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Throwback To One Of Weird Al's Most Controversial Songs

Throwback To One Of Weird Al's Most Controversial Songs

Happy birthday, Al.

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay

Unbelievably, it's Weird Al's 57th birthday today. Some of you may not have a clue what I'm on about. However, for others he was a strange staple of childhood. His peculiar takes on popular songs were funny... for a bit.

Anyway, he made some serious cash by simply covering other people's songs and making them about a completely random subject.

Take Michael Jackson's 'Bad' for example. He changed it to 'Fat' and made it all about being fat. Genius.

Although Michael Jackson was reportedly a big fan of Weird Al, others weren't so receptive.

In 1996, Weird Al covered Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise'. However, he changed it to 'Amish Paradise' - see below.

Apparently, Coolio's label gave permission for Weird Al to cover it. All good then, right? Well, no. Coolio said that permission was never granted. Despite being upset, he didn't take him to court and still made money off the parody through royalties.

On his website, Weird Al wrote: "I don't remember what we said to each other exactly, but it was all very friendly. I doubt I'll be invited to Coolio's next birthday party, but at least I can stop wearing that bulletproof vest to the mall."

It looks like everything got sorted in the end, as in an interview in 2014, Coolio said: "I was being cocky and shit and being stupid and I was wrong and I should've embraced that shit and went with it."

Well, that's all good then.

I can't help but wonder whether or not the Amish were upset with this parody, though? Mind you, they'll never see it so no harm, no foul.

Featured image credit: PA Images

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