Jurassic Park (song)
Encyclopedia
"Jurassic Park" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
. It is a parody of "MacArthur Park
" by Jimmy Webb
(as performed by Richard Harris), and is written as a humorous take on the film of the same name
.
The promo single only contains "Jurassic Park".
.
Other humor hinges on how lines from the parody closely mimic the lyrics of the original song:
The parody only features parts of the song, the verses, choruses, the instrumental (shortened), and the ending. The middle section ("There will be another song for me...") is missing. Intermixed during the interlude are various dinosaur sound effects courtesy of Sandy Berman.
and in Canada, where it was a Top Five hit. The combination of the two made Alapalooza work commercially.
's Dinosaurs! - A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time!
, parodying scenes from, as well as the general plot of the 1993 movie
and was approved by the film's director, Steven Spielberg
. The animation was done by Mark Osborne
and Scott Nordlund.
Parodied concepts include:
"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 "MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park (song)
"MacArthur Park" is a song by Jimmy Webb, originally composed as part of an intended cantata. The song was initially rejected by The Association. Richard Harris was the first to record it, in 1968; the song was subsequently covered by numerous artists. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer's...
" by Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
(as performed by Richard Harris), and is written as a humorous take on the film of the same name
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
.
Track listing
The following tracks are on the single:- "Jurassic Park" – 3:53
- "Frank's 2000" TV" – 4:04
The promo single only contains "Jurassic Park".
Writing and development
Yankovic, when asked how he came up with the idea for the song, stated,- "I was driving a rent-a-car through Florida when the song 'LolaLola (song)"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho, London....
' came on the radio, and it got me thinking about how much fun I had doing 'YodaYoda (song)"Yoda" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the song "Lola" by The Kinks. Written and inspired by the events of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the song is told from the point of view of Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker, and concerns his dealings with Jedi Master Yoda on...
,' where I took a then-current topic and combined it with a classic rock tune. Then I flashed on Jurassic ParkJurassic Park (film)Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
which had just come out, and was already well on its way to becoming the biggest hit in box office history. I thought of various songs that I could combine that with, and then I hit on 'MacArthur ParkMacArthur Park (song)"MacArthur Park" is a song by Jimmy Webb, originally composed as part of an intended cantata. The song was initially rejected by The Association. Richard Harris was the first to record it, in 1968; the song was subsequently covered by numerous artists. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer's...
.' It felt like a natural. I got permission from Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
(composer of "MacArthur Park"), from Michael CrichtonMichael CrichtonJohn Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
(author of the novel on which the movie is based) and of course from Steven SpielbergSteven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
, whose blessing made it possible for us to cut through miles of legal red tape."
Lyrics and composition
Part of the humor of the song lies in the contrast between the catastrophic events of the movie, with much loss of human life and destruction of property, and the cynical banality of the singer's complaints, i.e., "This has been one lousy day," and "What a crummy weekend this has been." This sets in in probably intentional opposition to MacArthur Park, which reaches an emotional climax over what seems to be a fairly unimportant incident involving a cakeCake
Cake is a form of bread or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet and enriched baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape...
.
Other humor hinges on how lines from the parody closely mimic the lyrics of the original song:
- Original: MacArthur Park is melting in the dark
- Parody: Jurassic Park is frightening in the dark
- Original: All the sweet, green icing flowing down
- Parody: All the dinosaurs are running wild
- Original: Someone left the cake out in the rain
- Parody: Someone shut the fence off in the rain
The parody only features parts of the song, the verses, choruses, the instrumental (shortened), and the ending. The middle section ("There will be another song for me...") is missing. Intermixed during the interlude are various dinosaur sound effects courtesy of Sandy Berman.
Release and reception
After the release of Alapalooza "Jurassic Park" got light rotation on MTV. "Weird Al" Yankovic went on to say, "[MTV] played it a few times, and then just yanked it, because it wasn't really part of their sound." However, the single was a success on The BoxThe Box
The Box may refer to:In television:* The Box , a music video television formerly known as Video Jukebox Network, originally from Miami, but now only available in the UK and Ireland** The Box , a defunct U.S...
and in Canada, where it was a Top Five hit. The combination of the two made Alapalooza work commercially.
Music video
The music video is done mostly with claymation in the style of Will VintonWill Vinton
Will Vinton is an American director and producer of animated films. He was born in McMinnville, Oregon, near Portland. He has won an Oscar for his work, and several Emmy Awards and Clio Awards for the work of his studio.- Education :...
's Dinosaurs! - A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time!
Dinosaurs! - A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time!
Dinosaurs! – A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time! is a film short released by Golden Book Video in 1987 under their "GoldenVision" series. It stars Fred Savage playing a grade school student named Philip who gives a class report on dinosaurs, with the help of an animated chalkboard and Will Vinton's...
, parodying scenes from, as well as the general plot of the 1993 movie
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
and was approved by the film's director, Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
. The animation was done by Mark Osborne
Mark Osborne (filmmaker)
Mark Randolph Osborne is an American film director, writer, producer, animator and Guggenheim Fellow .-Biography:He got his start by studying Foundation Art at Pratt Institute in New York before receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of...
and Scott Nordlund.
Parodied concepts include:
- At the beginning of the music video, a miner discovers a fossilized mosquitoMosquitoMosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
, which appears silhouetted against the light. The light shifts and reveals the mosquito with a bent nose and abnormally large eyes. - During the laboratory scene one of the robotic armRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s that handles the clonedCloningCloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
dinosaur eggs is coloring an egg to look like colorful Easter eggs. There is also a dartboard instead of a chart in that room, and a sack of "Dino Chow" visible in the background. - When the scientist, who appears to be a caricature of controversial euthanasistEuthanasiaEuthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
Jack KevorkianJack KevorkianJacob "Jack" Kevorkian , commonly known as "Dr. Death", was an American pathologist, euthanasia activist, painter, composer and instrumentalist. He is best known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide; he said he assisted at least 130 patients to...
, looks through a microscope at the fossilized mosquito, he sees the DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
character from the introductory film at Jurassic Park taking a shower. The DNA shrieks and covers herself with the shower curtain. - "Weird Al" is first seen in Jurassic Park's kitchen attempting to hold a door shut on a velociraptorVelociraptorVelociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils...
. The velociraptor gives up the brute force, pulls out a key ring, and sifts through it to find the key instead - a reference to the scene in Jurassic Park when a velociraptor learns to use the door handle. - In a crowd of loose dinosaurs, one of them is a chicken. Another crowd has a ballerina brontosaurus and another is holding a beer and has a lampshade on his head.
- A claw harmlessly touches the wire after Dennis Nedry pulls the switch to cut the power.
- A brachiosaurusBrachiosaurusBrachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America. It was first described by Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. Riggs named the dinosaur Brachiosaurus altithorax,...
accidentally steps on someone. It turns up its feet to see a flattened person on the sole of its foot, and seems disgusted by it, as a human might after stepping on a bug. - The chaos theoryChaos theoryChaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, economics, biology, and philosophy. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the...
is shown on a chalkboard as a large equationEquationAn equation is a mathematical statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. In modern notation, this is written by placing the expressions on either side of an equals sign , for examplex + 3 = 5\,asserts that x+3 is equal to 5...
, which turns into a spinning globe, a reference to the series' Dr. Ian Malcolm character. - As "Weird Al" lyrically states: "I do not approve of this attraction, because getting disemboweled always makes me kinda mad," he presses a Ɵ stamp down on the Jurassic Park logo and then lifts up his shirt to reveal that he has been disemboweled.
- When the lights go out, a bunch of angry eyes appear around Yankovic; he lights a match, showing that he is surrounded by angry dinosaurs, who subsequently put the match out.
- In the movie, the TyrannosaurusTyrannosaurusTyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
ate lawyer Donald Gennaro, after destroying the bathroom he was in and eating him off the toilet he was huddled on. In the music video, Donald Gennaro is going to the bathroom in an outdoor toilet, while reading a newspaper, when the T-Rex eats him. The T-Rex then daintily wipes off the extra blood on his face with a napkin, sips some tea, and flosses. - As the song sings "Someone let T. Rex out of his pen", a tyrannosaurus in a wrestlingProfessional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
outfit jumps off the fence, with a visible World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
logo on the top of the fence/turnbuckleTurnbuckleA turnbuckle, stretching screw or bottlescrew is a device for adjusting the tension or length of ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eyelets, one screwed into each end of a small metal frame, one with a left-hand thread and the other with a...
. The camera pulls out to reveal that he is jumping on another wrestling dinosaur. - The main gate of Jurassic Park is shown several times. The second time, it is raining and one of the torches is out, so one of the animators sticks his arm into the frame and re-lights it with a lighter. The third time, a "Dinogizer" dinosaur with a drum and pink rabbit-ears, a spoof of the Energizer bunny, passes in front.
- When Yankovic says "I sure hope these things don't harm me/'Cause they sure don't act like BarneyBarney & FriendsBarney and Friends, also referred to by HiT Entertainment as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent children's television show produced in the United States, aimed at children from ages 1-8...
/And they think thatI'm their dinner, not their friend", Barney the Dinosaur is dancing to the song, but a T. Rex bites his head off. Later in the song, a brachiosaurus gives the same T-rex the Heimlich maneuver, and it coughs up Barney's head. - An Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
-lookalike hunter jumps into one of the dinosaur crowds, but a large dinosaur cuts him to pieces with a single swipe of its claws. This is most likely a reference to when Jurassic Park game warden, Robert Muldoon, is killed by a velociraptorVelociraptorVelociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils...
. It may also mock how the film Last Action HeroLast Action HeroLast Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
(which starred Schwarzenegger) bombed in the box office because it was released a week after Jurassic Park. - A Tyrannosaurus with a forkForkAs a piece of cutlery or kitchenware, a fork is a tool consisting of a handle with several narrow tines on one end. The fork, as an eating utensil, has been a feature primarily of the West, whereas in East Asia chopsticks have been more prevalent...
, knifeKnifeA knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
, and bibBib (garment)A bib is a garment worn hanging from the neck on the chest to protect clothing from spilling.The word, reported in English since 1580, stems from a verb bibben "to drink" , from Latin bibere, either because it was worn while drinking or because it "soaked up" spills.Bibs are frequently used by...
gangs up on Yankovic, then throws his utensils aside and swallows him. - While "Weird Al" is falling down the T. Rex's gullet, the instrumental portion of the song takes place, and he sees cel animation shots of dinosaurs dancing on colorful or spiraling backgrounds. This includes a T-Rex dancing in the styles of:
- The Jurassic Park logo
- Colorful wheels
- Yellow Submarine
- Cafe style
- Cubist
- There are also:
- Two dinosaurs boogeyingBoogieBoogie is a repetitive, swung note or shuffle rhythm, "groove" or pattern used in blues which was originally played on the piano in boogie-woogie music. The characteristic rhythm and feel of the boogie was then adapted to guitar, double bass, and other instruments. The earliest recorded...
in cages - Dinosaurs being morphedMorphingMorphing is a special effect in motion pictures and animations that changes one image into another through a seamless transition. Most often it is used to depict one person turning into another through technological means or as part of a fantasy or surreal sequence. Traditionally such a depiction...
- Two dinosaurs fighting over a human
- A dinosaur resembling DinoDino (The Flintstones)Dino is a fictional character featured in the Hanna-Barbera animated television series The Flintstones, and its TV spinoffs and feature films. He is a pet dinosaur of the series' main characters, Fred and Wilma Flintstone. In the show, he is a metaphorical pet dog, and exhibits the characteristics...
from Hanna Barbera's 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...
series
- Two dinosaurs boogeying
- When "Weird Al" lands in the stomach of the dinosaur, he is surprised to see a souvenir stand there, where a spotty faced teen offers him an "I was eaten alive at Jurassic Park" T-shirt.
- The T. Rex turns on the people filming. The "director", who resembles Steven SpielbergSteven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
, raises a sign that says "Cut!" before evacuating the set. Two people (resembling the film's producers Gerald R. MolenGerald R. MolenGerald Robert Molen is a high profile American film producer. He works very closely with Steven Spielberg, having produced five of his films, and won an Academy Award for co-producing Schindler's List...
and Kathleen Kennedy) can be seen behind the "director". Their eyes "popped" and ran away before the director did. This may be a reference to an infamous error in the movie where, in the T-rex scene, you can see a safety wire and a film light in the background. - A CeratosaurusCeratosaurusCeratosaurus meaning "horned lizard", in reference to the horn on its nose , was a large predatory theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period , found in the Morrison Formation of North America, in Tanzania and Portugal...
in a chef hat salts one of his victims before eating him. - At the last chorus, "Weird Al" is singing on a stage in front of three dancing dinosaurs with top hats and canes. Other dinosaurs are on the side playing trumpets and other brass instruments.
- Yankovic rides the helicopter at the end of the video. On land, two velociraptors are crying and waving goodbye, one holding a sign that reads "Don't Forget to Write". As the helicopter flies what appears to be far away in the distance, a T. Rex appears, eats it, then looks at the camera and burps - a possible reference to the T. Rex's appearance at the end of the film. The T. Rex then winks as the scene irises to black.
See also
- List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
- List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic