This WAS LEGENDARY! | "Weird Al" Yankovic - The Saga Begins (Official Video) (REACTION)

[@theeternalsw0rd]

Fun fact: According to an article by AARP, Don McLean admitted that his kids were big fans of Weird Al, and played this song on repeat so much around the house that he almost sang Weird Al's lyrics instead of his own when performing American Pie.

[@Osma777]

I do this all the time. I'm not super familiar with American Pie (I'm not QUITE that old), but I know the chorus enough to get it stuck in my head all the time, and I tend to accidently mix the lyrics up between the two constantly.

[@jlinkous05]

Don hated the attention and had hoped his song would be the last performance that he'd ever have to do. So I can understand his love for the parody!

[@alricaneshama]

LMFAO

[@skygazer858]

@@Osma777 I am quite that old and I do it too. 😆

[@marciusnhasty]

​@@Osma777 When I've discovered this video Madonna's cover was all over MTV and I didn't know it's a cover or that this video predates her version of American Pie. I simply thought he's covering Madonna again just as he did Michael more than once.

[@yvonnesanders4308]

The best synopsis of star wars there is

[@mrkelso]

"Smells Like Nirvana", Cliff! As a lyricist, it's right in your pocket!

[@kingmasterlord]

but it's _hard_ to bargle nawdle zouss

[@simplysmile712]

My favorite Weird Al song!

[@JohnPaul-hm2ys]

A great request.

[@lynette.]

Fantastic call.

[@calililylookeylou266]

Smells like Nirvana music video AND in Concert same with Like a surgeon & Dare to be Stupid

[@krystarobinson8219]

Seeing this in concert is the best thing ever. He has people dressed up as Storm Troopers. Also, in the line "I'm still here and he's a ghost", he carries out the word "he" for a while. He changes the length every time he preforms it.

[@ProfCoyote]

Not just any people, each city he goes to he and his people have reached out to whatever local branch of the 501st (IE the creme de la creme of Star Wars cosplayers) to do the honor guard.

[@xenxander]

i saw it live performed at Universal. For my birthday.

[@krystarobinson8219]

@ I’ve seen it a couple times, and I’m going again next year.

[@xenxander]

@@krystarobinson8219 If I could join you I would but alas I'm not too close to that place anymore ;(

[@krystarobinson8219]

@@xenxander oh I’m not seeing him at Universal, that’s way too far. He’s coming to Darien, NY in July.

[@matthewteague623]

It's not just that he made the lyrics fit so seemlessly into the original tune. It's also that the emotion of the original tune perfectly fits. You know Anakin is this young kid, with all the potential anyone in the Galaxy could ever ask for. And you know it's going to end badly. That keeps the bittersweetness of the original "day the music died."

[@LoveClassicMusic0205]

This song is Weird Al's masterpiece. He managed to tell the entire story of the movie in five minutes, all the while making the lyrics fit to the music of American Pie. Genius.

[@Rainbow.Pegacorn.Cosplay]

How many people can make "midichlorians" sound musically poetic?

[@mikeanderson1722]

@@Rainbow.Pegacorn.Cosplay The grammy for best use of the word 'prepubescent' in a song goes to...

[@JamieS1992]

i feel like his best is white and nerdy

[@whichway-557]

well said my friend

[@Greenpizzacomics]

He is a genius. And from Obi Wans perspective. Next level.

[@XboxJohnBrown]

In order to prep for this song to come out right as the movie came out, Al caught up on the books and was reading plot speculations and was eventually able to get an early screening. He was such a Star Wars nerd that he didn’t have to change much of anything

[@ingiford175]

Came here to say this

[@fullmetalcrusader]

Me too lol

[@jlinkous05]

He wrote the song before the screening. Once he watched it, he was like "Pretty close!" and had to revise very few lines.

[@thenathanhaines]

He had to send the lyrics to Lucasfilm to get clearance to release it. Needless to say, the negotiations _were_ short.

[@GaryRPeters]

@@thenathanhaines Al shot first.

[@cathyg6164]

I love weird Al

[@ZenSponge]

Them: There are no bards in Star Wars! Weird Al: Hold my accordion.

[@CorvusCorone68]

hear me out: accordion in a cantina performance. or at a Hutt's palace

[@adamhegge9063]

I just realized that he's foreshadowing the clone wars at the end!

[@salsonny]

Genius.

[@Leannabananaism]

Genius

[@KevynJacobs]

May The Weird Be With You.

[@johnmorghuhn8505]

"Bedrock Anthem" is a great song as well

[@Dajokaz]

Hey Cliff, to keep in the Star Wars theme : Weird Al "Yoda" ! It's hilarious and awesome ! ✌️👍

[@baskervillebee6097]

Yoda and Luke Song Bad Lip Reading "Seagulls Stop It"

[@tommc3622]

🎶"I saw the little runt sitting there on a log in the middle of a swamp down on Dagobagh..."🎶

[@Dajokaz]

@@tommc3622 hey! No spoilers!!! 😉

[@LadyDragonborn]

@@baskervillebee6097 OMG Seagulls… I haven’t watched that in forever. It’s epic. I’m off to reacquaint myself with that masterpiece! Oh, and I second Weird Al’s “Yoda”

[@this.is.a.username]

don't forget Star Wars Gangsta Rap

[@sophiet1576]

I've seen Weird Al sing this in concert. He wears the same outfit on stage and he's joined by the 501 legion all dresses as storm troopers, Darth Vader and C3P0 and sometimes Boba Fete. They dance while Al sings. The background is a million twinkling lights. Weird Al puts on one hell of a show.

[@norbertzillatron3456]

Other movie summaries to "classic" tunes: "Jurassic Park" kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZmXq6mHm6mbn5I "Ode To A Superhero" kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3O7eqSrhreEl6s "Yoda" kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJXYaXxnnLykoZY

[@thesuminer]

I personally love Ode to a Superhero

[@ItsMe-cz1pi]

"Foil", one of his best

[@Stonn2222]

Love that one!

[@davehendren4996]

I think you would appreciate the song “Bob”. The entire song is palindromes. Not only is each line the same backwards and forwards he also makes them rhyme. Lyrical Genius!

[@russb24]

It would be helpful to prepare by watching the video for Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" first to get the full impact of the parody.

[@chriswhinery925]

Yes for a guy who pays so much attention to lyrics Bob would be a great choice! Very clever song.

[@signa8]

Aw, you shouldn't have spoiled it

[@davehendren4996]

@@signa8 In this case, I don’t think I spoiled anything. If you know what your in for, I think it helps you appreciate the genius of it all the more. I’ve seen other reactors struggle with the song because they were spending all their time trying to figure out the lyrics rather than just enjoying the work. But in most other cases you would be right.

[@spddiesel]

Fun fact: supposedly the guy with the cane at the end of the video (that never shows his face) is actually Bob Dylan.

[@Swift96]

Check out "Foil" next. It's a parody of "Royals" by Lorde.

[@AuthorTLGray]

Loved it. Am enjoying this Weird Al adventure with you. Smells Like Nirvana.

[@ShizuruNakatsu]

Also do Yoda! I went to a Weird Al concert here in Ireland a few years ago, and he did both Star Wars songs and it was amazing! He wears all the costumes on stage too.

[@lyianx]

I never had the chance to go to a Weird Al Concert, but ive heard its a hellofa show.

[@charlesdailey6028]

"Tacky" is definitely one of my favorites and it has a lot of celebrity cameos.

[@mpaynew]

My understanding is he wrote this and published it before the movie came out. He guessed so well that they looked into who leaked the script to him.

[@mpaynew]

The song was recorded on April 20, 1999, and the movie was released on May 19, 1999

[@therealduz-t6762]

Came here to say the same thing.

[@The_One_In_Black]

Via Wookieepedia: "Lucasfilm declined Yankovic a look at the script due to the high secrecy of the film, so the musician had to search "all the leaked info I could about the movie from all the various Star Wars websites, and was able to piece together the basic plot of the movie." Still, the final mix of "The Saga Begins" was held until after Yankovic had seen an advance charity screening of the film."

[@AnotherWun]

Wanted to bring that up too.

[@thenathanhaines]

​@@The_One_In_BlackThat's because Al is more interested in being a pro than in flexing. He nailed it with this one.

[@Capt_Hangry]

I recommend Smells Like Nirvana or Tacky next. But all of his stuff is great

[@moodyblues1273]

Weird Al sure has a great voice. Genius!

[@michaelbaumert9533]

'Foil' is another one that's pretty good.

[@zoetercy9208]

Pretty good. Foil is amazing!!!!

[@russb24]

Shout out to Al's band, who have been with him a very long time and can seemingly cover any song ever written in any genre. You can see them here in the club scene. I can't tell if the one playing Sidious is his regular pianist, but I assume so.

[@mustangdebbie56]

That's his keyboardist, Ruben Valtierra. The drummer, Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, has been with Al since 1980. Jim "Kimo" West and Steve Jay, guitar and bass, joined in 1983. Ruben joined in 92 so he's the "new guy". They are all in the video and are still performing with him. They just finished their latest tour.

[@livvyweimar7362]

Next has to be "Yoda" sung to the tune of "Lola"

[@Sharonmarshall66]

YES. Must do his and his band's whole catalogue.

[@robertheuston6351]

I did hear somewhere that Don Maclean who wrote “American pie”, actually finds himself singing this sometimes live instead of his own song.

[@neolithiumproduction]

Weird Al is still around in fact. One of his recent parodies I love is "Party in the CIA" which is a parody of Miley's "Party in the USA". Other great songs of his are "Smells like Nirvana", which the Nirvana crew adored, and "Tacky", which was done with several comedians.

[@kekkomartin5848]

#1 You should do "Yoda" a parody of "Lola" by the Kinks. #2 Darth Maul appears at the end of Solo...which is well after he supposedly died

[@tonybunch8921]

Weird Al is a perfectionist. I'm sure that you may have noticed that through his vocal, musical, and stylistic mimicry of the original source material. If you want to see some stellar physical style and dance mimicry, along with his usual wit and intelligent lyrics I suggest "Living With a Hernia".

[@decentpotatoes]

My speech teacher literally (in class) said “Let’s ignore the last three movies, they’re not cannon, they’re fan fiction.”

[@nationalsocialism3504]

Facts

[@paulquaife7974]

The only problem with weird Al is once you hear his version you can not hear the og with out singing his lyrics

[@RJLupin-zu9xv]

Don McLean has had this problem on stage. No joke.

[@larsbonzai]

Yep. To this day, I sing these chorus lyrics when I hear the original song😂

[@karlbecker8775]

If you want something relatable, meaning you recognize the original song, you would like Tacky or Party In The CIA. If you feel silly and just want something fun, Trapped In The Drive-Thru or Albuquerque. Loving the reactions, dude!

[@chrislambert9903]

I don't think he's ready for Albuquerque

[@karlbecker8775]

@@chrislambert9903 LOL! I don't think any of us were.

[@chrismaverick9828]

I would add immense, endless props to ANY band who can play this song. The drum part alone is a small treatise in schizophrenic psychosis. The fact that Al's band has been doing all these various songs of all different types FOR DECADES makes them possibly the most technically skilled band in history. If they don't get Rock Hall status at the end of the day then it is not a museum worth speaking of.

[@chrismaverick9828]

If I'm not mistaken, this video marked Weird Al's transition from the afro'ed glasses nerd to what is, even my straight-assed self can admit, a verifiable hunk of a musician. He fit the part perfectly and it kind of marked a turning point in his career where he went from cheap parody to serious parody. It was stunning to see him without the hair and glasses, and he's been rocking it ever since.

[@RJLupin-zu9xv]

You get to see his band in this video. The drummer (Bermuda Schwartz) has been with him since 1980. Steve and Jim (Bass and Guitar) have been with him since 1982. They all still call Rubén (the piano player) the "new guy" since he only just joined in 1991.

[@frizzman1991]

The ability to fully recap a movie to the tune of a famous song and make it sound REALLY good is just talent at an unbelievable level.

[@heathergarnham9555]

When my boss is getting on my nerves i always think 'stick it in your pointy ear'

[@ShizuruNakatsu]

I've been waiting for this. Time for Trapped in the Drive-Thru!

[@DScotsman1]

Another one that would blow your mind would be Perform This Way. Simply crazy!

[@matthewkreps3352]

Iirc, this was the piano player's first music video as part of Al's band. And it's the first time Al plays the Guitar.

[@capstan50g]

This has to be Weird Al's magnum opus. So lore-accurate and also so funny! Great reaction, Cliff!

[@DravenGal]

"Tacky" is a rather under rated one, I feel...

[@michaelernst3731]

You should see his Other Star Wars song based on the song: Lola, called: Yoda. Al also did this song before the first move released based all on rumors and leaks.

[@whichway-557]

R.I.P Qui Gon Jin Greatest Jedi

[@emyconker]

Impossible not to sing along. This earworm sticks around dude.

[@danytaylor8971]

It's one of the only songs where he doesn't continuously change the words on the chorus, and I think it's exactly so that we start singing it at the end with him just like you did 😁

[@billtroxell7583]

I'm a huge SW fan myself and this was a great song that lived up to the fans exepections, I think. AL the myth, the Legend

[@MrDekasOne]

It's legitimately amazing how well he tells the story of the movie while fitting it to the song

[@zachschendt7201]

He is criminally underrated

[@car_tag]

I think you're almost ready for Albuquerque. There's a fan movie version on KZbin with a crapton of views. It is something some won't appreciate without being more accustomed to his music.

[@chrislambert9903]

Almost ready but not quite ready yet

[@susanstein6604]

It’s often assumed that you’re a Star Trek fan or a Star Wars fan but you can be a fan of both.

[@lyianx]

I like *some* of the Star Wars content. Dont really care for hardly anything Disney has done with it, but the Universes of both are fun. I also like Stargate and Babylon 5.

[@russb24]

One of my favorite Weird Al songs in 2020 was "Germs", a mashup of a few Nine Inch Nails songs. I'll let you figure out why.

[@nahiag]

What's even crazier is that this video was made before the movie came out. The amout of research about leaked info is amazing, he even attended a tour if I remember correctly.

[@cjghanem7169]

My favorite part of Weird Al concerts, and especially this song, is there will be people of all ages. 6 to 70. Grandma's. Little kids. Parents. Teens. And everyone sings this song. We all know it. How many concerts can pull such a range of people together.

[@ellenreed5236]

I’ve seen him at least 10 times since 1992 (he even sang to me once! ) and I have always been impressed by the quality of his performance and the wide range of his fans. He is the ultimate showman!

[@EbonRaven]

I'd love to see you react to Weird Al's "Your Horoscope for Today". It's one of my favorite of his silly songs. :)

[@johnsmithfakename8422]

Legend says Weird Al made this video after watching ONLY the trailer for the movie.

[@lightheartreactions4829]

Absolutely, more Weird Al!!!

[@nickperkins8477]

This is the first time I’ve noticed Al rhymed “stay and “day” in a complex rhyme scheme. Masterpiece.

[@Av3rageD4D]

Thanks Cliff! Appreciate you and taking your time to bring us content. Gotta do “Smells like Nirvana” as others have mentioned. See ya soon 😄

[@anonymouscali7966]

You definitely need to check out Stephen Lynch: Priest, Craig, D&D, Special Olympics

[@atdynax]

I was 13 when Episode 1 was in theaters, and i drove there, 20 km, twice just to see the pod race.

[@lindahansen45]

Please more Weird Al. Just found your channel, btw. Very well done :)

[@mogwiawolf4354]

grew up listening to this and watching the video as well

[@berjo516]

Trapped in the Drive-Thru is my personal favorite. I memorized all the lyrics when I was a kid and still remember majority of them almost 20 years later.

[@southrnsweety88]

Excellent song!

[@cameronjadewallace]

I agree, I listen to it at least five to 50 times a week. I sing it at work all the time.

[@darylcaouette7615]

Al wrote the lyrics from just watching the trailers for the movie. He went to see the movie after writing the lyrics. Al was dead balls accurate without viewing the movie..

[@Haightread]

Great reaction! Glad you're a SW nerd too! Let's get old school with the Weird Al and do "The Night Santa Went Crazy"!

[@roadkillontheweb2873]

Al is a national treasure

[@hotrod7868]

He does a version of the Backstreet Boys. I want it that Way. But it’s about eBay.

[@arpaul89]

More Weird Al - The Night Santa Went Crazy - Headline News

[@Robertscorner1]

To put it in perspective, Episode one came out May 16, 1999 and song was released June 24, 1999. The song was recorded in April before the movie was ever released.

[@stevebeeson4297]

Bro do trapped in the drive thru

[@Alyumic]

I would like to tell you that this song came out barely a month before the phantom menace which is why it's called the saga begins so it's crazy how well he's able to tell the story

[@shawnjohnson9763]

Foil is absolutely hilarious. It takes a dark turn halfway through, but it's a riot.

[@LadyDragonborn]

YES!!!! So glad you loved this one. It’s definitely in the Top 5 of his parodies. Believe me when I tell you that you will find yourself singing the chorus for the next few weeks 😝 Next up: please do Foil and Trapped In The Drive Thru!

[@TopherG117]

They didn’t kill Maul off early. He had his own story in the TV shows. Love your content though bro!

[@MG-fh7su]

Hell yes. Do "since you've been gone" next !!!

[@penismightier9278]

The last line of that song is fucking brutal. I love that so much.

[@MG-fh7su]

@penismightier9278 it's the best line in a song ever. And I relate to it soo hard these days lol

[@scottamann2445]

Watch a live concert version of this. He adds on to it in more hilarious ways. Also, check out Al’s song “Yoda”, a parody of “Lola” by the Kinks. It was written around the time of Empire Strikes Back. My favorite Star Wars movie and one of my favorite Al songs.

[@Maerahn]

So glad you got around to this masterpiece! And great to find a reactor who appreciates Al's lyirical genius.

[@GeneL-lt2oi]

the last scene was a forecast to clone wars

[@TrekBeatTK]

Back in the day this song had its own website which was a parody of the Star Wars website design of the time. A lot of fans were also shocked by Al suddenly having no mustache.

[@Jon_from_LI]

I'd love to be in the audience during Al's concert. You know as well as I do that the entire audience will be singing in the chorus of each and every one of his songs.

[@tufif]

This song was on store shelves less than a week after Phantom Menace premiered!

[@hilarymol6607]

YES. YES YES YES. I'm geeked that you enjoyed this one. I loved the original. I loved the Weird Al version. They're inextricably linked in my head at this point. (By the way, I feel ancient now, since the first movie I ever saw in the theater was the original Star Wars. My dad took me in 1977 when I was three.)

[@garryandjanepannell8594]

Love them too! I've got you beat by a decade and maybe a couple of years though.🤫(Don't tell)

[@wtimmins]

Fun original song from Weird Al: One More Minute. Fun cover medley from Weird Al: Polka Face

[@knitMuse]

My son saw the movies in the cinema when he was fairly young. When the fight scene with Maul came on, all he could say (rather loudly) was "Oh no! He's lost his pants!!!". The whole theater chuckled at that.

[@ShineboxPhil]

He made this entire video based on info before the movie came out. It's amazing how accurate he was.

[@mikehayman904]

My first (of 3) times meeting Weird Al was him promoting the cd this song was on at an autograph session at a local Walmart. He's such a nice guy in person. If you go to a show and want an autograph, he'll stick around until everyone in line is done and actually have a conversation with everyone.

[@AriMalatesta]

You NEED to watch the live version (spoiler alert: the 501 Legion steps in.)

[@PrincessBunhead]

I was a junior in high school when this came out, kids who weren't Star Wars fans were singing this while walking through the halls at school. Between the Special Edition Star Wars and The Phantom Menace release, Star Wars took over my high school years.

[@terrycass5204]

If you want to see how much of a lyrical genius Weird Al is then you need to his video "Bob". It may take a bit to get the concept but then you will be amazed he was able to not only fit the lyrics into the original meter of the song but actually rhyme it too. Trust me his genius truly shines thru on this one.

[@ZhangtheGreat]

You probably know this by now, but Weird Al actually _guessed_ the plot of the movie when he wrote this song. He used all materials available at the time to piece together how he _thought_ the movie would go. Needless to say, George Lucas was highly impressed.

[@CliffBeatsOfficial]

Yeah he guessed and then went and seen the movie days before the rest of the world and rewrote some of it. There were also leaks all over the place with the prequels. But yes, he created the song beforehand and then went back over it after he watched it 😊

[@howiedavis2316]

In a word, fantastic. Al truly is a genius and his voice isn't half bad either. But writing skills are like the midichlorian count, off the charts. This song is just so singable.

[@djkrazykaly]

next you need to listen to Yoda, Gump, Headline News, Money for Nothing/ Beverly Hillbillies, and EVERY ONE of his Polka tracks, cause THOSE are the tracks on his albums where al goes HARD!

[@taoist32]

No one reacts to Gump! Maybe because not many know the original band, and the song is only a couple minutes long.

[@sabrinaevans8746]

Weird Al raised me my kids and now my grandkids on his nonstop brilliant song writing