BY MIKEY MIGO
Going back I've always enjoyed a good spoof video. It's a reimagining, often with humor, of a popular song at the time. There's a certain "b-movie" cheese quality to a good parody video. It's like you watch it with a little bit of embarrassment for yourself, but just say screw it and let yourself laugh at it. No matter how weird or odd it is, it's meant for a laugh. At who's expense, that's another story itself.
There have been plenty of huge parody hits and cult classics. We all know about "Weird Al". He's made a living by putting a comedic spin on contemporary music. He's very good at what he does and has had his videos on MTV when MTV meant something. I'm sure the idea of parody has been around even before him. Dr. Demento had plenty of parody tracks on his shows back in the day.
From there, the sketch comedy shows have always had a place for it. "Saturday Night Live" has their share, "Mad TV" had theirs, and who'd forget the Michael Jackson "Black or White" parody on "In Living Color"? But now we fast forward to 2010. We have technology coming out of our asses and people are utilizing it in many ways. With a video camera, an editing program, and a thought out (notice, I didn't say "well") idea anyone can put up anything. I ended up spending about four hours going through YouTube and watching spoof and parody music videos made by fans and/or tiny production companies. Most were on the lame side, but a select few were funny enough, bizarre enough, or just "what the fuck" enough to merit attention. There's plenty more where this came from, but here are a few parody music videos that I want to expose your eyes to. So, light em up and pour ‘em down because this can and will get quite messy.
Song: "Sing Talk" (Tik Tok Parody)
By: Sarah Schnieder, Streeter Sidell – Collegehumor.com
This video is pretty dead on for my opinion of this pop "star". There are a lot of "Tik Tok" parodies out there, but I this one is the best. The video looks very similar to the original and the singing and lyrics work here perfectly. I think this woman is not only more attractive, but has a better voice. I'd rather THIS be the hit single than the real one. Yeah, the lyrics pretty much expose Ke$ha for what she is and is on the mean side but there's not much in this parody that isn't really that far off from being believable. Point and laugh goodness!
Song: "Good Video Games" (Parody Of "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears)
By: Richard Alvarez, Christopher Muller, Dane Kevin Cook
This is part of the "Stupid Mario Movie" that can be found on YouTube. I really enjoyed this one. It's bizarre and cheesy, but you know what, I completely agree. Video games mostly suck post SNES. I miss cartridges and NES, SNES, and Sega were the epitome of creative games. The song is creative and the video is very well done. I'm planning on watching the movie sometime this week when I can sit down and give it my undivided attention. The world that was painted in this clip makes me very curious. Virally Awesome!
Song: "Over" by Drake (Parody Music Video)
By: qbanguy
I'm not that exposed to Drake, but I'm well aware of the guy. This is one of many Qbanguy videos on his page including a few other entertaining parody videos. This one is cool because not only is the production quality, but dude has the look down pact. A main reason Drake is so known is because of his Sprite commercials and guest spots, this video tackles the Sprite endorsement flawlessly. Topical Twist!
Song: "Single Ladies" by Beyonce (Barack Obama Spoof)
By: Alphacat
This feels like it would have been a MadTV sketch if the show survived long enough for it. The Obama impersonation is one of the better ones and the lyrics are witty. The voice is pretty much dead on and I love the style. It's direction and editing isn't anything amazing, but it's sharp and works nicely. I'm an Obama fan and all, but I really didn't laugh at all during this. Mild Amusement!
Song: "Bad Romance Parody"
By: Sherry Vine
Wow. NSFW, by the way. This one is just bizarre, but very entertaining. I once read that if art makes you uncomfortable then it's doing its job. This video is overworked. The use of random accessories like lady Bic's, the toilet seat, and other randomness is a great jab at Gaga's typical "sooo out there" antics. This is a video about Lady GaGa having diarrhea. What more can you ask for? Well done. The Shit!
Song: "I Kicked a Girl" (Katy Perry Parody)
By: Peter Coffin
The warning at front should be noted. They don't mean it, guys! This is another silly one. It's simplistic, but covers the video very well. Humorous songs about domestic violence are always welcomed in my book. Considering the only one I can think of at the moment is GnR's "Used To Love Her" that's actually not even a joke. Peter does a fun job here. It's not over produced and gets the point across without having to go too far with props or randomness. I really do hope "she learned her lesson" though and I appreciate he didn't do a sequel to it involving a Ri-Ri song. Domestically Disputable!
Song: "I Love Chicken" ("I Love College" by Asher Roth Parody)
By: "Bojo" from 98.5 KLUC
I don't know how I feel about this one. When I first saw the YouTube title I was a bit uneasy. I was expecting a racist attack on a stereotype, but what I got was "Bojo" from 98.5 KLUC parodying a recent flash in the pan white rapper. The music and video production is of impressive quality, but this is just silly. Yeah, chicken is a great food choice but the song is lackluster. Offensive stuff doesn't offend me, but offensive stuff that's of no entertainment value does. This video was BBQ'd in Lame Sauce!
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