UHF (song)
Encyclopedia
"UHF" is an original song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
in the key of E major and based on several different riffs. It is the theme song from the film UHF
. It is a style parody of themes that are played to advertise television stations. The video
parodies other artists and music videos popular during the 1980s, including Guns N' Roses
, George Michael
, Robert Palmer, Prince, Talking Heads
, Peter Gabriel
, ZZ Top
, Billy Idol
, The Beatles
, INXS
and Randy Newman
.
The promo single only contains "UHF".
The promo single only contains "UHF".
s of several other music videos, intermixed with clips from the film. The videos parodied in the "UHF" video are:
"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...
in the key of E major and based on several different riffs. It is the theme song from the film UHF
UHF (film)
UHF is a 1989 American comedy film starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, David Bowe, Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, Michael Richards, Gedde Watanabe, Billy Barty, Anthony Geary, Emo Philips and Trinidad Silva, in whose memory the film is dedicated.The title refers to Ultra High Frequency...
. It is a style parody of themes that are played to advertise television stations. The video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
parodies other artists and music videos popular during the 1980s, including Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Robert Palmer, Prince, Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
and Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
.
7" single
The following tracks are on the 7" single:- "UHF" (Single version) – 3:49
- "Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet near Mars" – 3:28
The promo single only contains "UHF".
CD single
The following tracks are on the CD single:- "UHF" – 5:10
- "Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet near Mars" – 3:28
The promo single only contains "UHF".
Music video
The "UHF" music video features pastichePastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
s of several other music videos, intermixed with clips from the film. The videos parodied in the "UHF" video are:
- "Welcome to the JungleWelcome to the Jungle"Welcome to the Jungle" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on its 1987 debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction. It was released as the band's second single on October 3, 1987, and reached number #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number #24 on the UK Singles Chart...
" by Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
(1 and 17) - Yankovic and his band are dressed like Guns N' Roses as they perform on a stage similar to the one in the original video.
- "FaithFaith (George Michael song)"Faith" is a #1 song, written and performed by George Michael, released as a single on Columbia Records, from his 1987 Faith album. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year in the United States in 1988....
" by George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
(2) - Yankovic is dressed similarly to Michael in the original, even sporting a five o'clock shadow. The back of the jacket Michael wears in the original read "Revenge," while the one Yankovic wears in "UHF" reads "Look at my butt". Also, Michaels jacket appears to say "BSA" in the front, while Yankovic's says "UHF".
- "Addicted to LoveAddicted to Love (song)Tina Turner has made "Addicted to Love" a regular feature of her live shows since 1986, although her version did not make it onto the market until two years later....
" by Robert Palmer (3 and 20) - The women, who are the exact same ones from the original video, have glasses and mustaches similar to those of Yankovic.
- "Little Red CorvetteLittle Red Corvette"Little Red Corvette" is a song by the American musician Prince. Released as a single from the album 1999 in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach top-10 status in the U.S., peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" by PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
(4 and 9) - Yankovic is dressed similar to Prince and is performing on a stage similar to the one in the original video. He exaggerates usage of his tongue, and flails around with a guitar.
- "Once in a LifetimeOnce in a Lifetime (Talking Heads song)"Once in a Lifetime" is a song by New Wave band Talking Heads, released as the first single from their fourth studio album Remain in Light. The song was written by David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth, and produced by Eno...
" by Talking HeadsTalking HeadsTalking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
(5) - Yankovic is dressed like David ByrneDavid ByrneDavid Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
and makes sudden flings of his arm. In the background, we see several Yankovics dancing in perfect synchronization; in the foreground, a large Al is getting further and further out of sync. - "SledgehammerSledgehammer (song)"Sledgehammer" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It hit number one in Canada on 21 July 1986 where it spent four weeks; number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986; and number four in the UK singles chart, thanks in part to a...
" by Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
(6 and 13) - Both pixilation and stop-motion animation are used. Later, Yankovic sings next to two bumper cars, as in the original video.
- "LegsLegs (song)"Legs" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States...
" by ZZ TopZZ TopZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
(7 and 18) - Yankovic and two members of his band appear as ZZ Top in front of a supermarket. The two guitarists spin their guitars around; the complete revolution launches into the next scene. Later, the three appear without instruments and wave at the camera.
- "White WeddingWhite Wedding (song)"White Wedding" is a song by Billy Idol that appeared on his album Billy Idol . Although "the Big 80's: Episode I" of VH1's Pop-up Video trivia show claims Idol wrote the song to voice his displeasure with his sister's fiance , on an episode of VH1 Storytellers, Idol claimed that there was never...
" by Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
(8) - Yankovic unwraps a white towel from around himself doing Idol's patented raised upper lip. The towel gets caught slightly and Yankovic ends up tossing it down rather roughly.
- "Your Mother Should Know" by The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, from the film Magical Mystery Tour (10 and 19) - Yankovic and the members of his band descend a grand staircase in white tuxedos.
- "Mediate" by INXSINXSINXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, which itself is an homage to Bob Dylan'sBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
"Subterranean Homesick BluesSubterranean Homesick Blues"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, originally released in 1965 as a single on Columbia Records, catalogue 43242. It appeared 19 days later as the lead track to the album Bringing It All Back Home. It was Dylan's first Top 40 hit, peaking at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also...
" (11) - Similar to Yankovic's later video "Bob", the placards that Yankovic tosses read as follows: "Sit", "Stare", "Picture", "Tube", "Brain", "Cottage cheese", and a question mark.
- "I Love L.A.I Love L.A."I Love L.A." is a song about Los Angeles, California written and recorded by Randy Newman. It was originally released on his 1983 album Trouble in Paradise...
" by Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
(12) - Al is seen driving down the street in an old convertible with a red-haired woman.
- "When Doves CryWhen Doves CryA hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
" by Prince (14) - Yankovic is shown in a bathtub. His hairstyle is similar to that of Prince, and he is shown without glasses.
- "Rebel YellRebel Yell (song)"Rebel Yell" is the first song on the Billy Idol album of the same name. When first released in 1984, it charted outside the UK Top 40, but a re-issue in 1985 reached #6. It did not fare as well in the US, only reaching #46...
" by Billy Idol (15) - Al repeatedly throws punches at the camera. His last punch "breaks the lens".
- "Girlfriend Is BetterGirlfriend Is Better"Girlfriend Is Better" is a song by New Wave band Talking Heads, from their fifth studio album Speaking in Tongues. The song's single version was a live version from the soundtrack of their concert film Stop Making Sense....
" by Talking HeadsTalking HeadsTalking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
, as performed in the concert film Stop Making SenseStop Making SenseStop Making Sense is a concert movie featuring Talking Heads live on stage. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it was shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December 1983, as the group was touring to promote their new album Speaking in Tongues. The movie is notable for...
(16) - Yankovic is dressed in a replica of the iconic "big suit" David Byrne wore during this performance, and recreates Byrne's dancing. To this day, Yankovic dons a similar attire for concert performances of "Dog Eat Dog," a Talking Heads pastiche.
See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic