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My personal feeling about Weezer is that they made two of the best rock albums of the ’90s, two good albums that traded lyrical coherence for good hooks, and Make Believe, a near-abortion that revealed how lucky we were to have Rivers Cuomo babble about hash pipes and dope noses instead of starkly announcing “We Are All On Drugs.” “Pork And Beans” has a Blue Album-worthy chorus hook and distortion pedal push, but the lyrics are a pretty embarrassing attempt to seek sympathy for his “uncool” songs. Now “Heart Songs” offers a star’s sequel to “In The Garage,” name-dropping the artists who helped him throughout the gestative years of his career (before Nirvana changed his life) over a creepily tepid backdrop featuring acoustic guitar, strings and what sounds like a glockenspiel.
Musical acts referenced: Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens, Joan Baez, Eddie Rabbitt, Abba, Devo, Pat Benatar, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Grover Washington, Quiet Riot, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Slayer, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Rick Astley, Terence Trent D’Arby, Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and of course, Nirvana, whose appearance in Cuomo’s life helps the song build to a climax worthy of a Daughtry demo.
Then we played our first rock show
And watched the fan base start to grow
Signed the deal that gave the dough to make
A record of our own
The song come on the radio
Now people go this is the song
These are my heart songs
They never feel wrong
And when I wake, for goodness sake
These are the songs I keep singing
Please tell me it couldn’t get worse than this.
Weezer – Heart Songs [YouTube]
It takes two to make a thing go right
It takes two to make them out of sight
/every wedding I ever attended
These are the lyrics of a 14 year old girl’s notebook.
Silly me…I thought a song titled “Heart Songs” would reference songs by Heart.
I’m going to go look for the good hooks on Maladroit.
Wait…Rivers Cuomo used to write good lyrics?
@The Notorious T: Keep Fishin’ was pretty good.
This video is no longer available
I guess I should be grateful.
The problem occurred to me yesterday, as I was listening to the also-super-not-great “Greatest Man in the World” yesterday. I’m sure this has been touched upon before, but Cuomo is a 38 year old man who’s still attempting to write songs that appeal to misfit 14 year olds. It’s about as easy to take as my dad wearing skinny jeans.
There has been zero lyrical growth with this fella since Clinton was in office. The first time. Now at first, I was willing to say that PINKERTON had scarred him, and caused him to retreat into moon-june-spoon lyricism. But much in the same way that we all eventually recover from things that happened to us 12 years ago, he’s had ample opportunity to get over it.
But over it he is not. And as a result, good his music is not. Try not, River. Do. Or do nothing.
@Al Shipley: Can I get an amen.
At the risk of sounding like the apologist I evidently am, I have to ask: would you really rather listen to “Beverly Hills”? At least this is funny.
@eugenelangley: Beverly Hills at least sounds kinda like “The Joker,” though it would have been cool if they’d just covered that.
I can’t imagine anyone listening to this song more than once. I could barely make it halfway through.
Pitiful.
Rivers Cuomo is obviously taking part in some kind of Brewster’s Millions-type high stakes wager/inheritance stipulation in which he must squander every last iota of his musical cache in order to lay claim to an even grander prize.
Kinda reminds me of that Boston song from that Boston album.
There has been zero lyrical growth with this fella since Clinton was in office. The first time.
Could be worse – imagine being Morrissey. He has to appeal to the 14 year old misfits whilst still trying to fit into their clothes.
Before the jump: “Acoustic and glockenspiel? This couldn’t be that bad…”
After the jump: “Oh lord.”
@El-Zilcho: Then they made a video with Muppets and dry-humped any charm it might have had right out the window.
And it wasn’t that charming to begin with.
@Anthony Miccio: I guess this is funny too.
Why do I get the feeling I might be the only man on Earth who actually likes most of the songs I’ve heard so far?
Maybe it’s because (aside from maybe Pinkerton) I’ve liked Weezer for the hooks, not the lyrics.
Nothing will ever, ever, be worse than Beverly Hills, Perfect Situation, This Is Such A Pity, Hold Me, Peace, We Are All On Drugs, The Damage In Your Heart, Pardon Me, My Best Friend, The Other Way,Freak Me Out, or Haunt You Every Day.
/haven’t heard this new one.
This isn’t good.
I actually would’ve argued that this might not even be Weezer, until about 2:26.
Holy Jesus that just ruined my Friday. What an awful song.
Whoever wrote this post is an idiot. Blue and Pinkerton are my
favorite albums of all time, but “Heart Songs” is great. So it’s not
angsty and doesn’t sound rough like old Weezer. But who cares? The
thought and detail behind the music and lyrics are clearly there.
