The Weird Accordion to Al
Every "Weird Al" Yankovic Album Obsessively Analyzed by the Co-Author of Weird Al: The Book (Nathan Rabin with Al Yankovic)
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Eric Jason Martin
-
By:
-
Nathan Rabin
About this listen
From veteran pop culture scribe Nathan Rabin, former head writer of the A.V. Club and the man who wrote the book on, and with, "Weird Al" Yankovic in the 2012 coffee table book Weird Al: The Book (Nathan Rabin with Al Yankovic) comes The Weird Accordion to Al, an even more essential guide to an American original's life and work.
Adapted from the column on its author's website, Nathan Rabin's happy place, with an introduction from Al himself, The Weird Accordion to Al explores every track on all 16 of Al's records (14 studio albums, the medium rarities obscurities collection, and Peter & the Wolf, his collaboration with Wendy Carlos) with an obsessiveness that's downright peculiar.
Equal parts music criticism, cultural and comedy history, autobiography, and comic meditation on nostalgia, television, consumerism, childhood, technology, and food, The Weird Accordion to Al does justice to a musical legend and comic genius, the extent of whose remarkable achievements are only now being fully understood and appreciated.
Praise for The Weird Accordion to Al:
“A brilliant, heartfelt cry of obsession and love for an already beloved and obsessed-over artist. Share Nathan’s madness and be freed!” (Patton Oswalt, American stand-up comedian)
"This book is pop culture history, music dissertation, and comedic theory. Nathan has exemplified the qualities that make Weird Al an artist who is equal parts Frank Zappa, Mel Brooks, and Mark Twain.” (Jonah Ray, American actor and comedian)
“You don’t have to be a fan of Weird Al to enjoy Rabin’s raucous deep-dive into the complete discography. But if you’re not a Weird Al fan, there’s clearly something wrong with you.” (Alex Winter, American actor)
“Wonderfully captures the quirks and fun details that have made the Yank-oeuvre ooze with oddness for almost four decades. Nathan really shows you what makes Al's mind tick. Spoiler: It's the neurons. A must read for anyone unemployed, childless, or with ninety spare hours to kill.” (Scott Aukerman, American writer and actor)
“The Weird Accordion to Al is the definitive companion to the “Weird Al” catalog. It’s chock-full of fascinating insights that left my head spinning like a Frankie Yankovic record (no relation). Nobody covers the Al canon in better depth than Nathan Rabin. It’s a must-read for the weirdos in your life. I learned so much from this very specific book.” (Thomas Lennon, American actor and comedian)
"Nathan Rabin is obsessive in the best sense of the word. He literally already wrote the book on Weird Al that Weird Al asked him to write. That wasn't enough for Nathan, and that's why, we are lucky to have this book. Al's contributions to pop culture deserve the kind of obsession that only Nathan Rabin can bring to the page, and he brings it big time in this book. He dares to be very smart about 'Dare to Be Stupid'.” (Jake Fogelnest, American writer and comedian)
©2020 Nathan Rabin (P)2020 Nathan RabinListeners also enjoyed...
-
Weird Al: Seriously
- By: Lily E. Hirsch, Dr. Demento
- Narrated by: Emily Ellet
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Music Professor Lily Hirsch dives deeper into the world of the iconic man who has made a career out of making us laugh. Hirsch weaves together her interviews with the prince of parody himself and reveals the deeper meaning of Yankovic’s jests, addressing such topics as bullying, celebrity, and racial and gender stereotypes.
-
-
This book is by definition a parody
- By Erin Shepherd on 05-25-23
By: Lily E. Hirsch, and others
-
Oscar Wars
- A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears
- By: Michael Schulman
- Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
- Length: 21 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Oscar Wars, Michael Schulman chronicles the remarkable, sprawling history of the Academy Awards and the personal dramas—some iconic, others never-before-revealed—that have played out on the stage and off camera. Unlike other books on the subject, each chapter takes a deep dive into a particular year, conflict, or even category that tells a larger story of cultural change, from Louis B. Mayer to Moonlight. Schulman examines how the red carpet runs through contested turf, and the victors aren't always as clear as the names drawn from envelopes.
-
-
Fascinating and FUN
- By Peter Riley on 06-11-23
By: Michael Schulman
-
Christine
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 19 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Evil is alive in Libertyville. It inhabits a custom-painted red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine and young Arnold Cunningham, who buys it. Along with Arnold's girlfriend, Leigh Cabot, Dennis Guilder attempts to find out the real truth behind Christine and finds more than he bargained for: From murder to suicide, there's a peculiar feeling that surrounds Christine - she gets revenge on anyone standing in her path. Can Dennis save Arnold from the wrath of Christine?
-
-
Skipping Issues
- By Charlie Belleville on 09-27-17
By: Stephen King
-
Cinema Speculation
- By: Quentin Tarantino
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Quentin Tarantino
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive. For years he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films. Now, with Cinema Speculation, the time has come, and the results are everything his passionate fans—and all movie lovers—could have hoped for. Organized around key American films from the 1970s, all of which he first saw as a young moviegoer at the time, this book is as intellectually rigorous and insightful as it is rollicking and entertaining.
-
-
A letdown I didn't see coming.
- By polycow on 11-03-22
-
The Last Action Heroes
- The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
- By: Nick de Semlyen
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Last Action Heroes opens in May 1990 in Cannes, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone waltzing together, cheered on by a crowd of famous faces. After years of bitter combat, the world’s biggest action stars have at last made peace. In this wildly entertaining account of the golden age of the action movie, Nick de Semlyen charts Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship against the backdrop of Reagan’s America and the Cold War.
-
-
Fantastic!
- By Alan on 07-17-23
By: Nick de Semlyen
-
The Demon-Haunted World
- Science as a Candle in the Dark
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
-
-
Some good points, but not a great book
- By William Jenks on 07-25-19
By: Carl Sagan
-
Weird Al: Seriously
- By: Lily E. Hirsch, Dr. Demento
- Narrated by: Emily Ellet
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Music Professor Lily Hirsch dives deeper into the world of the iconic man who has made a career out of making us laugh. Hirsch weaves together her interviews with the prince of parody himself and reveals the deeper meaning of Yankovic’s jests, addressing such topics as bullying, celebrity, and racial and gender stereotypes.
-
-
This book is by definition a parody
- By Erin Shepherd on 05-25-23
By: Lily E. Hirsch, and others
-
Oscar Wars
- A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears
- By: Michael Schulman
- Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
- Length: 21 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Oscar Wars, Michael Schulman chronicles the remarkable, sprawling history of the Academy Awards and the personal dramas—some iconic, others never-before-revealed—that have played out on the stage and off camera. Unlike other books on the subject, each chapter takes a deep dive into a particular year, conflict, or even category that tells a larger story of cultural change, from Louis B. Mayer to Moonlight. Schulman examines how the red carpet runs through contested turf, and the victors aren't always as clear as the names drawn from envelopes.
-
-
Fascinating and FUN
- By Peter Riley on 06-11-23
By: Michael Schulman
-
Christine
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 19 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Evil is alive in Libertyville. It inhabits a custom-painted red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine and young Arnold Cunningham, who buys it. Along with Arnold's girlfriend, Leigh Cabot, Dennis Guilder attempts to find out the real truth behind Christine and finds more than he bargained for: From murder to suicide, there's a peculiar feeling that surrounds Christine - she gets revenge on anyone standing in her path. Can Dennis save Arnold from the wrath of Christine?
-
-
Skipping Issues
- By Charlie Belleville on 09-27-17
By: Stephen King
-
Cinema Speculation
- By: Quentin Tarantino
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Quentin Tarantino
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive. For years he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films. Now, with Cinema Speculation, the time has come, and the results are everything his passionate fans—and all movie lovers—could have hoped for. Organized around key American films from the 1970s, all of which he first saw as a young moviegoer at the time, this book is as intellectually rigorous and insightful as it is rollicking and entertaining.
-
-
A letdown I didn't see coming.
- By polycow on 11-03-22
-
The Last Action Heroes
- The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
- By: Nick de Semlyen
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Last Action Heroes opens in May 1990 in Cannes, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone waltzing together, cheered on by a crowd of famous faces. After years of bitter combat, the world’s biggest action stars have at last made peace. In this wildly entertaining account of the golden age of the action movie, Nick de Semlyen charts Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship against the backdrop of Reagan’s America and the Cold War.
-
-
Fantastic!
- By Alan on 07-17-23
By: Nick de Semlyen
-
The Demon-Haunted World
- Science as a Candle in the Dark
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
-
-
Some good points, but not a great book
- By William Jenks on 07-25-19
By: Carl Sagan
-
Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars
- By: Alex Irvine, Marvel
- Narrated by: Richard Rohan, Full Cast
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fate of the entire Marvel Universe hangs in the balance as Earth's mightiest heroes face their greatest challenge! Summoned across the stars by the mysterious and unbelievably powerful Beyonder, the Avengers, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men are set against their deadliest foes on the mysterious planet known as Battleworld - with the winner promised the ultimate prize. But as battle lines are drawn, new alliances are forged, and old enemies clash, one among them is not willing to settle for anything less than godhood.
-
-
An amazing way to enjoy a comic book
- By Michael Carranza on 07-01-20
By: Alex Irvine, and others
-
All About Me!
- My Remarkable Life in Show Business
- By: Mel Brooks
- Narrated by: Mel Brooks
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now, for the first time, this EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner shares his story in his own words.
-
-
Wonderful and nostalgic
- By GAT on 12-07-21
By: Mel Brooks
-
Live from New York
- The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests
- By: James Andrew Miller, Tom Shales
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine, Paul Woodson
- Length: 28 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When first published to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, Live from New York was immediately proclaimed the best book ever produced on the landmark and legendary late-night show. In their own words, unfiltered and uncensored, a dazzling galaxy of trail-blazing talents recalled three turbulent decades of on-camera antics and off-camera escapades.
-
-
The First Forty Years ... and Counting
- By Dubi on 10-21-18
By: James Andrew Miller, and others
-
Yours Cruelly, Elvira
- Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark
- By: Cassandra Peterson
- Narrated by: Cassandra Peterson
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells - and told by the bombshell herself.
-
-
Chapter 14 cut off
- By Wildgreenthumb on 09-24-21
-
Age of Cage
- Four Decades of Hollywood Through One Singular Career
- By: Keith Phipps
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nicolas Cage is many things, but love him, or laugh at him, there's no denying two things: You've seen one of his many films, and you certainly know his name. But who is he, really, and why has his career endured for over 40 years, with more than a hundred films, and birthed a million memes? Age of Cage is a smart, beguiling book about the films of Nicolas Cage and the actor himself, as well as a sharp-eyed examination of the changes that have taken place in Hollywood over the course of his career.
-
-
Excellent filmography of a successful career
- By Pamela Plimpton on 04-04-22
By: Keith Phipps
-
Opposable Thumbs
- How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever
- By: Matt Singer
- Narrated by: Matt Singer
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a cold Saturday afternoon in 1975, two men (who had known each other for eight years before they’d ever exchanged a word) met for lunch in a Chicago pub. Gene Siskel was the film critic for the Chicago Tribune. Roger Ebert had recently won the Pulitzer Prize—the first ever awarded to a film critic—for his work at the Chicago Sun-Times. To say they despised each other was an understatement.
-
-
Good book. But unless you are a standup comedian, or an actor, you shouldn’t read a book you wrote
- By Jerry Thompson on 03-14-24
By: Matt Singer
-
Revenant
- By: Alex White
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jadzia Dax has been a friend to Etom Prit, the Trill Trade Commissioner, over two lifetimes. When Etom visits Deep Space Nine with the request to rein in his wayward granddaughter Nemi, Dax can hardly say no. It seems like an easy assignment: Visit a resort casino while on shore leave, and then bring her old friend Nemi home. But upon arrival, Dax finds Nemi has changed over the years in terrifying ways...and the pursuit of the truth will plunge Dax headlong into a century’s worth of secrets and lies!
-
-
That was not the Dax I know . . . .
- By Sharon in Surrey on 02-03-22
By: Alex White
-
Once upon a Time in Hollywood
- A Novel
- By: Quentin Tarantino
- Narrated by: Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Quentin Tarantino’s long-awaited first work of fiction - at once hilarious, delicious, and brutal - is the always surprising, sometimes shocking new novel based on his Academy Award-winning film.
-
-
Great Book Ruined by Leigh
- By Scott Wilson on 06-30-21
-
'90s Nostalgia
- Influential Moments, Movies, Music and More from One of the Greatest Childhood Decades
- By: Krista Brea
- Narrated by: Julie Shreve
- Length: 2 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you grew up in the ’90s, this book is an excellent throwback. The 1990s was a decade of change and growth. This was also a time of significant technological advances, with the internet and cell phones becoming commonplace. But what truly made the '90s special was the culture.
-
-
so fun!
- By Christine Shariat on 08-17-23
By: Krista Brea
-
Tough Sh-t
- Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good
- By: Kevin Smith
- Narrated by: Kevin Smith
- Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take one look at Kevin Smith: He's a balding fatty who wears a size XXL hockey jersey, shorts, and slippers year-round. Not a likely source for life advice. But take a second look at Kevin Smith: He changed filmmaking forever when he was twenty-four with the release of Clerks, and since then has gone on to make nine more profitable movies, runs his own production company, wrote a best-selling graphic novel, and has a beautiful wife and kids. So he must be doing something right.
-
-
Such a likable slob!
- By Pamela J on 01-31-13
By: Kevin Smith
-
The Big 500 - 1980s Music Trivia and Fun Facts
- Embrace the Nostalgia of the 80s By Testing Your Knowledge and History of Classic Pop, Rock, New Wave, Hip Hop and More!
- By: Nick Swettenham
- Narrated by: Nick Swettenham
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you always felt a certain nostalgia to the 1980s even if you didn’t grow up in it? Were you a child, teenager, or young adult in the '80s and want to relive the best years of your life? Well now you can travel back in time and embrace your over the top fashion sense that’s dying to come out!
-
-
nostalgic!
- By Kevin OReilly on 08-02-23
By: Nick Swettenham
-
The Nineties
- A Book
- By: Chuck Klosterman
- Narrated by: Chuck Klosterman, Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was long ago, but not as long as it seems: The Berlin Wall fell and the Twin Towers collapsed. In between, one presidential election was allegedly decided by Ross Perot while another was plausibly decided by Ralph Nader. Landlines fell to cell phones, the internet exploded, and pop culture accelerated without the aid of technology that remembered everything. It was the last era with a real mainstream to either identify with or oppose. The ’90s brought about a revolution in the human condition, and a shift in consciousness, that we’re still struggling to understand.
-
-
A Very White Middle-class Take On The Nineties
- By Umar Lee on 02-10-22
By: Chuck Klosterman
Related to this topic
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
100 Things the Simpsons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
- By: Allie Goertz, Julia Prescott
- Narrated by: Pete Cross, Angie Kane
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most fans of The Simpsons can distinguish Lenny from Carl without checking their hands. But only real fans recall the Eastern European equivalent of The Itchy & Scratchy Show, know the name of Barney Gumble's submission to the Springfield Film Festival, and have road tripped to the World's Fair in Knoxville. 100 Things The Simpsons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource for true fans, whether you comprehend at a Ralph Wiggum or Lisa Simpson level.
-
-
BEST BOOK EVER!!😁
- By Kathleen on 11-22-20
By: Allie Goertz, and others
-
Dig If You Will the Picture
- Funk, Sex, God and Genius in the Music of Prince
- By: Ben Greenman
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ben Greenman, New York Times best-selling author, contributing writer to The New Yorker, and owner of thousands of recordings of Prince and Prince-related songs, knows intimately that there has never been a rock star as vibrant, mercurial, willfully contrary, experimental, or prolific as Prince. Uniting a diverse audience while remaining singularly himself, Prince was a tireless artist, a musical virtuoso and chameleon, and a pop-culture prophet.
-
-
Reads like a indepth career review & analysis
- By herb on 05-18-17
By: Ben Greenman
-
Your Song Changed My Life
- From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It
- By: Bob Boilen
- Narrated by: Bob Boilen
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the beloved host and creator of NPR's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts comes an essential oral history of modern music, told in the voices of iconic and up-and-coming musicians, including Dave Grohl, Jimmy Page, Michael Stipe, Carrie Brownstein, Smokey Robinson, and Jeff Tweedy, among others - published in association with NPR Music.
