This is my America....right here. It's so....so....so BEAUTIFUL....
(Full transcript near the bottom)
The venerable, musical genius Weird Al depicts a three major figures of classic Americana:
- The individual who strove for and accomplished greatness.
- The middle class family.
- The third character being the America around the family: the many other major accomplishments by others that his family has visited in previous vacations, mama's home-made rhubarb pie, the smelly hitch-hiker Bernie, the neighbors waving them goodbye.
I believe the most powerful parts of the song go something like this:
Well I had two weeks of vacation time comin' after workin' all year up at Big Roy's Heating and Plumbing...
And this one...
"On these hallowed grounds hallowed grounds, open 10 to 8 on weekdays, under a little shrine under a makeshift pagoda, there sits the Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota.
Ooohh...what on Earth would make a man decide to do that kind of thing? Windin' up 21,140 pounds of string. What was he trying to prove? Who was he trying to impress? Why did he build it? How did he do it? It was anybody's guess. Where did he get the twine? What was going through his mind? Did it just seem like a good idea at the time?"
And what did our middle class hero do when he saw this amazing accomplishment? When he saw this glorious huge majestic sphere? He was so overwhelmed by its sheer immensity that he had to pop himself a beer.
And I said with smile "Kids, this here's what America's all about. Then I started feelin' kinda gooey inside and I fell on my knees and I cried and cried, and that's when those security guards threw us out.
Well, I had two weeks of vacation time coming.
After workin' all year down at Big Roy's Heating and Plumbing.
So one night, when my family and I were gathered round the dinner table, I said,
"Kids...
If you could go anywhere in this great big world, now
Where'd you like to go to?"
They said, "Dad...
We wanna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota."
They picked the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
So the very next day we loaded up the car with potato skins and pickled weiners,
Crossword puzzles, Spiderman comics and mama's homemade rhubarb pie,
Pulled out of the driveway, and the neighbors, they all waved goodbye.
And so began our three-day journey.
We picked up a guy holdin' a sign that said "Twine Ball or Bust."
He smelled real bad, and he said his name was Bernie.
I put in a Slim Whitman tape, my wife put on a brand new hair net.
Kids were in the back seat jumpin' up and down, yellin' "Are we there yet?"
And all of us were joined together in one common thought,
As we rolled down the long and winding Interstate in our '53 DeSoto.
We're gonna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
We're headin' for the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
Oh, we couldn't wait to get there, so we drove straight through for three whole days and nights.
Of course, we stopped for more pickled weiners now and then.
The scenery was just so pretty, boy, I wish the kids could've seen it.
But you can't see out of the side of the car because the windows are completely covered
with the decals from all the places where we've already been.
Like Elvis-a-Rama, the Tupperware Museum,
The Boll Weevil Monument, and Cranberry World,
The Shuffleboard Hall of Fame, Poodle Dog Rock,
And the Mecca of Albino Squirrels.
We've been to ghost towns, steam parks, wax museums,
And a place where you can drive through the middle of a tree.
Seen alligator farms and tarantula ranches,
But there's still one thing we've gotta see.
Well, we crossed the state line about 6:39,
And we saw the sign that said, "Twine Ball Exit - fifty miles."
Oh, the kids were so happy, they started singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" for the
twenty-seventh time that day.
So we pulled off the road at the last chance gas station,
Got a few more pickled weiners and a diet chocolate soda,
On our way to see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
We're gonna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
Finally at 7:37 early Wednesday evening, as the sun was setting in the Minnesota sky,
Out in the distance, on the horizon it appeared to me like a vision before my unbelieving eyes.
We parked the car and walked with awe-filled reverence toward that glorious, huge, majestic sphere.
I was just so overwhelmed by its sheer immensity, I had to pop myself a beer.
Yes, on these hallowed grounds, open 10 to 8 on weekdays, in a little shrine under a makeshift pagoda,
There sits the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
I tell you, it's the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
Ohhh, what on Earth would make a man decide to do that kind of thing.
Ohhh, windin' up twenty-one thousand, one hundred forty pounds of string.
What was he tryin' to prove?
Who was he tryin' to impress?
Why did he build it? How did he do it?
It's anybody's guess.
Where did he get the twine?
What was goin' through his mind?
Did it just seem like a good idea at the time?
Well, we walked up beside it, and I warned the kids,
"Now you better not touch it, those ropes are there for a reason."
I said, "Maybe if you're good, I'll tie it to the back of our car, and we can take it home."
But I was only teasin'.
Then we went to the gift shop and stood in line, bought a souvenir miniature ball of twine,
Some window decals, and anything else they'd sell us.
And I bought a couple postcards: "Greetings from the Twine Ball, wish you were here."
Won't the folks back home be jealous.
I gave our camera to Bernie, and we stood by the ball,
And we all gathered around and said, "Cheese."
Then Bernie ran away with my brand new Instamatic,
But at least we've got our memories.
So we all just stared at the ball for awhile,
And my eyes got moist, but I said with a smile,
"Kids, this here's what America's all about."
Then I started feelin' kinda gooey inside,
And I fell on my knees and I cried and cried.
And that's when those security guards threw us out.
You know, I bet if we unravelled that sucker, it'd roll all the way down to Fargo, North Dakota,
'Cause it's the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
I'm talkin' 'bout the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
Well, we stayed that night at the Twine Ball Inn.
In the morning we were on our way home again.
But we really didn't wanna leave, that was perfectly clear.
I said, "Folks, I can tell you're all sad to go."
Then I winked my eye and I said, "You know,
I got a funny kinda feeling we'll be coming back again next year."
'Cause I've been all around this great big world and I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather go to
Than the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
I said the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
Minnesota.
Minnesota.
Minnesota.
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