Album: Running With Scissors (1999)

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• Yankovic described this as a hard-driving rock narrative in the vein of acts like The Rugburns, Mojo Nixon, and George Thorogood, but "a little more ridiculous." Clocking in at more than 11 minutes, it's an exhausting song to perform live - but he never thought he'd have to.
  
  "I thought it wasn't going to be a big fan-favorite," he told the AV Club in 2011. "I specifically put it on the end of the album because I thought that I'm going to make this song so long that people are only gonna want to hear it once. It would be like an odyssey that they go through once, and they go, 'Ah, I survived. I made it all the way to the end,' but it wound up being one of my more popular songs, and people listened to it over and over, they memorized the words."
• The CD lyrics booklet does not contain all of the lyrics to the song. It says: "... you know what? The rest of these lyrics aren't gonna fit on here. There's just no room left. What a drag, huh? I guess we didn't plan this out very well... probably should've used a smaller font or a bigger piece of paper or something. Sorry. We all feel just horrible about this. Well, I guess you'll have to listen really carefully and try to figure out the words yourself. Good luck." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Kevin - Flower Mound, TX
• This is the closing track from Yankovic's 10th studio album, Running With Scissors. The album opens with another lengthy tune, "The Saga Begins," a parody of Don McLean's "American Pie," that outlines the plot of Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace.

Comments: 18

• Lukas from Philadelphia PaAlbuquerque Albuquerque Albuquerque Albuquerque I said a a ll bb u u querque querque
• Rinnyrinesauce from IdiotlandAlbuquerque certified.
• Patrick from Wahiawa, HiUh oh, Arlo Guthrie's discovered Speed!
• Jason from Morganton, GaIt is not a parody of a song. It is a parody of a style, which really makes it more of a tribute than a parody. However, this is indeed as original a song as any song you hear and think "that reminds me of ..."
• Jay from Brooklyn, NyI have never heard this song - I just discovered the lyrics while wandering randomly around Songfacts, so perhaps my opinion is not the most valid - but the song seems to me to be a stylistic parody of "Alice's Restaurant Massacree."
• Faro from Albany, GaThis song is really funny. I was able to repeat every word (almost) exactly after the first time. The words just stuck.
• Kate from Forked River, NjHe played this song at both of the concerts I went to, in Westbury and in Atlantic City.
• Logan from Troy, MtTo all those people who don't think this song isn't a parody of something... sad to say but... It is.
  
  Like "Dare to be Stupid" is a parody of Devo's sound, "Albuquerque" is in fact, a parody of another band. Ready for whom?
  
  It's the Rugburns' "Dick's Automotive". That song goes on endlessly too, it's spoken for the most part, and it stops to say the chorus every couple of bars.
  
  If you haven't heard it, check it out.
• Stephanie from Edmonton, AbThis was the encore for the tour he played in Edmonton. I also Hate Sauerkraut!!! :)
• Aaron from East Syracuse,new York, NyDood u guys have no idea the work that Al put into this song. Do you Realize thas its the only truly Original song that he did? No respect at all. if i were you, i would get off this forum and do some serious soul searching.If you still feel like you need to keep mocking his song after that, you should get a life.
• Brad from Knoxville, TnWOOOOOOOOOO!!!! weird al rules!! none of his songs really carry any important meaning but they will make you laugh until your head explodes!!!!!!!!!
• James from Gettysburg, PaMe and my brothers discovered this song at the back of the the Running with Scissors album, and we laughed our asses off. This is his funniest song, bar none.
• Matthew from Milford, MaThis song doesn't really parody anything specific, but it may be a general parody; "Dare to Be Stupid" parodies Devo, so this could imitate a particular band or be a parody of a particular genre.
• J.d. from Detroit, MiI sent the lyrics to my sister, who asked what tune goes with the lyrics. My guess it that it is a "talking blues" spoken over a G/C/D/G cord progression. I could also blow some harp lyrics if I could find my G harp and holder. She also asked what song it is a parody of. I am not all that familiar with Wierd Al's songs, but I know that many of them are parodies--(my most recently acquired W.A.Y. song is "Another One Gets on the Bus." Anyone else out there have an idea what song "Albuqerque" parodies?--J.D., Detroit
• Darrell from EugeneSpeaking of the Sizzler, the one near me has been replaced with a Boston Chicken outlet, and I have one of the Sizzler T-shirts that was intended for someone half my age yet still makes this 64-year-old coot look sexy on behalf of the name on the front. Yes, I admit, I am old enough to be the father or even grandfather of most Weird Al fans, but I still love his music, and the only thing that I like sauerkraut on is a good kosher hot dog.
• Matthew from Milford, MaI swear, the song is, like, 12 minutes long!
• Ralph from Newton, MaJust as I suspected, It's a fat hermaphrodite with one nostril and a Flock-of-Seagulls haircut. Man I hate it when I'm right.
• Tony from Topeka, KsThis is more of an elaborate spoken story than a song, but I like it. I HATE SAUERKRAUT!!

More Songfacts:

Just The Way You AreBruno Mars

Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are" was originally written with Cee-Lo Green in mind, but the Gnarls Barkley singer didn't feel it was right for him.

All The Young DudesMott the Hoople

All The Young Dudes "carry the news" because it was intended for a David Bowie concept album where Ziggy Stardust spreads the news in a world with electricity.

Hey BrotherAvicii

Dan Tyminski, the singer on Avicii's "Hey Brother" is the same guy who sang lead vocal on "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" in the movie O’ Brother, Where Art Thou.

MacArthur ParkRichard Harris

Richard Harris, who played Professor Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter movies, had a hit in 1968 with "MacArthur Park."

I Have NothingWhitney Houston

The Whitney Houston hit "I Have Nothing" was inspired by Elvis Presley, who dated the song's lyricist, Linda Thompson.

1901Phoenix

The Phoenix song "1901" is about Paris. Their lead singer Thomas Mars said: "Paris in 1901 was better than it is now. So the song is a fantasy about Paris."

Editor's Picks

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.