"Weird Al" Yankovic: "Craigslist"

His polka medleys notwithstanding, Weird Al songs basically come in three types: you’ve got the line-for-line parodies he made his name on, you’ve got the originals, and then there’s a sort of hybrid in which he sends up an artist’s distinctive style, though the lyrics and rhyme scheme are, technically, his own. A good example of the latter is “Germs” (as in “they’re all over me! / what do they want from me!?”) from 1999’s underrated Running With Scissors. It’s not an exact parody of “Closer” but still as dead-on an approximation of Downward Spiral (1994)-era Nine Inch Nails as you’re gonna find, made even more obvious by the ripped-up black bodysuit Al used to wear whenever he played it live.

“Craiglist” clearly falls into this category as well. For reasons unknown, Al uses the online want-ad mecca as an excuse to send up—wait for it—the Doors of all ridiculous things, throwing the focus mostly on their “When the Music’s Over.” And yes, the recreation is accurate enough to make one believe he’s listening to the genuine article until the faux Lizard King begins mumbling about trading a Chevy Malibu for “an old wheelbarrow and a slightly used sombrero.” Al-as-Jim will “even throw in a stapler, if you insist,” because he’s on “CRAAAAIGGGSSSSLIST! BABY C’MON!” Morrison’s predilection towards pretentious spoken word fails to get out alive; check out Al’s recital of “An Open Letter to the Snotty Barista at the Coffee Bean on San Vincente Boulevard” at 2:43.

Weird Al is making fun of the already most self-parodic of ’70s rock bands. And it’s too hot out. Stop hatin’.