"Weird Al" Yankovic

It's been said that the worst reception an artist can get is complete indifference. This hasn't been a problem for Weird Al Yankovic, the accordion-wielding, ultraprolific, long-reigning pop parody champ. No, they've always loved or hated Weird Al -- "they" being the artists whose songs Al has subjected to his incorrigible lyrical rewrites. In fact, "My Bologna" -- Al's take on the Knack's "My Sharona" -- so tickled the Knack that they successfully petitioned Capitol Records to release the single. Similarly, Michael Jackson let Al use the "Bad" video set for his "Fat" clip. On the flip side, Ray Davies for many years blocked the release of "Yoda" (Al's masterful rewrite of the Kinks' "Lola") and Coolio groused about "Amish Paradise," Al's gut-busting send-up of "Gangsta's Paradise." From his teenage days as the darling of the nationally syndicated Doctor Demento Radio Show to his later alliance with Steven Spielberg, Weird Al's witty script-flipping and underacknowledged musical talents have irreverently skewered the pop music of any given year. Still, after all these years, Al is hitting career high points -- his nasal whine has never been put to more appropriate use than on his 1999 Yiddish-sprinkled Offspring goof "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi." (PETER RELIC)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide