Bedrock Anthem
Encyclopedia
"Bedrock Anthem" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
which was featured on his 1993 album Alapalooza
. It is parody
of "Under the Bridge
" and "Give It Away" both by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
. The song also appears on the soundtrack album for the 1994 live-action movie version of The Flintstones
, with a portion of the song played during the end credits.
This was the second time Yankovic used two songs by a band in one parody, the first being "The Plumbing Song", which was a parody of Milli Vanilli
's "Baby Don't Forget My Number
" and "Blame It on the Rain
"
The promo single only contains "Bedrock Anthem".
, the setting of TV's The Flintstones
, citing such perks as being the first Rolling Stone
subscriber. The song features an audio clip of The Flintstones, which makes a corresponding appearance in the video.
Yankovic stated that, "I knew there was a Flintstones movie coming out, and I figured that for once I'd have my song out before the actual phenomenon. So I got to predate the movie by seven months. I'd always wanted to do a tribute to the Flintstones because I think they're a big part of pop culture. I did a lot of research, really immersed myself in the Flintstones. I watched over 100 Flintstones episodes, because I had to not only re-familiarize myself with the characters, I had to find actual sound bites and animation from the series to use in the song and the video."
") and, like many of his video parodies, was shot on the same set as the original video. Parodied concepts included:
episode, the Red Hot Chili Peppers
were not very impressed with the parody, although they approved of Yankovic's work. Bassist Flea
later stated:,
"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...
which was featured on his 1993 album Alapalooza
Alapalooza
Alapalooza is the eighth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1993. The cover sleeve is a spoof on the movie poster of the hit movie Jurassic Park. The name is a parody of the music festival Lollapalooza....
. It is parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of "Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge
"Under the Bridge" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on March 10, 1992 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express a feeling of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on...
" and "Give It Away" both by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. The song also appears on the soundtrack album for the 1994 live-action movie version of The Flintstones
The Flintstones (film)
The Flintstones is a 1994 American live-action comedy film based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon television series of the same name about a Stone-Age man, his family and his best friend. The film was directed by Brian Levant, written by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein and Steven E...
, with a portion of the song played during the end credits.
This was the second time Yankovic used two songs by a band in one parody, the first being "The Plumbing Song", which was a parody of Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...
's "Baby Don't Forget My Number
Baby Don't Forget My Number
"Baby Don't Forget My Number" is a song by Milli Vanilli and the second U.S single release from their album Girl You Know It's True. It became the first of their three number one hits in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989.-Track listings:7"-Single...
" and "Blame It on the Rain
Blame It on the Rain
"Blame It on the Rain" is a song recorded by Milli Vanilli and written by hitmaker Diane Warren. Released during the summer of 1989, it became their last Billboard Hot 100 number one hit before their scandal broke out. The club mix version of the song was included on the "All or Nothing "Blame It...
"
Track listing
The following tracks are on the single:- "Bedrock Anthem" – 3:41
- "Young, Dumb & Ugly" – 4:24
The promo single only contains "Bedrock Anthem".
Lyrics
The song portrays the narrator's desire to live in BedrockBedrock (The Flintstones)
Bedrock is the fictional prehistoric city, which is home to the characters of the animated television series, The Flintstones .- Size :...
, the setting of TV's The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
, citing such perks as being the first Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
subscriber. The song features an audio clip of The Flintstones, which makes a corresponding appearance in the video.
Yankovic stated that, "I knew there was a Flintstones movie coming out, and I figured that for once I'd have my song out before the actual phenomenon. So I got to predate the movie by seven months. I'd always wanted to do a tribute to the Flintstones because I think they're a big part of pop culture. I did a lot of research, really immersed myself in the Flintstones. I watched over 100 Flintstones episodes, because I had to not only re-familiarize myself with the characters, I had to find actual sound bites and animation from the series to use in the song and the video."
Music video
The "Bedrock Anthem" music video is a parody of both the "Under the Bridge" video and the "Give it Away" video. The music video was Yankovic's video directing debut (Excluding 1986's "Christmas at Ground ZeroChristmas At Ground Zero
"Christmas at Ground Zero" is an original song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is done in the style of The Ronettes' numerous 1960s-era Christmas carols, with bells and a saxophone section, and is one of Yankovic's darkest songs, alongside "The Night Santa Went Crazy" .The expression "ground zero" was...
