Editing Off the Deep End

{{For|the 2009 pop punk album|Off the Deep End (The Friday Night Boys album){{!}}''Off the Deep End'' (The Friday Night Boys album)}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Off the Deep End
| type       = studio
| artist     = [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]
| cover      = Weird Al Yankovic - Off the Deep End.jpg
| alt        = A parody of Nirvana's Nevermind album cover, where "Weird Al" Yankovic swims towards a doughnut on a fishhook.
| released   = April 14, 1992
| recorded   = June 6, 1990–January 27, 1992
| studio     = Santa Monica Sound Recorders, Santa Monica
| genre      = [[Comedy music|Comedy]], [[comedy rock]]
| length     = 41:18
| label      = [[Rock 'n Roll Records]]<br>[[Scotti Brothers Records|Scotti Brothers]]
| producer   = [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]
| prev_title = [[UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff]]
| prev_year  = 1989
| next_title = [[The Food Album]]
| next_year  = 1993
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Off the Deep End
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Smells Like Nirvana]]
 | single1date = April 3, 1992<ref name="allmusicsmells">{{cite web| title = Smells Like Nirvana – Overview | website = [[AllMusic]] | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r438496|pure_url=yes}} | access-date = 12 September 2010}}</ref>
 | single2     = [[You Don't Love Me Anymore ("Weird Al" Yankovic song)|You Don't Love Me Anymore]]
 | single2date = June 19, 1992<ref name="allmusicyou">{{cite web| title = You Don't Love Me Anymore – Overview | website = [[AllMusic]] | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r438501|pure_url=yes}} | access-date = September 12, 2010}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Off the Deep End''''' is the seventh [[studio album]] by the American parody musician [["Weird Al" Yankovic]], released in 1992. This album was the first album self-produced by Yankovic, after six albums with [[Rick Derringer]]. Recorded between June 1990 and January 1992, the album was a follow-up to the unsuccessful [[UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff|soundtrack]] to Yankovic's 1989 film ''[[UHF (film)|UHF]]''. ''Off the Deep End'' and its lead single "[[Smells Like Nirvana]]" helped to revitalize Yankovic's career after a lull following his last hit single, "[[Fat (song)|Fat]]", in 1988.

The musical styles on ''Off the Deep End'' are built around parodies and pastiches of [[pop music|pop]] and [[rock music]] of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the newly arisen [[grunge]] movement. Half of the album is made up of parodies of [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[MC Hammer]], [[New Kids on the Block]], [[Gerardo Mejía|Gerardo]], and [[Milli Vanilli]]. The other half of the album is original material, featuring many "style parodies", or musical imitations of existing artists. These style parodies include imitations of specific artists like [[the Beach Boys]], [[James Taylor]] and [[Jan and Dean]].

''Off the Deep End'' was met with mostly positive reviews and peaked at number 17 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. The album also produced one of Yankovic's most famous singles, "[[Smells Like Nirvana]]", a parody of Nirvana's major rock hit "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]", which peaked at number 35 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. This song was Yankovic's second-highest charting single, after "[[Eat It]]", which was released in 1984. The cover also parodies the cover of Nirvana's album, ''[[Nevermind]]''. The original had a naked baby in the water with a [[U.S. dollar bill|dollar bill]] cast by a fishing rod; Yankovic's replaced the baby with himself, and the dollar bill with a [[doughnut|donut]]. ''Off the Deep End'' was Yankovic's fourth [[Music recording sales certification|Gold record]], and went on to be certified [[Platinum record|Platinum]] for sales of over one million copies in the United States. In addition, the album was later nominated for a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Best Comedy Recording]] in [[Grammy Awards of 1993|1993]].

==Production==

===Background===
In 1989, Yankovic starred in a full-length feature film, co-written by himself and manager Jay Levey, and filmed in [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], called ''[[UHF (film)|UHF]]''. A satire of the television and film industries, also starring [[Michael Richards]], [[Fran Drescher]], and [[Victoria Jackson]], it brought floundering studio [[Orion Pictures|Orion]] their highest [[test screening|test scores]] since the movie ''[[RoboCop]]''.<ref name="robo">{{Cite web| url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#0599| title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for May, 1999| access-date = June 26, 2010| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic|date=May 1999| work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref> Although the movie made a little over six million domestically – out of a budget of five million – it was considered unsuccessful.<ref name="robo"/>