-
-
Cool if you know all interviewed artists
- By Farfield on 12-05-16
By: Bob Boilen
-
Dreaming the Beatles
- A Love Story of One Band and the Whole World
- By: Rob Sheffield
- Narrated by: Rob Sheffield
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dreaming the Beatles is not another biography of the Beatles or a song-by-song analysis of the best of John and Paul. It isn't another exposé about how they broke up. It isn't a history of their gigs or their gear. It is a collection of essays telling the story of what this ubiquitous band means to a generation who grew up with the Beatles' music on their parents' stereos and their faces on T-shirts. What do the Beatles mean today? Why are they more famous and beloved now than ever? Find out.
-
-
Wonderful ramble
- By Tad Davis on 05-18-17
By: Rob Sheffield
-
The Secret Life of the American Musical
- How Broadway Shows Are Built
- By: Jack Viertel
- Narrated by: David Pittu
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For almost a century, Americans have been losing their hearts and losing their minds in an insatiable love affair with the American musical. It often begins in actors and reaches its passionate zenith when it comes time for love, marriage, and children, who will start the cycle all over again. Americans love musicals. Americans invented musicals. Americans perfected musicals. But what, exactly, is a musical?
-
-
Great review lacked music
- By joseph f mcgovern on 10-14-18
By: Jack Viertel
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
100 Things the Simpsons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
- By: Allie Goertz, Julia Prescott
- Narrated by: Pete Cross, Angie Kane
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most fans of The Simpsons can distinguish Lenny from Carl without checking their hands. But only real fans recall the Eastern European equivalent of The Itchy & Scratchy Show, know the name of Barney Gumble's submission to the Springfield Film Festival, and have road tripped to the World's Fair in Knoxville. 100 Things The Simpsons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource for true fans, whether you comprehend at a Ralph Wiggum or Lisa Simpson level.
-
-
BEST BOOK EVER!!😁
- By Kathleen on 11-22-20
By: Allie Goertz, and others
-
Dig If You Will the Picture
- Funk, Sex, God and Genius in the Music of Prince
- By: Ben Greenman
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ben Greenman, New York Times best-selling author, contributing writer to The New Yorker, and owner of thousands of recordings of Prince and Prince-related songs, knows intimately that there has never been a rock star as vibrant, mercurial, willfully contrary, experimental, or prolific as Prince. Uniting a diverse audience while remaining singularly himself, Prince was a tireless artist, a musical virtuoso and chameleon, and a pop-culture prophet.
-
-
Reads like a indepth career review & analysis
- By herb on 05-18-17
By: Ben Greenman
-
Your Song Changed My Life
- From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It
- By: Bob Boilen
- Narrated by: Bob Boilen
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the beloved host and creator of NPR's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts comes an essential oral history of modern music, told in the voices of iconic and up-and-coming musicians, including Dave Grohl, Jimmy Page, Michael Stipe, Carrie Brownstein, Smokey Robinson, and Jeff Tweedy, among others - published in association with NPR Music.
-
-
Cool if you know all interviewed artists
- By Farfield on 12-05-16
By: Bob Boilen
-
Dreaming the Beatles
- A Love Story of One Band and the Whole World
- By: Rob Sheffield
- Narrated by: Rob Sheffield
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dreaming the Beatles is not another biography of the Beatles or a song-by-song analysis of the best of John and Paul. It isn't another exposé about how they broke up. It isn't a history of their gigs or their gear. It is a collection of essays telling the story of what this ubiquitous band means to a generation who grew up with the Beatles' music on their parents' stereos and their faces on T-shirts. What do the Beatles mean today? Why are they more famous and beloved now than ever? Find out.
-
-
Wonderful ramble
- By Tad Davis on 05-18-17
By: Rob Sheffield
-
The Secret Life of the American Musical
- How Broadway Shows Are Built
- By: Jack Viertel
- Narrated by: David Pittu
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For almost a century, Americans have been losing their hearts and losing their minds in an insatiable love affair with the American musical. It often begins in actors and reaches its passionate zenith when it comes time for love, marriage, and children, who will start the cycle all over again. Americans love musicals. Americans invented musicals. Americans perfected musicals. But what, exactly, is a musical?
