The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota

Infobox Song
Name = The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Type = Song
Artist = "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album = UHF


track_no = 13
from Album = UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff
Released = July 18 1989
Format = Cassette, CD
Recorded = May 24, 1989
Genre = Comedy
Length = 6:50
Label = Scotti Brothers
Artist = "Weird Al" Yankovic
Misc = 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"

"The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic is a lengthy folk-type song about a family road trip to a tourist location in Minnesota. The song was meant by Yankovic to spoof the storytelling songs of Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot, [http://www.weirdal.com/aaarchive.htm Ask Al Archive] (go to October 1998) Retrieved 2008-03-30] but the structure and chord changes closely mirror the Chapin song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas". [http://www.com-www.com/weirdal/reminders.html '"Weird Al" Yankovic's Original Songs Remind You Of What?!?!'] Russ, Edward. Retrieved 2008-03-30] The song refers to a real tourist attraction, a large ball of twine in Darwin, Minnesota, that Yankovic has visited on at least one occasion. [http://www.weirdal.com/twine1.htm Weird Al Photo Gallery] Darwin, Minnesota; 1996-08-16. Retrieved 2008-03-30] [http://www56.homepage.villanova.edu/david.nawrocki/dscf0031.jpgPicture displaying Weird Al's visit to Minnesota] Retrieved 2008-03-30]

Notes

*All of the destinations mentioned in the song "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" were real places, active at the time of the song's writing, and came from the book "Roadside America", including:
**Elvis-A-Rama in Las Vegas, Nevada (closed in 2006)
**the Tupperware Museum in Orlando, Florida (closed in 1992) [http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950514/05110043.htm Forget the mouse - go for the tupperware] Reddick, Christopher. Retrieved 2008-03-30]
**the Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise, Alabama
**Cranberry World in South Carver, Massachusetts
**the Shuffleboard Hall of Fame in St. Petersburg, Florida [http://www.roadsideamerica.com/sights/sightstory.php?tip_AttrId=%3D12037 World's Largest Shuffleboard Courts] Retrieved 2008-03-30]
**Poodle Dog Rock within Valley of Fire State Park near Overton, Nevada [http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm Nevada Division of State Parks] Valley of Fire State Park. Retrieved 2008-03-30]
**the Mecca of Albino Squirrels in Olney, Illinois. [http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html White Squirrel Wars] Retrieved 2008-03-30]
* When Yankovic wrote the song there was no "Twineball Inn" or postcards with "Greetings from the twineball, wish you were here". They came after the song was released. [http://www.al-oholicsanonymous.com/interviews/askal0194.html Al-oholics Anonymous - Ask Al] Retrieved 2008-03-30]
*In the video for the song "White and Nerdy" one of the trivial pursuit cards reads: "In what city is the largest ball of twine built by one man?" The answer is Darwin, Minnesota. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbVtbc_XzrI YouTube video of White and Nerdy] Retrieved 2008-03-30]

References

ee also

* List of songs by "Weird Al" Yankovic

External links

* [http://www.alsongs.com/index.cfm?view=alsong&SongNumber=68 Lyrics] to the song