Customer Reviews

Permanent Record (Al in the Box)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Weird Al's utterly hilarious music spans a decade and a half, and this box set does justice to his three major musical styles - the parodies, the funny originals, and the immortal polkas. The parodies range in imitative quality from the early accordion-played "My Bologna" (the Knack's "My Sharona" to the quality imitation "Addicted to Spuds" (Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love") and "Headline News" (the Crash Test Dummies "Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm") which are almost indistinguishable from the real thing, bar Al's zany lyrics of course. They're not all about food: "Smells Like Nirvana" parodies the incomprehensible lyrics in "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Ricky" is a "Mickey"-take of Toni Basil centred around "I Love Lucy". Of the original songs, the best are those where Al mercilessly brings together a happy style with depressing lyrics, such as "Happy Birthday" or "Trigger Happy". The polkas are what made Weird Al famous. No-one has lived until they've heard "Smoke On The Water", "Losing My Religion" or "Hey Joe" played polka. A top-notch album which brings home everything Weird Al's ever had to offer.

About seven years ago I might have given this package 5 stars. This box set was great in its heyday, but I'm afraid it is severely outdated now. I think it's time for a new one. Weird Al Yankovic is definitely famous enough to warrant a second box set. Hell, Led Zeppelin has two box sets. Why shouldn't Al?

This only covers Al's career from early 1980, to about 1993 or thereabouts. Nothing from "Bad Hair Day, Running With Scissors," or "Poodle Hat" is included, not to mention his latter-day film theme songs like "Spy Hard," or "Polkamon." If you are one of those people who lives in the past, though, or one of those misguided fools who thinks Al should have retired some time back in 1989, then this is the perfect purchase for you. It has a couple of rarities that can't be heard anywhere else, like Al's original accordion version of "My Bologna," and "Headline News" the parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by the Crash Test Dummies, which was written specially for this box set. The brief bio booklet that comes with the set is pretty cool too. It was written by Dr. Demento, and it chronicles Al's youth, college days as an architecture major, and his rise to fame. Overall, this is a great buy for the casual fan, but if you are like me and you are obsessed, I suggest you do like I did and just buy all of the CDs.

If you're a die hard Weird Al fan, you probably already own all these songs in some format. But for those of you who love Weird Al but don't want to buy all his cds, get this, and you won't be disappointed. This includes the best material from every album of his up to Alapalooza. I laugh every time I listen to this, and I think you will too. I highly suggest this underappreciated box set.

Weird Al is definitely the best entertainer I have ever heard and this box set is wonderful because it gives a great sampling of his best songs (not that he had any bad ones). It also has a cool 64 page booklet with pictures from his youth on up. If you already own lots of his CD's, it's not that worth it, but if you don't, it's a great way to start your collection!

Boy, what an investment. But $45 dollars is worth it for this CD. It's great. I love every song. All four CD's are funny. Al is great. He has the biggest sense of humor on the planet. If you're an Al fan you have to have this set! BUY IT!

hey, want to know EVERYTHING about this

Permanent Record: Al In The Box is a four disc compilation boxed set of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It features his favorites songs from his first eight studio albums, plus alternate versions of "My Bologna", "Happy Birthday", "UHF", and the previously unavailable new single, "Headline News". The Andy Warhol-esque cover art and "Headline News" also appear on Yankovic's Greatest Hits Volume II, which was released a month after Permanent Record.

The boxed set also comes with a booklet written by Dr. Demento

Permanent Record went out of print on March 1, 2006, because the artwork was lost.

Weird Al Yankovic is a great band and this is a great collection of their songs. I mis some great songs on it. The songs 'Armish Paradise', 'weenie in a bottle', 'Bohemian Rap City' and 'I was only kidding' for example. From 2 cd's of Weird Al are no songs at all at this collection! Despite this, it is a great album and y'all should listen to it!!!

What an incredible collection! With the exception of "Running With Scissors" thus far, there is no stone left unturned with this massive set of CDs! With notes from Dr. Demento, the accompanying book is phenomenal, tracing the origins of each tune in detail! A must have for comedy recording lovers!

This box set is a complete and total summary of "Weird Al" Yankovic parodies. These CD's contain the greatest and funniest songs ever recorded. Al has such amazing talent, it's a shame he isn't more popular. Al has the talent to be any kind of singer in the world and make millions like a popstar or something but all "Weird Al" fans love him the way he is, and wouldn't have him sing any other way. All of his songs bring tears of laughter whenever you hear them and when your spirit is low, his comical lyrics bring it to an all time high. For instance, there is a song on disc one called "Another One Rides the Bus" and as you probably would've guessed is a hysterical parodie of Queen's monster hit "Another One Bites the Dust". And in this song he sings about how he gets on this bus that is crowded as it is and then they keep picking up more passengers, and more, and more, and more until his face turns blue and he can't breathe. It's hysterical. Every time I hear it I laugh out loud. Another comical song is on disc 4 and is titled "Smells Like Nirvana". This is definetly one of my all time favorite "Weird Al" songs. This song obviously makes fun of one of the greatest songs of all time: "Smells Like Teen Spirit". The song is basically about how nobody can understand Nirvana's lyrics. I love that song. Well to wrap up my review I just have to say that this set [is great]. I love this. It costs a hunk of dough but it really is worth the money. I would suggest this to anybody.

I know I'm a bit late to the game on this review, but I figured I would add my two cents since no one else seems to feel like I do on this one.

I recently got this used for a great price so I cant complain too much but I feel like it could have been a much better set.

I love al and what is included here but the cds all clock in at around 50 minutes, if i am getting a 4 disc set I am expecting at least 4 hours of music and hopefully more.

furthermore there are a few rarities for the obsessed fan, but why not include all of the rare tracks, there was certainly room for them and it would have made the set more. I see box sets as releases for the big fans and the big fans deserve some more nuggets.

The booklet is pretty nice though.

So while it is certainly a enjoyable listen it is not what it could have been. how about a updated version with tracks from the new album and all the rarities?