Headline News (song)
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| “Headline News” | |||||
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| Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic from the album Permanent Record: Al in the Box |
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| B-side | "Christmas at Ground Zero (Alternate Mix) | ||||
| Released | September 27, 1994 | ||||
| Format | CD, cassette | ||||
| Recorded | July 27, 1994 | ||||
| Genre | Comedy | ||||
| Length | 3:46 | ||||
| Label | Scotti Brothers | ||||
| Producer | "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||
| "Weird Al" Yankovic singles chronology | |||||
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"Headline News" is a parody song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the Crash Test Dummies's alternative 1993 hit "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm".
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
The following tracks are on the single:
- "Headline News" – 3:46
- "Christmas At Ground Zero (Alternate Mix)" – 3:07
The promo single only contains "Headline News".
[edit] Release
The "Headline News" CD single was released to coincide with the release of the box set entitled Permanent Record: Al In The Box. The song was never officially released on a studio album and was formerly available as a CD single, the cover of which was a parody of the Crash Test Dummies album God Shuffled His Feet. The song, however, does appear on Yankovic's Greatest Hits Volume II album.
[edit] Lyrics
Part of the humor of the song lies in that it, being a reworking of the Crash Test Dummies hit "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" which told the story of three abnormal children, tells the story of three famous tabloid stories of the mid 1990s: Singapore caning American delinquent Michael Fay, figure skater Tonya Harding's then-boyfriend attacking her rival Nancy Kerrigan, and Lorena Bobbitt partially removing her husband's penis with a knife.
Other humor revolves around the fact that many of the parody lyrics mimic the lyrics of the original song:
- Original: Once there was this kid who got into an accident and couldn't come to school
- Parody: Once there was this kid who took a trip to Singapore and brought along his spray paint
- Original: Once there was this girl who wouldn't go and change with the girls in the changing room
- Parody: Once there was this girl who swore that one day she would be a figure skating champion
- Original: Then there was this boy whose parents made him come directly home right after school
- Parody: Then there was this guy who made his wife so mad one night that she cut off his weiner
And of course more humor is derived from the fact that Yankovic imitates the Crash Test Dummies lead vocalist, Brad Roberts' low baritone voice and his peculiar vocal expressions.
[edit] Concert lyrics
Yankovic's Straight Outta Lynwood concert tour contains new lyrics as part of the medley, referencing Britney Spears, dealing with her 2007 head-shaving shock and underpants-less limousine trip in late 2006:
- Once, there was this girl who
- Rode around in limousines and didn't wear her undies
- And when she finally cracked up
- She shaved all of the hair off of her head
- We couldn't understand it
- It'd always just been there
- Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Later in the tour, he changed it to reference Paris Hilton's DUI and imprisonment, and subsequent interview on Larry King Live:
- Once, there was this girl who
- Got herself a DUI and went away to prison
- And when she finally came back
- She spoke with Larry King on his talk show
- Can someone tell me why we
- Should give a crap about her
- Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
(Note: in some performances, the last two lines were sung as
- He couldn't quite explain why
- Anybody should care...)
[edit] Music video
The music video for Headline News parodies the "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" video. The video uses the original video's theme of telling each news story as a one act play on stage before an audience of people. The video is included on "Weird Al"'s DVD "Weird Al" Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection.
- Jack Nicholson has a cameo in the audience.
- In the very beginning a midget is seen handing out programs instead of a child.
- Yankovic appears as Brad Roberts, the Crash Test Dummies lead vocalist.
- Al, throughout the video, parodies Brad Roberts' rather peculiar facial expressions.
- The video features several cameos, including an appearance by Doug Llewelyn of People's Court fame, and long time radio show host, and Yankovic supporter, Dr. Demento.
- The terminal that Michael Fay steps off has the number '27' on it, a number which Yankovic often hides somewhere in his music, videos, or albums.
- During the shot of the Singapore prison, a hockey stick can be seen hanging on the wall of instruments of torture.
- In the middle of the video, Rubén Valtierra is seen wearing a wig while playing the piano, an obvious jest at Ellen Reid, the main keyboard player for the Crash Test Dummies.
- The book that Michael Fay supposedly wrote was called "Ouch! My Butt!" and had a picture of him pointing to his afflicted area. He also 'signs' the books by spraying spray paint on the inside jacket.
- Judy Tenuta is uncredited as Lorena Bobbitt.
- At one point in the video, a picture of Elvis is seen hanging on the wall.
- The second time Al hums, black duct tape can be seen taped over his mouth.
- Near the end, the camera moves to a different viewpoint. Al, still humming, leans back on his stool to remain in view and eventually falls off.
- As the video closes, instead of parents as in the original video, odd couples are seen leaving; an insane man with a dog puppet on his hand with an attractive women, an elderly upperclassman (Dr. Demento) with a lower class overweight woman with curlers, a man with a "punk" girlfriend, and a man with a large sumo wrestler wearing an unbuttoned shirt.
[edit] Notes
- "Headline News" was added to Yankovic's concert sets in the summer of 1994, months before it was officially released, making it one of only a few songs that Yankovic has performed live first, then later went on to be officially recorded and released.
- One of many of Al's hit songs that feature the talents of manualist "Musical Mike" Kieffer.
- Yankovic has performed this song in concert with backing from the Crash Test Dummies. As Yankovic's version uses Kazoos, the Crash Test Dummies went out and got Kazoos, much to the surprise of Yankovic. He later said that the group were particularly good sports.
- The picture of Al on the single's cover is the same picture that appeared on the cover of his "In 3-D" album.
[edit] Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Billboard Hot 100 (US) | No. 104 |
[edit] See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Headline News (Wiener Mix), a parody edit of this song, as done by Lemon Demon.