-
-
Great review lacked music
- By joseph f mcgovern on 10-14-18
By: Jack Viertel
-
Fornication
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story
- By: Jeff Apter
- Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Despite an epic reputation for exhibitionism, drug taking, and drunkenness, through it all the Chili Peppers have continued to produce records that shock, challenge, and intrigue their fans. Jeff Apter tells the complete Red Hot Chili Peppers story, from their first meeting at a Los Angeles high school to the creation of such career-defining albums as BloodSugarSexMagik, Californication and By The Way.
-
-
Cabron
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-19
By: Jeff Apter
-
Down the Highway
- The Life of Bob Dylan
- By: Howard Sounes
- Narrated by: Peter Markinker
- Length: 20 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Down the Highway is an essential biography for Bob Dylan fans and all music enthusiasts, delivering the full, fascinating story of the life and work of this great artist. Author Howard Sounes interviewed more than 250 key people in Dylan’s circle, and gained access to previously unseen documents, to create a fresh and compelling book that takes the reader on a journey from Dylan’s childhood in a Minnesota mining town, through his rise to fame in the 1960s, to his current status as the senior figure in popular music.
-
-
I'm a little late to the party
- By BrassHat on 06-05-17
By: Howard Sounes
-
Light & Shade
- Conversations with Jimmy Page
- By: Brad Tolinski
- Narrated by: Robert Fass, John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 30 years after disbanding in 1980, Led Zeppelin continues to be celebrated for its artistic achievements, broad musical influence, and commercial success. The band's notorious exploits have been chronicled in bestselling books; yet none of the individual members of the band has penned a memoir nor cooperated to any degree with the press or a biographer.
-
-
Production History, FY!
- By Amy Peacock on 02-21-17
By: Brad Tolinski
-
The Philosophy of Modern Song
- By: Bob Dylan
- Narrated by: Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dylan, who began working on the book in 2010, offers his insight into the nature of popular music. He writes over sixty essays focusing on songs by other artists, spanning from Stephen Foster to Elvis Costello, and in between ranging from Hank Williams to Nina Simone. He analyzes what he calls the trap of easy rhymes, breaks down how the addition of a single syllable can diminish a song, and even explains how bluegrass relates to heavy metal. These essays are written in Dylan’s unique prose. And while ostensibly about music, they are really meditations on the human condition.
-
-
Needs chapter headings
- By kaon on 12-22-22
By: Bob Dylan
-
The History of Rock & Roll
- Volume 1: 1920-1963
- By: Ed Ward
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ed Ward covers the first half of the history of rock & roll in this sweeping and definitive narrative - from the 1920s, when the music of rambling medicine shows mingled with the songs of vaudeville and minstrel acts to create the very early sounds of country and rhythm and blues, to the rise of the first independent record labels post-World War II, and concluding in December 1963, just as an immense change in the airwaves took hold and the Beatles prepared for their first American tour.
-
-
Author's blindspots mar this book
- By Mark Clark on 03-28-17
By: Ed Ward
-
The Never-Ending Present
- The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip
- By: Michael Barclay
- Narrated by: George Stroumboulopoulos
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From our talent-rich neighbor to the north comes this biography of one of the most successful Canadian rock bands, The Tragically Hip, which announced a year-long tour after sharing the news of lead singer Gord Downie’s inoperable cancer. Now available to US listeners, The Never-Ending Present details what led up to the memorable night when music fans all over the world watched Downie’s heroic final performance.
-
-
Hometown Heroes
- By Tommy Garou on 12-13-18
By: Michael Barclay
-
All These Things That I've Done
- My Insane, Improbable Rock Life
- By: Matt Pinfield, Mitchell Cohen
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Matt Pinfield is the ultimate music fan. He's the guy who knows every song, artist, and musical riff ever recorded, down to the most obscure band's B-side single on its vinyl-only EP import. As a child, music helped Pinfield make sense of the world. Later he would approach his music idols after concerts and explain why he loved their music. As an adult, rock music inspired his career, fueled relationships, and, at times, became a life raft.
-
-
great listen
- By nilda v. on 08-28-20
By: Matt Pinfield, and others
-
Everybody Wants Some
- The Van Halen Saga
- By: Ian Christe
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did a pair of little Dutch boys trained in classical music grow up to become the nucleus of the most popular heavy metal band of all time? What's the secret behind Eddie Van Halen's incredible fast and furious guitar solos? What makes David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar so wacky? And, are all those stories about groupies, booze bashes, and contract riders true? The naked truth is laid bare in Everybody Wants Some - the real-life story of a rock 'n' roll fantasy come true.
