The Weird Al-Encompassing Song List
The Weird Al-Encompassing Song List
Has 14 amazing studio albums and a rarities compilation disc left you wanting more? Well do I have a comprehensive timeline for you!
My name is Johnny and I maintain The Weird Al-Encompassing Songlist. It’s a fan project for celebrating Al’s body of work beyond the commercially branded “Weird Al” Yankovic songs published by Ear Booker Music essential canonical mainline material. . This is no mere list of typical rarity fare like The Dr. Demento Show submissions or concert tour exclusives. You’ll find nearly no stone left unturned. If the Medium Rarities compilation album is like a sample platter then this guides you through the whole store, aisle by aisle and shelf by shelf to find stuff you never knew you’d want to hear.
Here you’ll read about more alternate versions, more hired player recordings, more amateur local act material, and even more side projects where Al applied his skills on stage, screen, and airwaves. The proverbial magnifying glass is proudly aimed at even the most niche of odds and ends. So in order to be completely objective, any sort of song can go on the list regardless of complexity, duration, or the extent of Al’s involvement. Yes, Al playing tambourine on Jay Leno counts but so does snapping fingers as makeshift accompaniment for The Fancy Ray Show. And, yes, Cell Phones and Harvey the Wonder Hamster performed by a live orchestra gets their own entries but so do their original AL TV versions! And, YES, those charming impromptu tunes from interviews or scripted dialog ditties goes on here even if they have absolutely no business being on a commercially released soundtrack.
It just needs to be music fit for public consumption!
Therefore, there will be songs that are short, simple, and spontaneous. Some may involve Al in a simple subtle way. The column on the far right will be integral when deciding what you want to seek out.
If I’ve piqued your curiosity, then get cozy at your nearest computer monitor because this is definitely not fit for your smartphone screens. Be sure to start with the “READ ME FIRST!!!” sheet for the policies, color coding, and FAQ fodder.
With that being said,
None of this would be possible without the archival notes provided by Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz and Jeff Morris They’ve set the table that we hobbyists dine at.
This project was inspired by Greg Method’s Songography (hosted by Dave Rossi) and Greg’s noble pursuit of celebrating “the miniscule moments of musical miscellany” across Al’s career. His own research is the foundation for my list. The major difference is that he focused on physical media whereas I stick to digital resources.
Also the name Weird Al-Encompassing Song List comes from Ethan Ullman.
Thanks to Dave for hosting the song list all these years and for all the support Dave & Ethan offer through the podcast.
For an in depth list of people who have helped out, check the Updates sheet!
Lastly, this project is in grateful tribute to to the Weird Al fan community for showing me decades ago that the internet isn’t always a minefield of meanspirited impatient snappy clapbacks. If you were active on WOWAY or making fansites in the early 00s then you helped an undiagnosed anxious, hyper, autistic preteen feel safe to grow and be vulnerable… and you set a shining example on how to help with fan advocacy projects!
~Neurospicefully yours,
“CB Johnny” O’Hern
(psst. Email me to talk about the list!)
weirdalencompassing@gmail.com
The Weird Al-Encompassing Song List