Don”t you just love a happy ending? After going public yesterday with the fact that Lady Gaga wouldn”t approve, “I Perform This Way,” his parody of “Born This Way,” Weird Al later updated his blog with the news that Momma Monster had indeed signed off on his releasing the tune. According to “Weird Al” Yankovic, her management had turned it down without running it by her Lordship. When she got wind of it, she turned that frown into a smile. Now who knows if that”s true, but Lady Gaga gets to look like the hero and like she has a great sense of humor about herself.
It”s been awhile since Weird Al has been in the news. In the ’80s, his parodies were frequently part of MTV”s video rotation and we”re sure the video for “I Perform This Way” is what will really drive the media saturation. In the meantime, listen to the spook below. We admit, the line about wrapping “my small intestines around my neck” made us laugh out loud. Unlike many of his parodies that take a theme and turn it on its head into something totally different, like “Like a Surgeon,” his parody of Madonna”s “Like a Virgin,” Weird Al”s “I Perform This Way” is a direct poke at Lady Gaga herself and it”s pretty spot on.
A Supreme Court ruling years ago allows parody as a fair use, so Weird Al was fine to release the song anyway legally. But he has always gotten permission from the artists, which, in some way, gives his parodies a little extra clout since they’re artist-approved.
Listen for yourself below. Or go buy it. All proceeds go to the Human Rights Campaign, a move that undoubtedly helped persuade Gaga. We can’t wait for the country version.