He is a curly-haired, accordion-playing nerd. Much of his body of work is devoted to polka, obesity, and surfing the Internet. Prince refuses to even consider a collaboration. In spite of all this, the high art of “Weird Al” Yankovic belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But with the 2010 Hall watch list clogged with such wannabes as Yes, Chic, and Donna Summer, it’ll take an outsider, grass-roots nomination. That’s where I come in.
Before you tell me to eat it, consider Yankovic’s career statistics. Since making his first release in 1979 (at age 20), he has sold 12 million albums and played more than 1,000 live shows — a testament to his appeal and professional staying power. The recording industry has awarded him three Grammys (nine nominations), four gold records, six platinum records, as well as a top-10 Billboard album and single. In commercial terms, he is undeniably a success.
Granted, earning a spot in Cleveland next to Elvis Presley requires musical presence that can’t be measured in fiscal terms. Yankovic’s primary instrument, the accordion, has an unfortunate stigma attached to it — lederhosen, cheesy Italian restaurants, and “Lady of Spain.”
He is a true accordion technician (he developed his chops by mimicking Elton John’s piano lines) who famously played Richard Strauss’ epic tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra (otherwise known as the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) at open-mike nights while in college at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. As a vocalist, he has proven to be extremely flexible, successfully imitating singers as disparate as Michael Jackson, David Dudley, and Jim Morrison.
On a larger scale, Yankovic’s greatest musical strength is his ability to successfully perform in numerous genres. Many legendary artists have been reluctant to leave their comfort zones and often, their attempts fall flat. Aretha Franklin’s attempt to sing arias, Bob Dylan’s courageous adoption of the electric guitar, and KISS baring its hideous visages without the aid of makeup all come to mind.
Yankovic, on the other hand has thrived in rock (“I Want a New Duck”), swing (“Grapefruit Diet”), rap (“White and Nerdy”), country (“Truck Drivin’ Song”), polka (too hard to pick just one), pop (“Like a Surgeon”), grunge (“Smells Like Nirvana”), blues (“Albuquerque”), and zydeco (“My Baby’s in Love with Eddy Vedder”). I doubt many active recording artists even know what zydeco music is, much less have the chops to transcribe it by ear.
In addition to his copious industry recognition, he has been lauded by his peers. After the release of “Smells Like Nirvana,” Kurt Cobain referred to Yankovic as a musical genius and said he preferred the parody to Nirvana’s megahit. Dave Grohl said that Yankovic’s parody was a sign that Nirvana had “made it.” When Yankovic combined Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” with the “Beverly Hillbillies” opening credits, Straits lead guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler enjoyed it so much that he requested to play guitar in the accompanying video. Chamillionaire added “White and Nerdy” to his MySpace page before Yankovic had put the parody on his own site and went so far as to credit Yankovic’s rendition for the song’s international success and eventual Grammy win. Even the king of pop Michael Jackson lent Yankovic the set from “Bad” to shoot a video for “Fat.”
Yankovic is more just than a novelty act. He is a talented musician, songwriter, and performer, and it is time he received the recognition he is due. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should start making room.