Yankovic also released a quasi-soundtrack for the film in late 1989, entitled ''[[UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff]]'', which featured songs (and commercials) from the movie as well as new unrelated studio material from Yankovic. The album failed to be successful, charting at only 146 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and quickly falling off.<ref name="awards">{{cite web| url = http://www.weirdal.com/awards.htm| url-status = dead| title = Awards| access-date = April 3, 2013| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic| year = 2003| work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090203145148/http://www.weirdal.com/awards.htm| archive-date = February 3, 2009}}</ref> After the release of ''UHF'', Yankovic returned to the studio to record his follow-up album.<ref name="recordingdates"/>

===Originals===
On June 6, 1990, recording for ''Off the Deep End'' officially began at Santa Monica Sound Recorders, in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Yankovic|first=Alfred |publisher = [[Volcano Records]] | title = Off the Deep End | work = 'Weird Al' Yankovic Official Limited Edition Trading Cards| number = 45|year=2013}}</ref> The first recording session started with "Airline Amy".<ref name="recordingdates"/> These recording sessions marked the first time Yankovic self-produced his songs, after six albums with [[Rick Derringer]].<ref name="otdeliner">{{cite AV media notes |title=Off the Deep End |others=[["Weird Al" Yankovic]] |year=1992 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=[[Scotti Brothers Records]] |id=72392 75256-2}}</ref><ref name=aa1998n/> The producer and musician had parted ways because Derringer found that Yankovic would not listen to his input, and Yankovic came to realize that he could do most of the production work himself. Subsequent studio albums would be produced by Yankovic.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer & Trower: Their Lives and Music|first=Dan|last=Muise|date=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn=9780634029561|page=218|quote=Rick Derringer: So I was becoming less and less infatuated because Al wouldn't listen to my input, my direction. He really wanted it to be slicker. And he wouldn't allow me to make it less slick in order to make it less funny. And the whole image of the novelty producer I did not like at all.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer & Trower: Their Lives and Music|first=Dan|last=Muise|date=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn=9780634029561|page=218|quote='Weird Al' Yankovic: It was certainly nothing personal and it was certainly no reflection on his talent as a producer. It just got to the point where I felt like I could hold the reins by myself.}}</ref> In regards to this split, Yankovic said: "We [i.e. Yankovic and his band] had a great run with Rick, he's a terrific guy{{emdash}}but I had become more and more of a control freak over the years, and I'd finally gotten to the point in my recording career where I felt that I could capably hold the reins all by myself."<ref name=aa1998n>{{Cite web| url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#1198| title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for November 1998| access-date = June 26, 2010| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic|date=May 1999| work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref> By late 1990 five originals—"Airline Amy", "Trigger Happy", "When I Was Your Age", "[[You Don't Love Me Anymore ("Weird Al" Yankovic song)|You Don't Love Me Anymore]]", and "Waffle King"—were recorded.<ref name="recordingdates">{{Cite web| url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/recording-dates/ | title = Recording Dates | access-date = March 3, 2017 | last = Yankovic | first = Alfred M. | author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic |date=November 1998 | work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref>
{{Listen|filename=You Don't Love Me Anymore (Sample).ogg|title="You Don't Love Me Anymore" (sample)|description="You Don't Love Me Anymore", from Yankovic's 1992 album ''Off the Deep End''. Although the song is, musically, an original composition, the music video is a parody of "More Than Words" by Extreme.|format=[[Ogg]]}}
"You Don't Love Me Anymore" was one of the last original songs recorded during the 1990 sessions.<ref name="recordingdates"/> The song is written as a soft acoustic [[ballad]]. However, the lyrics are of a—literally—destructive relationship between Yankovic and an unnamed girl.<ref name="praitb"/> Although they were formerly in love, the "flames died down" and they are no longer passionate—in fact the girl hates Yankovic to such an extent that she repeatedly attempts to kill him. In 1992, when the album was finally released, Yankovic desired to release the song as a single. His record label, Scotti Brothers, allowed it under the stipulation that the music video be a parody of another music video.<ref name="setlist">{{cite news|title = Set List: 'Weird Al' Yankovic|first = Nathan|last = Rabin|author-link = Nathan Rabin|url = https://www.avclub.com/weird-al-yankovic-1798226810|newspaper = [[The A.V. Club]]|publisher = [[The Onion|The Onion, Inc]]|location = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]|date = June 29, 2011|access-date = June 29, 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110701100237/http://www.avclub.com/articles/weird-al-yankovic,58244/|archive-date = July 1, 2011|url-status = live|df = mdy}}</ref> "You Don't Love Me Anymore" was subsequently released to radio on June 19, 1992.<ref name="allmusicyou"/> While the song was an original composition, the video was a parody of "[[More Than Words]]" by [[Extreme (band)|Extreme]].<ref name="setlist"/> Yankovic later explained that when the song was released, many people erroneously believed it was a parody of "More Than Words", and thus, Yankovic crafted the music video to be a parody of the song.<ref name="WashingtonPost">{{Cite news | last = Harrington| first = Richard| date = June 26, 1992| title = Weird Al in Parody Paradise; He's Hit a Nirvana With His Latest and He's Bringing It Here| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com | newspaper = The Washington Post| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010208221807/http://www.al-oholicsanonymous.com/interviews/washpost.html|archive-date = 8 February 2001| access-date = June 27, 2010}}</ref> The single received moderate radio attention, which surprised Yankovic, because he had always thought that radio stations "usually just go for the parodies".<ref name="praitb"/>

One of the original songs recorded in the 1990 sessions was "Waffle King". However, when Yankovic resumed recording in 1992, he recorded a new original called "I Was Only Kidding".<ref name="recordingdates"/> Originally, "Waffle King" was supposed to appear on ''Off the Deep End''. However, by the time the recording of the parodies for this album began, Al had written all the original songs that were to appear on his next album, ''[[Alapalooza]]''. Because he was concerned that one of the jokes from the song "I Was Only Kidding" might be dated by the time his next album would finally be released—a line that references the movie ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'': "I really love you... not!"—Yankovic included "I Was Only Kidding" on ''Off the Deep End'' in place of "Waffle King". "Waffle King" was instead used as the b-side of the "[[Smells Like Nirvana]]" single and would later resurface on ''Alapalooza''.<ref name="wafflewaffle">{{Cite web| url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#0396| title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for March/April, 1996| access-date = June 26, 2010| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic|date=March–April 1996| work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref>

The album also contains a [[hidden track]] at the end called "Bite Me". The "song", which consists of several seconds of loud music and Yankovic screaming, appears after 10 minutes of silence following "You Don't Love Me Anymore". According to Yankovic, the song was supposed to "come on [...] and scare you to death".<ref name="robo"/> Later pressings of ''Off the Deep End'' by [[Volcano Records|Volcano]] and pressings outside the USA took away the hidden track and silence.<ref name="june1999">{{Cite web| url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#0699| title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for June, 1999| access-date = June 26, 2010| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic|date=June 1999| work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref> The track is a nod to Nirvana: pressings of ''[[Nevermind]]'' featured the hidden track [[Endless, Nameless (song)|"Endless, Nameless"]].<ref>Berkenstadt, Jim; Cross, Charles. ''Classic Rock Albums: Nevermind''. Schirmer, 1998. {{ISBN|0-02-864775-0}}</ref>

===Parodies and polka===
After recording the first batch of originals in 1990, Yankovic focused his attention on parodies. By early 1991, only three parodies had been recorded. Two of them, the [[Oreo|cookie]]-inspired [[New Kids on the Block]] parody "The White Stuff" and the television-centric [[MC Hammer]] parody "I Can't Watch This", were slated to be released as singles. In fact, several cartons of promo singles were pressed, but they were [[Deletion (music industry)|deleted]] from the record company's catalogue at the last minute. These CDs were later discovered by Yankovic and his drummer, [[Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz]], in a trash heap and have since become collector's items.<ref name="cantwatch">{{Cite web| title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Rare Items – I Can't Watch This | url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/rare-items/gallery/rare-items/singles | work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site|access-date= June 22, 2012}}</ref><ref name="whitestuff">{{Cite web| title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Rare Items – The White Stuff | url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/rare-items/gallery/rare-items/singles | work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site|access-date=June 22, 2012}}</ref> "The Plumbing Song", a double parody of [[Milli Vanilli]]'s hit singles "[[Baby Don't Forget My Number]]" and "[[Blame It on the Rain]]" was also recorded. In a 1992 interview with [[Dr. Demento]], Yankovic said that he believed the parody to be "kind of redundant" at that point in time, given the [[Milli Vanilli#Lip-syncing exposure and media backlash, 1989–1991|lip-synching scandal]] that had effectively destroyed the band almost two years prior. In reference to this scandal, Yankovic also jokingly affirmed that he did indeed sing lead vocals on his parody.<ref name="drdinterview"/>

Yankovic waited for almost two years for the next "big thing" to emerge. "I don't have any really good reason why it took so long other than the fact that I was waiting for [[Michael Jackson]]'s new album to come out," Yankovic explained.<ref name="drdinterview"/> Unfortunately for Yankovic, the new album hit several snags. On November 26, 1991, Michael Jackson's new album, ''[[Dangerous (Michael Jackson album)|Dangerous]]'' was released. After hearing the hit single "[[Black or White]]", Yankovic approached Jackson about a potential parody entitled "Snack All Night". Although Jackson was a big supporter of Yankovic's work, he felt that a parody might damage the song's message. Jackson told Yankovic that he could, if he wanted to, parody another song off his album, but just not "Black or White".<ref name="drdinterview">{{cite interview | last = Yankovic | first = "Weird Al" | interviewer = Dr. Demento | title=The Dr. Demento Show|url = http://www.al-oholicsanonymous.com/interviews/otde.txt | year = 1992 | access-date = June 26, 2010 }}</ref>
[[File:Nirvana around 1992.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Nirvana felt that they had "made it" when Yankovic parodied "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1992, P.B. Rage)]]
Yankovic soon turned his attention in another direction. [[Guns N' Roses]] had just released a version of [[Wings (band)|Wings]]'s 1970s hit "[[Live and Let Die (song)|Live and Let Die]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Khanna|first=Vish|title='Weird Al' Yankovic Alpocalypse Now… and Then|url=http://exclaim.ca/Features/Timeline/weird_al_yankovic-alpocalypse_now8230_then/Page/6|date=July 2011|access-date=July 1, 2011|work=[[Exclaim!]]|archive-date=July 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704185953/http://exclaim.ca/Features/Timeline/weird_al_yankovic-alpocalypse_now8230_then/Page/6|url-status=dead}}</ref> Yankovic approached [[Paul McCartney]], leader of Wings, about a parody idea entitled "Chicken Pot Pie". Although McCartney was a supporter of Yankovic's work and he wanted to give Yankovic the chance to parody one of his songs, he begrudgingly turned him down due to the fact that, as a [[vegetarian]], he could not condone the eating of animal flesh. Yankovic, a fellow vegetarian, has stated that he respects McCartney's decision.<ref name="welch">{{Citation | last = Welch | first = Matthew | title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic | newspaper = Icon magazine | pages = 95 | year = 1997 | url = http://www.al-oholicsanonymous.com/interviews/alicon.html | access-date = June 26, 2010}}</ref>
{{Listen|filename=Smells Like Nirvana (Sample).ogg|title="Smells Like Nirvana" (sample)|description="Smells Like Nirvana", from Yankovic's 1992 album ''Off the Deep End''. The sample illustrates the verse, pre-chorus, and chorus of Yankovic's parody which is a musical re-creation of the original Nirvana song.|format=[[Ogg]]}}
It was around this time that Nirvana's ''[[Nevermind]]'' was making waves in the rock and pop scene. As the popularity of 1980s pop gave way to [[grunge]], Yankovic decided it was time to record a parody of the Seattle-based band's huge hit single "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]".<ref name="praitb"/> Yankovic later said, "I wanted to make sure that when I came back after that long hiatus, it was with something strong, and it wasn't until Nirvana that I felt I had a real contender."<ref name="praitb">{{cite AV media notes|title = Permanent Record: Al in the Box|others = [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]|year = 1994|url = http://dmdb.org/al/booklet.html|first = Barret|last = Hansen|author-link = Dr. Demento|type = liner|publisher = [[Scotti Brothers Records]]|location = [[California]], [[United States]]}}</ref> To secure permission for the parody, Yankovic wanted to approve it with Kurt Cobain. After learning that Nirvana was to perform on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', Yankovic called up his ''UHF'' co-star, [[Victoria Jackson]], who was, at the time, a regular cast member on the show. Jackson got Cobain on the phone so that Yankovic could make his request. Cobain agreed, although he asked if the new parody was "going to be a song about food".<ref name="praitb"/> Yankovic reassured him that it would actually be about how "no one can understand [the] lyrics" to the original, which Cobain thought was funny.<ref name="praitb"/> After receiving permission, Yankovic wrote and recorded "Smells Like Nirvana" on January 27, 1992.<ref name="recordingdates"/>

