Skipper Dan

"Skipper Dan"
Song by "Weird Al" Yankovic
from the album Alpocalypse
Released	July 14, 2009 (single) August 25, 2009 (EP) June 21, 2011 (album)
Recorded	April 21, 2009
Genre	Comedy, parody
Length	4:02
Songwriter(s)	"Weird Al" Yankovic
Producer(s)	"Weird Al" Yankovic
Status	Officially released
Stream	Spotify Apple Music
Alternate cover
Single cover

"Skipper Dan" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic, originally released on his 2009 EP Internet Leaks, before being rereleased on his album Alpocalypse in 2011.

Overview

"Skipper Dan" was written by Yankovic as a style parody of Weezer, drawing specific comparison to "Pork and Beans". The song details an underwhelmed actor detailing his career and current job at Disneyland's Jungle Cruise ride.

Personnel

Information taken from iTunes metadata.

• "Weird Al" Yankovic – vocals, backing vocals, hand claps
• Jim "Kimo" West – guitar, backing vocals, hand claps
• Steve Jay – bass guitar, vocals, hand claps
• Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz – drums, hand claps, vocals

Lyrics

I starred in every high school play
Blew every drama teacher away
I graduated first in my class at Juilliard
Took every acting workshop I could
And I dreamed of Hollywood
While I read my Uta Hagen and studied the Bard

Hit the boards and paid my dues
And got phenomenal rave reviews
I knew the world was gonna love me, without a doubt
I was sure that Tarantino would be callin' me on the phone
Annie Leibovitz would shoot me for Rolling Stone
But the years have come and gone
And I'm sorry to say that's not the way that it's all worked out

I'm a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise ride
Skipper Dan is the name
And I'm doin' 34 shows every day
And every time it's the same
Look at those hippos, they're wigglin' their ears
Just like they've done for the last 50 years
Now I'm laughin' at my own jokes but I'm cryin' inside
Cause I'm workin' on the Jungle Cruise ride

Oh, the critics, they used to say
I was the new Olivier
Thought I'd be the toast of Sundance or maybe Cannes
Aw, but don't bother tryin' to IMDB me
The only place you might possibly see me
Is ridin' my little boat around Adventureland
It ain't exactly what I planned

But I'm a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise ride
Skipper Dan is the name
And I'm doin 34 shows every day
And every time it's the same
I would've killed if I'd been in Speed-The-Plow
But what's the difference, that's all behind me now
Cause I'm payin' the rent and I'm swallowin' my pride
And I'm workin' on the Jungle Cruise ride

I should be there on Broadway
Knockin' 'em dead in Twelve Angry Men
But instead I'm here tellin' these lame jokes
Again and again and again and again
And again and again and again

Bengal Tigers can jump over 20 feet!
That's an African bull elephant...
And there it is, the backside of water!
What have I done with my life?!

I shoulda listened when my grandfather said
"Why don't you major in business instead?"
Now my hopes have all vanished and my dreams have all died
And I'll probably work forever

As a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise ride
Skipper Dan is the name
And I'm doin' 34 shows every day
And every time it's the same
Look at those hippos, they're wigglin' their ears
Somebody shoot me 'cause I'm bored to tears
Always said I'd be famous... I guess that I lied
Cause I'm workin' on the Jungle Cruise ride
I'm still workin' on the Jungle Cruise ride

See also

• List of tribute albums