Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*

Infobox Single
Name = Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*


Artist = "Weird Al" Yankovic
from Album = UHF
Released = August 8 1989
B-side = "Generic Blues"
Format =

• Cassette (Commercial)

• 7", CD (Promotional)

Recorded = December 20 1988 [ [http://weirdal.com/rcdgdate.htm Recording Dates] ]
Genre = Comedy
Length = 3:10
Label = Scotti Brothers
[ Writer = ]
Producer = "Weird Al" Yankovic
Last single = "UHF"
(1989)
This single = "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies"
(1989)
Next single = "Isle Thing"
(1989)Extra tracklisting
Album = UHF
Type = studio
Tracks =
# "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*"
# "Gandhi II"
# "Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet near Mars"
# "Isle Thing"
# "The Hot Rocks Polka"
# "UHF"
# "Let Me Be Your Hog"
# "She Drives Like Crazy"
# "Generic Blues"
# "Spatula City"
# "Fun Zone"
# "Spam"
# "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota"

"Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits and "The Beverly Hillbillies" theme song. The music video, which appeared as part of Yankovic's film "UHF", is also a parody of the video for "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits. The song features Dire Straits members Mark Knopfler on guitar and Guy Fletcher on synthesizer.

The song is listed in the end credits of "UHF" as "'Money For Nothing'/'Beverly Hillbillies' Parody" and credits "Mark Knopfler and Sting" (writers of the original "Money for Nothing") and Paul Henning (writer of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett") as the writers.

Track listing

The following tracks are on the single:
# "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies" – 3:10
# "Generic Blues" – 4:35

The promo single only contains "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*".

Title negotiation

Originally the title of the song was going to be simply "Beverly Hillbillies", however the title of the song was changed to "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*" (with an asterisk), and it is legally copyrighted and registered as such. Yankovic commented on the legal complications with the titling of the song in the DVD audio commentary for the film "UHF", explaining: "We had to name that song 'Money for Nothing 'slash' Beverly Hillbillies "asterisk"' because the lawyers told us that had to be the name. Those wacky lawyers! Whatcha gonna do?" [Al Yankovic "UHF" DVD Audio Commentary (0:35:15)] Yankovic also gave the following comment on his official website in regards to the title: "That incredibly stupid name is what the lawyers insisted that the parody be listed as. I'm not sure why, and I've obviously never been very happy about it." [ [http://www.weirdal.com/aaarchive.htm#1098 "Ask Al" Q&As for October 1998] ] Al later stated he would rather have wanted the titles to be either 'Money for Nothing for the Beverly Hillbillies' or 'Beverly Hillbillies For Nothing'.

Music video

The music video for the Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies* was done in the same style as the original. However, several concepts were parodied.
*In the original video a skinny computer generated man (Sting) is watching television. In the parody Al appears as the computer generated man watching television.
*The live action scenes are similar to the original including the partially rotoscoped-animation in bright neon colors, the light emitting from the lead singers head, and the "invisible man" playing the guitar.
*In the original a portly blue-collar worker (Mark Knopfler) is shown narrating the song (along with the live-action version of Mark Knopfler). In the parody this role is played by a computer generated Jed Clampett (who is voiced by Al).
*The original's backing chorus: "I want my, I want my, I want my MTV" was parodied into "Beverly, Beverly, Beverly Hillbillies".
*A short live-action clip displays the song as "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" by George Newman (Newman was Al's character in UHF).
*David Silverman, later of "Simpsons" fame, designed the characters seen in the animated music video.
*In the original videos, the guitars simply have neon-styled effects added to them. In the parody, one of the guitars is made to twist as if it was solely neon lights.

Notes

*Yankovic performed a parody similar to this in his college days entitled "Beverley Hillbillies Miss You", in which the "Ballad of Jed Clampett" was sung to the tune of The Rolling Stones' hit "Miss You"

*According to the commentary given on the "UHF" DVD, Yankovic originally wanted Buddy Ebsen to appear in-character in the live-action portion of the video. However, Ebsen wanted too much money for the appearance and a look-alike (who can be seen briefly on stage) was used instead.

See also

* List of singles by "Weird Al" Yankovic
* List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic

References