-
-
Good details of albums and post-1984 career
- By IndyMATT on 12-30-18
By: Ian Christe
-
The History of Gangster Rap
- From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form
- By: Soren Baker, Xzibit - foreword
- Narrated by: James Shippy, Soren Baker
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture.
-
-
Brilliant chronicle
- By R. C. DeJesus on 03-12-21
By: Soren Baker, and others
-
Country Music
- A History
- By: Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
- Narrated by: Brian Corrigan, Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
- Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The rich and colorful story of America's most popular music and the singers and songwriters who captivated, entertained, and consoled listeners throughout the 20th century - based on the upcoming eight-part film series to air on PBS in September 2019.
-
-
Immersed in country music!
- By Lori Hanson on 09-30-19
By: Dayton Duncan, and others
-
Relentless
- The Memoir
- By: Yngwie J. Malmsteen
- Narrated by: Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Fred Berman
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yngwie Malmsteen's revolutionary guitar style - combining elements of classical music with the speed and volume of heavy metal - made him a staple of the 80s rock scene. Decades later, he's still a legend among guitarists, having sold 11 million albums and influenced generations of rockers since. In Relentless, Malmsteen shares his personal story, from the moment he burst onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere in the early 80s to become a household name in the annals of heavy metal.
-
-
Bloviations
- By David A. Kaplowitz on 12-29-19
-
Uncommon People
- The Rise and Fall of The Rock Stars
- By: David Hepworth
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The age of the rock star, like the age of the cowboy, has passed. Like the cowboy, the idea of the rock star lives on in our imaginations. What did we see in them? Swagger. Recklessness. Sexual charisma. Damn-the-torpedoes self-belief. A certain way of carrying themselves. Good hair. Interesting shoes. Talent we wished we had. What did we want of them? To be larger than life but also like us. To live out their songs. To stay young forever. No wonder many didn't stay the course.
-
-
INSIGHTFULL!
- By CLAUDIA R KENNEDY on 02-18-18
By: David Hepworth
What listeners say about The Weird Accordion to Al
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James Marsh
- 09-22-20
Tribute to the King of Musical Parody
Disclaimer: I was give a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think it's fair to tell you that I grew up listening to the music of Weird Al Yankovic. There are a lot of his songs I am more familiar with than the source material Al is parodying.
I think it's fair to break this review into three pieces. 1. Narration. 2. Complete Discography of Weird Al's music and 3. Nathan Rabin's comedic notes.
1. First the narration by Eric Jason Martin was top notch. He had a voice that was easy and calming to listen to, while still maintaining the kind of high energy that pervades the obvious love the author has for the subject of his work. I would gladly listen to Martin read anything from an adventure book to wikipedia articles and would feel like I'm in good hands and will enjoy myself.
2. Weird Al Yankovic is an artist of irrepressible talent. From his dazzling creative mind finding humorous reinventions of pop culture's soundtracks to the ability to be a musical chameleon. Any Weird Al album will cover different musical stylings and genres from track to track. Breaking down the chapters to albums and giving information on what was parodied, how, what was unique to each track is easier said than done. Some works were more rewarding in this regard than others. We also get a feeling of Al's evolution as an artist and get glimpses into his career. I thought I was familiar with the vast majority of Al's work but there were some tracks and projects that I was learning about for the first time - and am eager to explore and revisit the music of the man himself after having finished the book.
This right here is what I was looking for in the book.
3. Which leads us to Nathan Rabin from AV Club. I understand that this book was based upon a series of articles that he wrote and compiled - but I feel that this was a disservice of the ultimate product. "Eat It," "Fat," "White and Nerdy" and other tracks stand out more in Al's career and in the minds of his fans than some lesser songs like "Gotta Boogie" or the Karaoke version of "One More Minute." However due to the format each song is given roughly the same amount of discussion time. Sometimes that means really stretching or over-explaining a joke. Sometimes it means songs come and go before we were done fully digesting their matter. Rabin wrote a comedic series of articles and you may find his humor hit or miss. He also has a few running jokes throughout that may have served better over the course of time rather than all at once. I ultimately could have done with less of the author’s voice and more information.
