Prince is the only artist to turn down a Weird Al parody

Speaking to NME recently, Weird Al revealed that he’s requested permission for parodies several times in the past, including for “Kiss” and “When Doves Cry”, but Prince has flat-out refused.

“I ask permission from every artist to parody their song. Legally I don’t have to but I want them to be in on the joke, not just to turn on the radio one day and be like, ‘What?’,” he told the magazine.

“I’ve asked Prince several times, he’s the only one to turn me down! All throughout the ‘80s I asked him… but his management turned me down every time. I still hold out hope – if he had another big hit of course I’d want to do my own version.”

Perhaps Prince simply found Dave Chappelle’s parody of him much funnier.