") and, like many of his video parodies, was shot on the same set as the original video. Parodied concepts included:
- At the beginning, the Bee GirlHeather DeLoachHeather DeLoach is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of the tap dancing "Bee Girl" in the 1992 music video for the hit single "No Rain", by Blind Melon...
from the Blind MelonBlind MelonBlind Melon is an American rock band active from 1989 to 1999, and from 2006 onward.Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock...
video "No RainNo Rain"No Rain" is a song by Blind Melon, released on the band's 1992 debut album Blind Melon. "No Rain" is well-known for its accompanying music video, which features the "Bee Girl" character. The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, received heavy airplay on MTV at the time of its release."No Rain"...
" is tapdancing onstage. Guitarist Jim WestJim West (guitarist)James "Jim" "Kimo" West is a guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. West auditioned for Yankovic, after being introduced by Steve Jay, and the two have worked together ever since...
pokes her, causing her to fall, while he replaces her and begins to play she tries to climb onto the stage again, but is pushed off. - Jim West is dressed similar to John FruscianteJohn FruscianteJohn Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
. - Yankovic replaces Anthony KiedisAnthony KiedisAnthony Kiedis is an American vocalist/lyricist, and occasional actor best known as the lead vocalist of the Grammy-winning American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis spent his youth in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mother before moving, shortly before his 12th birthday, to Hollywood,...
, shirtless, with a long brown wig similar to Kiedis' hair. - Yankovic has several tattoos on his arm, including one of Bamm-Bamm and Wilma. This is an obvious pastiche of Kiedis's many tattoos.
- A drawn image of BedrockBedrock (The Flintstones)Bedrock is the fictional prehistoric city, which is home to the characters of the animated television series, The Flintstones .- Size :...
replaces the photo of Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. - The video then quickly segues into a parody of "Give it Away".
- Dick Van PattenDick Van PattenRichard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
appears in this video, as he did in "Smells Like NirvanaSmells Like Nirvana"Smells Like Nirvana" is a parody of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" written and performed by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It helped to reenergize Yankovic's career, and Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain considered the parody a sign that they had "made it" as a band...
". - Jon SchwartzJon Schwartz (drummer)Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz is a drummer best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met while recording "Another One Rides the Bus" at the Dr. Demento show on September 14, 1980...
replaces Chad SmithChad SmithChad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
. He is also dressed up like a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes, complete with hat and club. - Steve JaySteve JayEugene Stephen "Steve" Jay is a bass guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic.Jay was born in Florida. He auditioned for Yankovic after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since...
appears as FleaFlea (musician)Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
. - Black and white footage of The FlintstonesThe FlintstonesThe Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
is intercut with the video. - A monologue from The Flintstones along with accompanying footage is played over the backwards guitar solo.
- The band members do crazy things, such as blowing a pinwheelPinwheelPinwheel may refer to:* Pinwheel , a children's show on Nickelodeon that ran from 1977-1990.** Pinwheel , a channel which would later be the Nickelodeon channel...
, throwing up, playing ring toss with the drummer's fake horns, and playing TwisterTwister (game)Twister is a game of physical skill produced by Hasbro Games. It is played on a large plastic mat that is spread on the floor or ground. The mat has four rows of large colored circles on it with a different color in each row: red, yellow, blue, and green. A spinner is attached to a square board...
. - Close-ups of Yankovic's mouth are weirder than the shots of Kiedis' mouth in the original. One shot shows Al performing a chinfaceChinfaceA chinface, sometimes referred to as a chinhead, chinman, or chinmonster is a performance, usually of a comical nature, involving someone's chin...
. Another two shots show him with false teeth (which look like zippers), as well as oddly vibrant-colored lipstick, which was also featured in the original. - In the split-screen shot of the members jumping, a stone-age majorette, Al's aunt Dot, a sumo wrestler, Dick Van PattenDick Van PattenRichard Vincent "Dick" Van Patten is an American actor, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television sitcom Eight is Enough. He began work as a child actor and was successful on the [New York] stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager...
, and a poodle and a bird jump as well. - Near the end, Schwartz is seen with a Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
hat on, a parody of Chad Smith's usage of a First World WarWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
German military hat. - The end of the video features the band running into the darkened distance, much like the original. However, this time Yankovic faints from dizziness in front of the camera.
- One minute and forty-eight seconds into the video, one of the band members is wearing a "kick me" note on his back.
Reaction from Red Hot Chili Peppers
According to Yankovic's Behind the MusicBehind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
episode, the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
were not very impressed with the parody, although they approved of Yankovic's work. Bassist Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
later stated:,
See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic