I Can't Watch This
Encyclopedia
"I Can't Watch This" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
. It is a parody of "U Can't Touch This
" by MC Hammer
. The lyrics indicate the singer is watching an exceptionally bad TV program. This song and "The White Stuff
" were originally pressed to be made into singles for public distribution, but they were never released.
"I Can't Watch This" was one of the eight songs recorded for Off the Deep End in 1990; the others were "The Plumbing Song", "The White Stuff
", "When I Was Your Age", "You Don't Love Me Anymore
", "Trigger Happy", "Airline Amy", and "Waffle King
", which was released on the "Smells Like Nirvana
" single.
The song mentions many TV shows and networks, such as America's Funniest Home Videos
, Twin Peaks
, and HBO.
Overdubbed over the bridge is a "commercial medley". This section contains re-recorded bits of various famous commercials. Several of the notable commercials featured include the Energizer Bunny
's "they keep going and going" and Excedrin
's "when you've got a headache this big!"
The tempo of the song is slower than Hammer's original version, due to Al not being an accomplished rapper at the time. Later hip-hop tracks covered by Al (including White And Nerdy) and other original songs (specifically Hardware Store) would show that Al had mastered rapid locution.
"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 a parody of "U Can't Touch This
U Can't Touch This
"U Can't Touch This" is MC Hammer's 1990 super hit signature song, from his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The album sold more than 10 million copies, due primarily to this single, and gaining multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, and other Recording Industries.Rick James sued Hammer...
" by MC Hammer
MC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
. The lyrics indicate the singer is watching an exceptionally bad TV program. This song and "The White Stuff
The White Stuff
"The White Stuff" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of " The Right Stuff" by New Kids on the Block, and a tribute to Oreo cookies...
" were originally pressed to be made into singles for public distribution, but they were never released.
"I Can't Watch This" was one of the eight songs recorded for Off the Deep End in 1990; the others were "The Plumbing Song", "The White Stuff
The White Stuff
"The White Stuff" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of " The Right Stuff" by New Kids on the Block, and a tribute to Oreo cookies...
", "When I Was Your Age", "You Don't Love Me Anymore
You Don't Love Me Anymore
-Cassette single:The following tracks are on the commercial cassette single:# "You Don't Love Me Anymore" – 4:01# "I Was Only Kidding" – 3:31The promo CD single only contains "You Don't Love Me Anymore".-Lyrics:...
", "Trigger Happy", "Airline Amy", and "Waffle King
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....
", which was released on the "Smells Like Nirvana
Smells 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...
" single.
The song mentions many TV shows and networks, such as America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
, Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
, and HBO.
Overdubbed over the bridge is a "commercial medley". This section contains re-recorded bits of various famous commercials. Several of the notable commercials featured include the Energizer Bunny
Energizer Bunny
The Energizer Bunny is the marketing icon and mascot of Energizer batteries in North America. It is a pink toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and blue and white striped sandals that beats a bass drum bearing the Energizer logo. It is a parody of the preexistent Duracell Bunny, still seen in Europe and...
's "they keep going and going" and Excedrin
Excedrin
Excedrin is an over-the-counter headache pain reliever, typically in the form of tablets or caplets. It contains acetaminophen , aspirin, and caffeine. Until late 2005 it was manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb, but in July 2005 it was purchased by Novartis, along with other products from BMS's...
's "when you've got a headache this big!"
The tempo of the song is slower than Hammer's original version, due to Al not being an accomplished rapper at the time. Later hip-hop tracks covered by Al (including White And Nerdy) and other original songs (specifically Hardware Store) would show that Al had mastered rapid locution.
Release
According to the "Ask Al" feature on Yankovic's official website, "I Can't Watch This" was originally going to be made into a commercially released single, but the record company decided against the idea, and they deleted the single, even after they had made several cartons of promo CDs. According to the sites Q&R Al and fellow band member Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz managed to grab a few copies before they were discarded. Reportedly, copies of "I Can't Watch This" are harder to find than copies of "The White Stuff".TV programs
- America's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
- The Arsenio Hall ShowThe Arsenio Hall ShowThe Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
- The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
- The Jerry Springer ShowThe Jerry Springer ShowThe Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
- Late Night with David LettermanLate Night with David LettermanLate Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
(specifically Stupid Pet TricksStupid Pet Tricks"Stupid Pet Tricks", and, subsequently, "Stupid Human Tricks", are well-known segments on Late Night with David Letterman, and, later, The Late Show with David Letterman....
) - The People's CourtThe People's CourtThe People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
- RoseanneRoseanne (TV series)Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
- Sally Jesse Raphael
- Thirtysomething
- Twin PeaksTwin PeaksTwin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
Other
- Cable televisionCable televisionCable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
- Judge WapnerJoseph WapnerJoseph Albert Wapner is a former American judge and TV personality of the real-life courtroom-style show The People's Court, which ran in syndication from 1981 to 1993 for 2,484 episodes....
- Prime timePrime timePrime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
- SiskelGene SiskelEugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
& EbertRoger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic