The Saga Begins

Album: Running With Scissors (1999)
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Songfacts®:

  • This parody of Don McLean's song "American Pie" summarizes the movie Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in five-and-a-half minutes. It goes full-geek, getting into details like the journey to Coruscant and an encounter with Anakin at Tatooine.

    The song is exceptionally long, but that's part of the joke: "American Pie" was one of the longest hit songs ever recorded, running 8:33.
  • This song was released before Star Wars: Episode I came out in theaters. Yankovic learned plot points by going online to check out spoilers for the movie.

    George Lucas was OK with this, and happy to get the Weird Al treatment, as it built anticipation for the film. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Logan - Bellevue, WA
  • Don McLean was pleased with the parody and even told Al that his lyrics sometimes enter his mind during concerts. "When I heard his version, I thought it was better than the original," McLean told Billboard. "The sound quality was superb."

    "American Pie" was released in 1971 - a long long time ago - so many of Al's young fans had no knowledge of the song. The year after "The Saga Begins" was released, Madonna did a dance cover of "American Pie." Many of his listeners wondered why Madonna was remixing a Weird Al song.

Comments: 14

  • Shadow from Depression, VaHahahaha I love the original and this song is funnyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
  • Nell from Chatham, NjI heard this song on the radio I remember
  • Erica from Minford, Ohthey're pretty good movies, I'll always prefer IV,V,& VI myself, funny song
  • Daktoa from Greenville, Ali went back and watched the first episode of the starwars saga, i know it is really the first movie but i'm going by the words at the begining of the movie, and weird al got it almost right of course qui gon didn't say stink it in your pointy ear but still every thing else was right on.
  • Luna from San Diego, Ca"Just stick it in your pointy ear." every time I hear that part of the song I crack up!
  • Daniel from Islip Terrace, NyRunning With Scissors wasthe first CD that i ever bought and right when i got it the first song i listened to on it was The Saga Begins.
  • Robert from Denver, CoAbsolutely AMAZING how he told the story of the entire movie in 5 minutes. The man is a genius.
  • Darrell from Eugene, United StatesOn the day that I first saw Episode I: The Phantom Menace, I bought "Running With Scissors" at Wal-Mart and won an R2D2 picnic cooler a month later after entering on the very day that I saw "The Phantom Menace". I still have the cooler.
  • Salzator Lansing from Lansing, MiThis song was released within a month of the release of "Star Wars--Episode I." In order to get it out so quickly, Al gleaned info from fansites on the Web and had the song written and recorded before he saw even one frame of film.
  • Kieran from Essex, Englanda masterpiece ! ! lol
  • Shana from Detroit Rock City, CanadaOhhh awesome song! Hilarious!
  • Dan from Lee, NhI Love The Lyrics!
  • Joseph from Bowling Green, KyThe song is as awesome as the movie. Weird Al is truly a gifted performer.
  • Alex from St Louis, MoIve never seen star wars but i like the song
see more comments

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