After "Smells Like Nirvana", Yankovic recorded "Taco Grande", a [[Mexican food]]-themed parody of [[Gerardo Mejía|Gerardo]]'s "[[Rico Suave (song)|Rico Suave]]".<ref name="recordingdates"/> The latter features a cameo appearance from comedian [[Cheech Marin]]. Originally, Yankovic had wanted Marin to rap in Spanish, but it turned out that Marin knew only some basic Spanish. However, a bilingual secretary translated what Yankovic wanted him to say from English to Spanish and Marin read the resulting rap phonetically.<ref name="praitb"/> One of the last songs to be recorded was the obligatory polka medley, "Polka Your Eyes Out".<ref name="recordingdates"/> Yankovic had already performed the medley at [[Dr. Demento|Dr. Demento's]] 20th Anniversary Special on [[Comedy Central]] before the album had been released.<ref name="praitb"/>

==Artwork==
The cover for ''Off the Deep End'' parodies the famous cover of Nirvana's album ''Nevermind'', which depicts an infant in the deep end of a pool chasing after a dollar bill on a [[fishhook]].<ref name="nirvanadiscogs">{{cite web| url = http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=924027| title = Nirvana – Nevermind/ Images| access-date = September 14, 2010| work = [[Discogs]]| location = [[Portland, Oregon]], United States}}</ref> The ''Off the Deep End'' cover shows Yankovic in the baby's place apparently swimming to catch a [[doughnut]] on a string. While the Nirvana cover has a fully nude baby, Yankovic instead wore a bathing suit in a way that his body position hid it; he later jokingly noted, "I never really anticipated going full-frontal on any of my album covers."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2011/10/tough-questions-weird-al-yankovic/|title=Tough Questions for 'Weird Al' Yankovic|date=2011-10-24|author=Sellers, John|work=Spin|access-date=2014-01-28}}</ref> The CD, liner notes, and artwork continue the parody of Nirvana's album, borrowing the same blue, wave-light graphics from the printed surface of ''Nevermind''.<ref name="nirvanadiscogs"/><ref name="weirddiscogs">{{cite web| url = http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=838850| title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic – Off The Deep End/ Images | access-date = September 14, 2010| work = [[Discogs]]| location = [[Portland, Oregon]], United States}}</ref>

==Reception==

===Critical reception===
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web| last = Weber | first = Barry | title = Off the Deep End – Review | website = [[AllMusic]] | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r123458|pure_url=yes}} | access-date = October 7, 2010}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''The Daily Vault''
| rev2score = B−<ref name="DailyVault">{{Cite web |last=Thelen |first=Christopher |title=Off The Deep End |publisher=Daily Vault |date=December 11, 1999 |url=http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=846 |access-date=June 26, 2010}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev3score = C−<ref name="ew2">{{cite magazine | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310632,00.html | title = Laughing Matters | last = Browne | first = David | magazine = [[Entertainment Weekly]] | date = May 29, 1992 | access-date = March 31, 2012 | archive-date = December 18, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091218045603/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310632,00.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]]''
| rev4score = 6.7/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/weird-al-yankovic-squeeze-box-the-complete-works-of-weird-al-yankovic/ |title="Weird Al" Yankovic - Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Thomas Erlewine |first=Stephen|date=7 December 2017 }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name ="rolling stone">{{cite book| last = Brackett | first = Nathan |author2=Christian Hoard | title = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | publisher = Simon and Schuster | year = 2004 | location = New York City, New York | pages = [https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n906 893] | isbn = 0-7432-0169-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac| url-access = registration | quote = rolling stone weird al yankovic alapalooza review.}}</ref>
}}
Critical response to ''Off the Deep End'' was generally positive. Many critics praised not only Yankovic's parodies, but also his originals. Barry Weber, of [[AllMusic]], wrote, "In addition to re-establishing his satirical craftsmanship, Deep End showcases some of Yankovic's best originals ever; "Trigger Happy," "When I Was Your Age," and "You Don't Love Me Anymore" prove to be the album's greatest songs."<ref name="allmusic"/> Christopher Thelen, of the Daily Vault, wrote, "In fact, it's strange to admit, but the originals on Off The Deep End actually are, at times, stronger than the parodies."<ref name="DailyVault"/> ''In [[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'', ''Off the Deep End'' was awarded 3.5 stars out of 5, denoting that the album averaged between good and excellent.<ref name="rolling stone"/> Not all reviews were so positive, however. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' reviewer David Browne noted that the video for ''Off the Deep End''{{'}} lead single "Smells Like Nirvana" was "an old-fashioned laugh riot", but that half of Yankovic's humor was merely visual, meaning that the songs without videos were not as funny.<ref name="ew2"/>

