“Weird Al” Yankovic Performs “Dare To Be Stupid”

Ah, "Dare to Be Stupid," that infectious and delightfully weird anthem by "Weird Al" Yankovic, inspired by the avant-garde brilliance of DEVO. This quirky gem found its home on Al's third album in 1985, aptly titled "Dare to Be Stupid." But the song's roots trace back to DEVO's track "Big Mess" from their 1982 album "Oh, No! It’s Devo."

The story goes that after its release, Mark Mothersbaugh, one of the creative genius behind DEVO, sent Weird Al a congratulatory letter, acknowledging the song as a pitch-perfect DEVO creation. And indeed, it is a spot-on DEVO tribute, capturing the essence of their distinctive sound. One can't help but wonder how DEVO themselves would perform a parody of their own musical style—an intriguing thought, to say the least.

For fans of "The Transformers: The Movie," this tune holds a special place as the theme song of the Junkions, those endearingly quirky characters from the film. It even made its way onto a single as the B-side, sharing space with Stan Bush's epic "The Touch."

The performance captured in this video took place at the Marin Center in San Rafael, CA, on October 2, 1999—a delightful reminder of the enduring appeal of "Dare to Be Stupid." Enjoy this blast from the past, where musical brilliance and eccentricity collide in the most entertaining way possible.