One More Minute
Encyclopedia
"One More Minute" is an original song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
. It is done in the style of doo-wop
and Elvis Presley
.
The promo single only contains "One More Minute".
with [his] tongue. The song also features a unique masturbation metaphor, as Al sings that he's "stranded all alone/at the Gas Station of Love/and [he has] to use the self-service pumps."
, a movie Yankovic cites as one of his favorites. Most notable are the microphone gags and the presence of three back-up singers, played in the music video by Yankovic's band. While many fan-posted videos have been removed to protect their copyrights, and Yankovic has put up many videos to be downloaded for sale, "One More Minute" has so far been allowed to remain on many free video sharing sites.
According to his series or trading cards, at one point in the video, Al takes out a photograph of a his actual ex-girlfriend and tears it in half; this woman was apparently the inspiration for the song.
; to the point which he takes out a blank gun and "shoots" him.
After the first chorus, Yankovic (and a security member—usually wearing a jacket with "AL" on his back) goes into the audience and greets audience members while performing. Additionally, Yankovic removes a pair of boxers from his pants and hands them to a female in the audience. This was also inspired by the aforementioned Top Secret! scene.
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
. It is done in the style of doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Track listing
The following tracks are on the single:- "One More Minute" – 4:02
- "Midnight Star" – 4:33
The promo single only contains "One More Minute".
Lyrics
Although the song sounds like a typical romantic slow-dance song, it is about rationalizing extreme acts in reaction to his girlfriend dumping him for another man. He sings how he would rather endure the pain of various acts of masochism "than spend one more minute with you". These include: ripping out his intestines with a fork, jumping onto a pile of thumbtacks naked, diving "into a swimming pool filled with double-edged razor blades," eating shards of broken glass, forcing an icepick underneath a toenail, and slamming his fingers in a door repeatedly. In the closing verse, he states that he would "would rather rip [his] heart out of [his] ribcage with [his] bare hands, and then throw it on the floor and stomp on it until [he dies]," painting a particularly dramatic image of his true feelings for his ex-love. The things he does in reaction to the split are suitably bizarre also: after mentioning he has torn up her photos and removed her number from his Rolodex (presumably acceptable things), he also recounts having burned down the malt shop the two had frequented for the sake of the bad memories. Other than performing violent acts rather than spending "one more minute with you" he also states he would rather do disgusting things like cleaning all the bathrooms in Grand Central StationGrand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
with [his] tongue. The song also features a unique masturbation metaphor, as Al sings that he's "stranded all alone/at the Gas Station of Love/and [he has] to use the self-service pumps."
Music video
Several jokes in the music video are inspired by a scene in the movie Top Secret!Top Secret!
Top Secret! is a 1984 comedy film directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. It stars Val Kilmer , Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough and Jeremy Kemp. The film is a parody of the GDR era and Elvis films...
, a movie Yankovic cites as one of his favorites. Most notable are the microphone gags and the presence of three back-up singers, played in the music video by Yankovic's band. While many fan-posted videos have been removed to protect their copyrights, and Yankovic has put up many videos to be downloaded for sale, "One More Minute" has so far been allowed to remain on many free video sharing sites.
According to his series or trading cards, at one point in the video, Al takes out a photograph of a his actual ex-girlfriend and tears it in half; this woman was apparently the inspiration for the song.
Live performances
In concert, the song is played at a noticeably faster pace. Humorous bits sometimes precede the song; for example, on the Running with Scissors tour, Yankovic starts off with a monologue about his "hometown" (which happens to be the town he is currently in) and tells a story his mother told him when he was "...about 23." He is constantly interrupted by keyboardist Rubén ValtierraRubén Valtierra
Rubén Valtierra is the keyboardist best known for working with "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met at the Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary special in October 1991. Shortly after, Yankovic invited him to join his band as a touring keyboardist, and they have worked together ever since...
; to the point which he takes out a blank gun and "shoots" him.
After the first chorus, Yankovic (and a security member—usually wearing a jacket with "AL" on his back) goes into the audience and greets audience members while performing. Additionally, Yankovic removes a pair of boxers from his pants and hands them to a female in the audience. This was also inspired by the aforementioned Top Secret! scene.
See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic