that only came by his request. With a steady stream of hit albums including Dare to Be Stupid and Even Worse and a catalog of legendary songs, like Eat It, Fat, and Amish Paradise and Smells Like Nirvana and so many unforgettable music videos to go along with them… it was extremely rare for anyone to tell Weird Al Yankovic “no.” But these guys did! Passing up on an opportunity of a lifetime. I mean, the members of Nirvana even estimated they sold an additional million records after agreeing to allow Al to parody their song. So what made these 5 bold musicians so bold as to turn him down? We’ll find out plus we’ll get the story of one artist who agreed to collaborate when Weird Al did Amish Paradise. but flipped out about it after the Al released the parody of his song… Stick around for an intriguing story NEXT on the Professor of Rock.
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So if you haven’t guessed, today we’re talking Weird Al. And for this episode, we’re doing something a little different that I think you’re going to like. So let’s get into it… Alfred Matthew Yankovic is no doubt one of the nicest guys in show business. The prince of parody and the sultan of satire has always gone the extra mile to be respectful of the musicians he spoofs… which means he always asks for permission before including a parody on an album. This despite the fact that his work is legally protected as a form of free speech because it’s satire.
But this nice guy approach has served Weird Al well. According to Al, it’s rare for any artist to turn down one of his requests. He estimates that 97 or 98 percent of all artists he’s asked have given him the green light. Said Al, “I’ve been doing this for a while now and I have a track record and most artists look at it as a badge of honor.” As many legendary artists have told me, when Weird Al covers your song you know you’ve made it.
But today we’re zeroing in on that 2 to 3 percent who have told Weird Al “no.” It’s a list that includes the likes of U2’s Bono, Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Eminem, and Beck… As well as five more artists who I believe have some of the best Weird Al rejection stories. And those are the one’s we’re covering today. Most would admit to regretting it later. Although there is one who consistently said “no” and never said why. But what can you say? These artists missed out. Here are 5 favorite stories of musicians who passed on the parody.
First up, it’s the great Sir Paul McCartney. Weird Al, just like the rest of us is a huge fan of the Beatles. So it’s no surprise he would look..