1983 Songs: Ricky

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Wow. I wish Lou Avul was here. That song that nobody had a clue about the other day, “Major Tom (Coming Home)”? It’s playing on the music in the restaurant! And speaking of “earlier in the countdown,” today’s song is by someone I referenced earlier in the countdown…. Ricky - Weird Al Yankovic Yep, I mentioned his parody of the Greg Kihn Band’s “Jeopardy.” Here he’s tearing up Toni Basil’s hit “Mickey.” As is the case with a few Homer & Jethro songs, I know this much better than the song it’s spoofing. (Truth: I’ve never heard Jim Lowe’s song “Green Door,” but I sure know Homer & Jethro’s “Screen Door”!) Not only is the song a great parody, the video is splendid as well! Weird Al plays Ricky Ricardo, while Tress MacNeille (who did the vocals on the recording) plays Lucy. That’s a great makeup job on Yankovic (see screen grab), who did NOT shave and haircut, two bits for the video. (Side note: when Cesar Romero played the Joker on Batman he refused to shave his trademark mustache, so if you look you can see it peeking through the makeup.) What makes a good parody is the way it can pay homage to the song AND skewer it simultaneously. Weird Al accomplishes both here, not to mention acknowledging/jabbing 50s TV (“Oh, Ricky, what a pity, don’t you understand, that every day’s a rerun and the laughter’s always canned”). Weird Al is the modern standard by which parodists are judged, and songs like this explain why. Ricky Written by Weird Al Yankovic “Mickey” written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn Recorded by Weird Al Yankovic From ”Weird Al” Yankovic, 1983 You’re such a dingy redhead: