Did You Know...

His career began to take shape in 1979. While DJing for his college radio station, he decided to include some original music in his show. He played a parody of the Knack's hit 'My Sharona', which he recorded in the public bathroom across the hall from the station. The spoof, titled 'My Bologna', launched a career no one would have expected.

It was later featured on the 1993 compilation, The Food Album, a collection of Weird Al's parodies involving food. Weird Al's song spoofs even got substantial play on radio shows like the Dr. Demento Show. In a strange twist of fate, the man who helped Weird Al find his way to a major label was the man Al first parodied. The Knack's singer Doug Fieger heard the parody on the radio, thought it was hilarious, and convinced the Capitol Records label to sign Weird Al to a six-month recording contract. The contract lapsed and Capitol did not re-sign Weird Al, but the jokes were far from gone.

Though the music business seemed to have given up on Weird Al, he didn't give up on his dream of making it big. With band mates Jon 'Bermuda' Schwartz, Jim West, and Steve Jay, he went on to be rejected by almost every major record label in the US. In the end it was the independent Scotti Bros. Records that gave Weird Al a chance. They were glad they did.