Straight Outta Lynwood (Volcano, 2006) by Weird Al Yankovic

Straight Outta Lynwood is actually one of my favorites that Weird Al has ever released.  "White and Nerdy" is hilarious and makes it clear that Al really can rap.  "Confessions Part III" and "Canadian Idiot" are also very clever parodies.  The 180 degree turn that Al takes with Taylor Hicks' "Do I Make You Proud" to "Do I Creep You Out" is great too.  The best song on the album though, I think, is "Trapped in the Drive-Thru."  It takes R. Kelly's already kind of ridiculous soap-opera of a song and makes a very funny spoof of it.

In 3-D (Scotti Bros., 1984) by Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al beat the sophomore jinx of his "novelty act" with this album.  "Eat It" is a great Michael Jackson parody.  "Rye of the Kaiser" is an excellent take on "Eye of the Tiger" and "Nature Trail to Hell" is a funny spoof song styled around ideas in 80s horror flicks.  And although this album, taken as a whole, isn't Al's best work, he still earns major points for going Gold and getting a Grammy with it.

Bad Hair Day (Scotti Bros., 1996) by Weird Al Yankovic

Bad Hair Day is my favorite Weird Al album.  Not only were the parodies outstanding- "Amish Paradise," "Syndicated Inc.," Gump" and "Phony Calls."  Al's original material was solid too.  "Callin' in Sick" and "The Night Santa Went Crazy" are both very funny.  This album also proved that Al was a credible producer as well.  Al's a funny guy, but he is no joke.  He will be forever embraced by popular culture for his humorous contributions to it.  If I were a recording artist, my sign of "making it" would be to have one of my records parodied by Weird Al.