"Weird Al" Yankovic - "You're Pitiful" (2006)

Weird Al's career is littered with parodies that didn't get released because of artist or label refusal. Thus we've been spared Snack All Night (Michael Jackson's Black or White), Chicken Pot Pie (Wings' Live and Let Die), Laundry Day (The Offspring's Come Out and Play), Gee, I'm a Nerd (The Beatles' Free as a Bird), I'll Repair For You (The Rembrandts' I'll Be There for You), Fast Food (Alanis Morissette's Thank U), Bad Date (Daniel Powter's Bad Day).

While working on Straight Outta Lynwood, Al recorded You're Pitiful, a parody of James Blunt's ubiquitous 2005 single You're Beautiful. Before the album was released, Blunt's record company protested. Because he had Blunt's permission, Al released it on the Internet for free download instead.

Al's version features a narrator who dresses down an unnamed "you", a poor schlub who doesn't have a lot going for him. Among other things, he can't dance, get a date, has the nickname Farty-Pants, works at a convenience store, is a Trekkie and a video game junkie, and still lives with his mother.

Actually, lyrically, it's along the same the same lines as White and Nerdy, the song Al recorded quickly to take You're Pitiful's place on Straight Outta Lynwood. Seeing that You're Pitiful is pretty much just a serviceable parody and White and Nerdy is transcendent, I guess it's actually a good thing that Atlantic Records refused.

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