The Original-Lola by the Kinks and American Pie by Don McLean.
Yes, I did put two songs in for this pick as well. For number 9 we had two songs by Michael Jackson, and this time we have two songs that are used to poke fun at Star Wars. But before we get to the parodies, let's look at the original songs.
Lola by the Kinks-So, I had to look this one up. I don't know if I'd ever actually listened to the original song, but as far as I can tell it has song is about a guy meeting a transvestite at a bar and having a romantic encounter. For the most part, the song is more well known because of the instrumental music.
American Pie by Don McLean-This is a classic song that has many interpretations. McLean has continued to deny any interpretations for the song, but there is a pretty strong impression that 'the day the music died' is a reference to the tragic plane crash that took the lives of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and The Big Bopper. I think most music fans will recognize the main theme of the song: "Bye Bye Miss American Pie."
The Parody
Yoda and The Saga Begins are both parodies of songs but also parodies of Star Wars. The best part is that these parodies are better connected than the movies they are based on. Yoda focuses on that little Muppet from Episode V and The Saga Begins takes us to the unfortunate events of Anakin being discovered in Episode I.
Yoda-This parody follows the story of Luke Skywalker meeting Yoda. If you've seen the movie, I don't have to tell you how that part goes. The real fun of this song comes at the end where Luke or more accurately Mark Hamill ponders his future as an actor. Here's a great example (that didn't quite come true): "The long-term contract I have just signed says I'll be making these movies til the end of time with my Yoda."This song is also a bit of a main theme for Weird Al's career. It has been a part of every concert since it's release, usually as a closing or final encore song.
The Saga Begins-This parody of "American Pie" is a brilliant retelling of the first movie in the Star Wars prequels. It is sung from the perspective of young Obi-Wan as he encounters young Anakin and all the adventures they face. It was written based on Internet rumors and then adjusted after Weird Al saw the movie, and that edit session was a minor one. This song, like most Yankovic parodies, is well liked by the original artist. In fact, McLean has reported that he will accidentally sing lines from the parody when performing his own song.
Well that's it for number 8. Leave a comment if you have one. Number 7 is on the way.
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