"Weird Al" Yankovic - Another One Rides the Bus

This month marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Another One Rides the Bus, the four song debut EP from "Weird Al" Yankovic. This 1981 comedy release was on the independent Placebo label with only a one thousand copy pressing. Yankovic personally distributed them to various record stores, selling them via consignment deals.


Side one opens with "Another One Rides the Bus", a parody of Queen's hit "Another One Bites the Dust". Thanks to exposure on the Dr. Demento show, he was eventually able to release the title song as a single on the TK Records label. As a single, it rode its way to number 104 on the US Billboard Hot 200. The track features percussion by Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz as he pounded on the outside of Yankovic's accordion case. The two eventually performed it live on the Tomorrow Show which was hosted by Tom Snyder.

"Happy Birthday" was an original composition. Recorded in the style of new-wave artist Tonio K., the song takes a depressing look at the world as a person celebrates another passing year.

Side two begins with "Gotta Boogie", an original song about the remains of a nose-picking excursion. It has a new-wave sound to it with a driving drumbeat.

"Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung", the closer, is an all accordion tune about a guy who requires a large breathing apparatus to survive.

All four of these songs would appear again on Yankovic's 1983 self-titled debut album. All but the title track here would be re-recorded for that record.

For more from "Weird Al", click here.