The music video for "Smells Like Nirvana" achieved similar praise. ''[[Spy (magazine)|Spy Magazine]]'' named it the "Video of the Year" in 1993, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked it as #68 on their list of the Top 100 Videos of All Time, and it was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Performance in 1992.

At the [[35th Annual Grammy Awards]] in 1993, ''Off the Deep End'' was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album|Best Comedy Album]].<ref name="awards"/> However, the album lost to [[Peter Schickele]]'s ''[[Music for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion]]''.<ref name ="grammy">{{cite web | url = https://www.grammy.com/artist/weird-al-yankovic | title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic | work = [[Grammy Award|Grammy.com]] | publisher = [[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|The Recording Academy]] | access-date =December 20, 2016}}</ref>

===Commercial performance===
''Off the Deep End'' was released April 1992, and was subsequently named the Best Selling Comedy Recording of the year by [[Music Business Association|National Association of Recording Merchandisers]] (NARM).<ref name="awards"/> ''Off the Deep End'' was certified gold. On January 25, 2006, the album was certified platinum.<ref name="riaa">{{Cite web | title = Gold & Platinum – Search Results: 'Weird Al' Yankovic | publisher = Recording Industry Association of America | url = https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=weird+al#search_section | access-date = April 17, 2011 }}</ref> The album's lead-off single, "Smells Like Nirvana" was a hit on the Billboard Hot 100, charting at number 35.<ref name="awards"/><ref name="allmusicchart"/> It also charted on [[Hot 100 Singles Sales]] at number 12<ref>{{Cite book| last = Whitburn | first = Joel | title = The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits | publisher = Billboard Books | year = 2004 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tjQeP-BHy78C&q=Billboard+Weird+Al+Smells+Like+Nirvana&pg=PA691 | pages = 691 | isbn = 9780823074990 | access-date = June 26, 2010}}</ref> and the US ''Billboard'' [[Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart at number 35.<ref name="allmusicchart">{{cite web| title = Weird Al Yankovic – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles | website = [[AllMusic]] | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p140212/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} | access-date = September 12, 2010}}</ref> Both the album and hit single helped propel Yankovic into the 1990s.<ref name="allmusic"/> As of 2014, sales in the United States have exceeded 1,057,000 copies, according to [[Nielsen SoundScan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thecomicscomic.com/2014/05/19/comedy-wins-none-of-the-2014-billboard-music-awards-but-all-of-the-focus-of-this-weeks-magazine-issue/|title=Comedy Wins None of the 2014 Billboard Music Awards But All of the Focus of this Week's Magazine Issue|author=McCarthy, Sean|date=May 19, 2014|access-date=August 31, 2017|work=The Comic's Comic}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline = Original compact disc release
| extra_column = Parody of
| title_width = 25%
| writing_width = 45%
| extra_width = 30%
| title1 = [[Smells Like Nirvana]]
| writer1 = [[Kurt Cobain]], [[Dave Grohl|David Grohl]], [[Krist Novoselic]], [["Weird Al" Yankovic|Alfred Yankovic]]
| extra1 = "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]" by [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]
| length1 = 3:42
| title2 = Trigger Happy
| writer2 = Yankovic
| extra2 = Style parody of [[the Beach Boys]] and [[Jan & Dean]]<ref name="askalMarch">{{Cite web | url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#0399 | title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for March, 1999 | access-date = June 26, 2010 | last = Yankovic | first = Alfred M. | author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic |date=March 1999 | work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site }}</ref>
