Weird Al Yankovic, master of musical parodies and humorous songs (remember “The Saga Begins,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Smells Like Nirvana”?) has a new single and video taking a stab at the issue of online music sharing. I laughed out loud when I first heard the lyrics. It would seem at first talking of the evils of music sharing.

… But deep in your heart, you know the guilt would drive you mad

And the shame would leave a permanent scar.

Cause you start out stealing songs,

Then you’re robbing liquor strores,

Then you’re selling crack and driving down schoolkids with your car.



So don’t download this song.

The record’s stores where you belong.

Go and buy the CD like you know that you should.

Oh, don’t download this song.

But then I realized there was such a thing as sarcasm.

You don’t wanna mess with the RIAA.

They’ll sue you if you burn that CD-R.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a grandma or a seven-year old girl,

They’ll treat you like the evil hard-bitten criminal scum you are.

…
Don’t take away money from artists like me.

How else how can I afford another solid-gold Humvee?

Diamond-studded swimming pools don’t grow on trees.

Oh, you can download this song online. For free! Weird Al even encourages you to do so. And he even points to the music video, which is available on YouTube:

If you haven’t had enough, you can also download–again, free!–Weird Al’s latest parody, You’re Pitiful (with permission from You’re Beautiful singer James Blunt, of course). All availalbe via the Weird Al website.

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