Ever since his eponymous debut,
Weird Al Yankovic proved to be one of the 20th century's most innovative and memorable musicians. True, he never had many radio singles, but, just as such a film as The Rocky Horror Picture Show didn't catch on initially yet eventually established itself as a cult hit,
Yankovic had arguably made himself the most memorable cult musician of the '80s. Numerous greatest hits albums were released in response to this following, but no single disc matches
Permanent Record, a four-CD set of
Yankovic's best songs, whether they were sincere hits or not. Following chronologically, P.R. goes through defining satires such as "My Bologna," "Eat It," "Like a Surgeon," "Yoda," "Fat," and "Smells Like Nirvana." In addition, the collection includes many of his overlooked but equally entertaining originals, such as "Midnight Star," "Mr. Popeil," "Dare to be Stupid," "Good Old Days," "Trigger Happy," and "You Don't Love Me Anymore."
Permanent Record was made for those who want the best from his catalog to date, and while the average fan may want to settle for any of
Yankovic's numerous single compilations, this box set is perfect for future
Yankovic followers who want the most from this rather qualified entertainer. ~ Barry Weber