| length2 = 3:46
| title3 = I Can't Watch This
| writer3 = [[MC Hammer|Stanley Burrell]], [[Rick James]], Alonzo Miller, Yankovic
| extra3 = "[[U Can't Touch This]]" by [[MC Hammer]]
| length3 = 3:31
| title4 = [[List of "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medleys#"Polka Your Eyes Out"|Polka Your Eyes Out]]
| writer4 = Various
| extra4 = {{Collapsible list|title=A polka medley including:|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;background:transparent;text-align:left|
*"[[Cradle of Love (Billy Idol song)|Cradle of Love]]" by [[Billy Idol]]
*"[[Tom's Diner]]" by [[Suzanne Vega]]
*"[[Love Shack]]" by [[The B-52's]]
*"Clarinet Polka" ([[Public domain]])
*"[[Pump Up the Jam]]" by [[Technotronic]]
*"[[Losing My Religion]]" by [[R.E.M.]]
*"[[Unbelievable (EMF song)|Unbelievable]]" by [[EMF (band)|EMF]]
*"[[Do Me!]]" by [[Bell Biv DeVoe]]
*"[[Enter Sandman]]" by [[Metallica]]
*"[[The Humpty Dance]]" by [[Digital Underground]]
*"[[Cherry Pie (Warrant song)|Cherry Pie]]" by [[Warrant (American band)|Warrant]]
*"[[Miss You Much]]" by [[Janet Jackson]]
*"[[I Touch Myself]]" by [[Divinyls]]
*"[[Dr. Feelgood (Mötley Crüe song)|Dr. Feelgood]]" by [[Mötley Crüe]]
*"[[Ice Ice Baby]]" by [[Vanilla Ice]]
*"Ear Booker Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic}}
| length4 = 3:50
| title5 = I Was Only Kidding
| writer5 = Yankovic
| extra5 = Style parody of [[Tonio K]]<ref name="askalJune">{{Cite web | url = http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#062806 | title = 'Ask Al' Q&As for June, 2006| access-date = June 26, 2010| last = Yankovic| first = Alfred M.| author-link = "Weird Al" Yankovic|date=June 2006 | work = The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site}}</ref>
| length5 = 3:31
| title6 = The White Stuff
| writer6 = [[Maurice Starr]], Yankovic
| extra6 = "[[You Got It (The Right Stuff)]]" by [[New Kids on the Block]]
| length6 = 2:43
| title7 = When I Was Your Age
| writer7 = Yankovic
| extra7 = Original<!-- DON'T ADD A BAND/GENRE HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE A RELIABLE SOURCE TO BACK IT UP -->
| length7 = 4:35
| title8 = Taco Grande
| writer8 = Christian Carlos Warren, Gerardo Mejia, Alberto Slezynger, and Rosa Soy, Yankovic
| extra8 = "[[Rico Suave (song)|Rico Suave]]" by [[Gerardo Mejía|Gerardo]]
| length8 = 3:44
| title9 = Airline Amy
| writer9 = Yankovic
| extra9 = Original composition inspired by the songs of [[Nick Lowe]] and [[Jonathan Richman]]<ref name="askalMarch/April">{{Cite web |url=http://weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/#0398 |title='Ask Al' Q&As for March/April, 2006 |last=Yankovic |first=Alfred M. |date=March–April 2006 |website=The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site |access-date=June 26, 2010}}</ref>
| length9 = 3:50
| title10 = The Plumbing Song
| writer10 = [[Frank Farian]], B. Nail, Diane Warren, Yankovic
| extra10 = "[[Baby Don't Forget My Number]]" and "[[Blame It on the Rain]]" by [[Milli Vanilli]]
| length10 = 4:08
| title11 = [[You Don't Love Me Anymore ("Weird Al" Yankovic song)|You Don't Love Me Anymore]]
| writer11 = Yankovic
| extra11 = Original<ref name="DVD1">{{cite AV media notes |title='Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection |others=Jay Levey, "Weird Al" Yankovic |publisher=Volcano Entertainment |id=82876-53727-9 |year=2003}}</ref>
| note11 = includes hidden track{{refn|group=note|After 10 minutes of silence, the [[hidden track]] "Bite Me" is "six seconds of primal screaming".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/ask-al/|title=Ask Al|first=Weird Al|last=Yankovic|website="Weird Al" Yankovic}}</ref> The hidden track (and silence) was removed from future pressings and digital versions.}}
| length11 = 14:14
| total_length    = 41:18
}}
'''Note'''
{{reflist|group=note}}

==Personnel==
Credits adapted from CD liner notes,<ref name="otdeliner"/> except where noted.