I did enjoy this book and plan to revisit it in the future. If you are a fan of Al then enjoy a journey of equal parts discovery and nostalgia.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Troy Buffington
- 12-22-20
Fun for true Weird Al fans
I enjoyed this very detailed look and dissection of every song and album of Weird Al.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Julia
- 09-12-20
Deep, funny, insightful -- like Al
The back story behind each of his songs, plus an intro by the Weirdo himself -- what more could a superfan want?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Deedra
- 02-04-21
The Weird Accordian to Al
I really enjoyed this book on Al.Having a boy in the 1980's,you could not avoid Al.His fun music and the stories behind them were so interesting!We saw Al a few times.I was glad to hear Stranger Things mentioned as it did bring Al to a new generation.Eric Jason Martin was a very good narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mike
- 10-17-20
The insight to the Weird Al World.
Stupendous Patato. what a true elegance of the Weird Al. My hero for many a years. Al showed me that being Weird is cool and those who can't embrace it are totally lost. the cadence of the narrative made me truly feel the Weird Al mind. the songs brought back good memories from long ago. I am who I am because of the influence and songs of Weird Al. thank you for all the geekness and happiness of being NERDY. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. WEIRD AL FOR PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Veedubyaman
- 12-08-21
Al: Forever! Author: Never again!
“Weird” Al has been one of those constants in my life that I couldn’t imagine ever being without. I love every single album he’s ever produced. The author does an exemplary job giving the info on each song, but lost me a little more each time he used the word “oeuvre” or brought up Donald Trump…. I’m by no means a fan of Trump, but for the love of god leave your personal hang ups about him at the door and talk about Al!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- mike s.
- 09-26-20
Why the constant Donald Trump references?
Great idea I did not know I wanted. It gets going quite well, the tone and information what I’d hoped for, all well written. Then the author does a weird thing. Making it about himself is okay, how he relates to the songs, what they meant to him, etc. All that is fine and good. But he goes farther and keeps carping on consumerism and other distasteful American pursuits, in his opinion, which he keeps mentioning ad nauseum. He becomes like a sad, angry Canadian teen munching his poutine and sloshing around his can of squirt all over his parent’s basement as he rants about how awful America is. It’s unfortunate since there are many great funny bits, mostly involving a loud Fred Schneider voice. I wish he’d been as subtle and clever as the songs he was dissecting instead of letting his hate and rage seep out – why, exactly, in Weird Al’s name did he mention Donald Trump over and over again. Seriously, why? Also, I hope he re-edits and removes 67% of the times he used the words titular and oeuvre. It became a doleful, pretentious drinking game.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JulieM
- 09-20-20
Good performance, but tiresome text
Any review for an audiobook contains two separate parts. One is a review of the content, and the other is the review of the narrator's performance. As a Weird Al fan, I was looking forward to this book, and the narration sample was pretty good. But the book on the whole confused me, and I almost stopped in the middle and made it a DNF.
I can't tell what the writer is trying to do with this book. It feels less like a straight up musical analysis and a joke that I'm not part of. Yes, I know Al performs parody and comic music, but that doesn't mean he's not a very skilled musician himself. I could have handled a direct musical analysis, but that doesn't feel like what's going on here. Slogging through the 80s songs and albums feels like satire.
As much as I like Al, I did not like THIS.
To the second point about the narrator's performance... He was very good. He's got a nice instrument, and I would definitely listen to him again in a variety of fiction genres and nonfiction.
I wish I could recommend this, but I'm so glad the book is over. I've got the bad kind of a book hangover, and the only reason I'm rounding up to three is that it was performed so well.
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gabrielle
- 03-06-24
The Weird Accordion to AL
This is a fun and interesting look at every album and song that Al Yankovic had released up until 2020. It gives listeners some idea about the backstory of each song and the author’s thoughts on them. As a teenager in the eighties, I loved Dr. Demento and was introduced to Weird Al through the show. This book brings back memories as I listen to the author give his opinions. Narrator Eric Jason Martin dos a good job of keeping the narration flowing and keeping the listener engaged. I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily leave this honest review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!