"Canadian Idiot" | |||||||
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Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic | |||||||
from the album Straight Outta Lynwood | |||||||
Released | September 26, 2006 | ||||||
Format | Digital download, CD single | ||||||
Recorded | February 19, 2006 | ||||||
Genre | Comedy rock, punk rock, pop punk | ||||||
Length | 2:23 | ||||||
Label | Volcano | ||||||
Writer(s) | "Weird Al" Yankovic, Green Day | ||||||
Producer(s) | "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||||
"Weird Al" Yankovic singles chronology | |||||||
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"Canadian Idiot" is a 2006 song and single by "Weird Al" Yankovic from his album Straight Outta Lynwood. It is a parody of Green Day's "American Idiot". The song is mostly a sarcastic parody of the stereotypical American view of the Canadian way of life. Yankovic pokes fun at an accentuated Canadian accent and the Canadians' love of ice hockey, beer, macaroni and cheese, poutine, and doughnuts. At the end of the song, he says that the Canadians are "up to something" and calls for a "preemptive strike".
"Canadian Idiot" was never meant to be released as a single in the United States, but showed up on the Billboard charts nonetheless. It reached No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it was not released as a tangible single in the U.S., promo CDs were pressed in Australia and shipped to radio stations to play.
The song is performed in Yankovic's 2007 Straight Outta Lynwood Tour. The song was first performed in Canada on June 20, 2007 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After the song Yankovic bellowed, "That was the first time we've played that song in Canada, thanks for not killing us." For the song's live performances, Yankovic and the band used to wear black collared shirts and red ties, similar to what Billie Joe Armstrong wore in all American Idiot-related band photos, tours and music videos. His current performances feature a red and white maple leaf jacket. Yankovic has also sung the "Call of the Loon" (the signature tune of Bob and Doug McKenzie on SCTV) during the main guitar riff in his live shows.