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
'''Band members'''
* [["Weird" Al Yankovic]] – lead and background vocals, keyboards, [[accordion]]
* [[Jim West (guitarist)|Jim West]] – guitars, [[banjo]], background vocals
* [[Steve Jay]] – bass guitar, background vocals
* [[Jon Schwartz (drummer)|Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz]] – drums, percussion

'''Additional musicians'''
* [[Brad Buxer]] – [[synthesizer]]
* Warren Luening – [[trumpet]]
* Joel Peskin – [[clarinet]]
* [[Tommy Johnson (tubist)|Tommy Johnson]] – [[tuba]]
* [[Julia Waters Tillman|Julia Waters]] – background singer
* [[Maxine Waters Willard|Maxine Waters]] – background singer
* [[Oren Waters]] – background singer (track 5)<ref name="Players">{{cite web |url=https://www.weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/players/ |title=Players |website=[["Weird Al" Yankovic]] |access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref>
* Luther Waters – background singer (track 5)<ref name="Players"/>
* [[Carmen Twillie (actress)|Carmen Twillie]] – background singer
* [[Jim Haas]] – background singer (track 2)<ref name="Players"/>
* Jerry Whitman – background singer (track 2)<ref name="Players"/>
* Jon Joyce – background singer (track 2)<ref name="Players"/>
* Gene Morford – background singer (track 2)<ref name="Players"/>
* Peggy Newman – background singer (track 10)<ref name="Players"/>
* Natasha Neece – background singer (track 10)<ref name="Players"/>
* Alisa Curran – background singer (track 10)<ref name="Players"/>
* Samantha Kaye – background singer (track 10)<ref name="Players"/>
* [[Beau Weaver]] – voiceover announcer (track 3)<ref name="Players"/>
* [[Neil Ross]] – voiceover announcer (track 3)<ref name="Players"/>
* Marlene Aragon – voiceover announcer (track 3)<ref name="Players"/>
* Edith Fore – "I've fallen..." voiceover (track 3)<ref name="Players"/>
* [[Cheech Marin]] – Spanish spoken word vocal (track 8)<ref name="Players"/>

'''Technical'''
* "Weird Al" Yankovic – producer
* Tony Papa – engineer, mixing
* Jamey Dell – assistant engineer
* Colin Sauers – assistant engineer
* Kirk Weddle – photographs
{{div col end}}

== Charts and certifications ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

=== Charts ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!Chart (1992)
!Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| [[ARIA Charts|Australian Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=%22Weird+Al%22+Yankovic | title=Discography "Weird Al" Yankovic | publisher=Hung Medien | work=australian-charts.com | access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|45
|-
! scope="row"| Canadian [[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'' Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.2143&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5 | title=Top Albums/CDs – Volume 55, No. 22, May 30, 1992 | journal=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] | access-date=August 17, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203031846/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.2143&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5 | archive-date=December 3, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|24
|-
! scope="row"| US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref>{{cite magazine | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=weird al yankovic|chart=Billboard 200}} | title=Weird Al Yankovic – Chart History: Billboard 200 | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | access-date=September 24, 2010}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|}
{{col-2}}

=== Certifications ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Country
![[Music recording sales certifications|Certification]]<br /><small>([[List of music recording sales certifications|sales thresholds]])</small>
|-
|[[Recording Industry Association of America|United States]]
| style="text-align:center;"|Platinum<ref name="riaa"/>
|}
{{col-end}}

===Singles===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Song
!colspan="2"| Peak positions
|- style="font-size:85%"
!style="width:4em"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br /><ref name="awards" />
!style="width:4em"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br /><ref name="Polyhex">{{cite web |url=http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php |title=UK Singles – 1952-2010 |publisher=Polyhex |access-date=April 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310020924/http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php |archive-date=March 10, 2010 }}</ref>
|-
| 1992
| "[[Smells Like Nirvana]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 35
| style="text-align:center;"| 58
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{"Weird Al" Yankovic}}

{{Good article}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:"Weird Al" Yankovic albums]]
[[Category:1992 albums]]
[[Category:Scotti Brothers Records albums]]
[[Category:Rock 'n Roll Records albums]]