This person clearly has a very limited taste in music.
Well, these writing skills explain why it took Rivers a decade to graduate from Harvard. It also proves that Harvard is gay.
I don’t care what the song sounds like. I can’t take seriously anything produced by a man with that moustache and cowboy hat. Fuck, he looks ridiculous. I can’t even come up with a decent joke about it, it’s so bad.
“had a baby on it/he was naked on it”
This is the worst thing of any kind, ever.
http://heartsongs.muxtape.com/
part 2 on the way, but it is TERRIBLE!!!
Watch your mouth, Miccio — Weezer signs your paycheck now.
Every time I think it can’t get worse, I’m proven wrong. Pinkerton is a damn great album, the first one is good too. But their later material has become so bad that it’s starting to tarnish those albums for me as well.
Anyone else think that on “We Are All On Drugs”, when he sings “on drugs” it sounds like he’s saying “on jugs”?
Rivers is just copying the lyrical approach that has garnered two multiplatinum albums from The Game.
Want Rivers to release a pop nightmare like Green Day did in 05? The guy isn’t a sellout and he is a unique rock star.
Its a good song. If you guys don’t like it then listen to Atreyu, or Coheed and Cambria, or Chevelle, or Thrice, or Soulja Boy, or whatever the pussies of this generation listen to.
Weezer fan.
ShashibalaNardwuar I agree I love this song… and I am not a 14 year old girl
What’s wrong with Green Day’s 05 Album?!
But yeah this isn’t that bad a song, even if it isn’t their best.
Weezer fan.
(and Green day fan to a lesser extent)
I like this song. A lot. The nostalgia building up to the classic weezer
sound at the end. It’s River’s story, it’s personal, and it reminds me of
pinkerton in its defiance.
I disagree.
The thing you gotta look at when you look at Weezer are the first two albums and their effects on the band. The Blue Album introduced us to a brilliant band with unlimitted potential, spawned from the suburbanian generation. it captured the most innocent sounds of growing up awkwardly. But it was not through buddy holly that this happened, far from it. It was because of a coming together of styles found “The World Has Turned…” “Say it Ain’t So…” and “Only in Dreams.” And make no mistake, their were some powerful lyrics in those songs. Most of it was dealing with the fact that they were nobodies lost in suburbia seeking to form a legacy like their heroes (as shown in “In the Garage”). The album, however, was known at the time mostly for Buddy Holly, which may have been the greatest disaster to happen to this band.
When Pinkerton came out, Weezer was fresh off astounding success. They had become the stars they had adored. As such, the writing and sounds flaunted this new found ’success,’ and how they were uncomfortable with it (see Tired of Sex, Across the Sea, and Butterfly), but the music carried a raw swagger that said Weezer was here to stay. The critics, however, pummeled it, saying it was a huge dissappointment. This can largely be attributed to the fact that there was no Buddy Holly, no real single that was expected. And so, amidst harsh reviews and hurt feelings, the band once so full of promise went on hiatus. Matt Sharp left, and Weezer went on a downward spiral. All this was because the critics just weren’t ready to accept Weezer was growing up.
Enter the Green album. Rivers obvioulsy wanted to get back to the fame and have people adorne him King of Alt Rock once again. The songs are all derived from the hook laden Buddy Holly, power chords everywhere, and no attempts at the raw energy found in Pinkerton. While lots of people liked it, including the critics, the music itself was a regression. Many people were so entranced by it simply because it was weezer off hiatus. But look at them now; the Buddy Holly Album, the attempt to please the crowd is no where near as good as the Blue Album .
Moving to Maladroit, and we get a more confident weezer. They are prepared to mix their styles a little, and the result is an attempt to return to Pinkerton. However, it is only an attempt. With tracks like Keep Fishin, Dope Nose, and Slave, Weezer was still playing for an audience, not ready to play for themselves again.
On make believe, one of two things happened: First, it was, as you said, an abomination. OR it could be an entirely social commentary on the fake and materialistic societal norms. For example, “We Are All on Drugs,” is not simply talking about coke or pot, but rather materialism, as evident in the “in your new mercedes bendz,” “showing up late for school,” how we take for granted these luxuries and pass off important items. Beverly Hills is a continuation of this sarcastic theme, cause where in the world are there more fake people, more people playing “make believe” with their lives? The style of the songs, power pop and simple, (a regression from the attempt towards a refined pinkerton seen in maladroit) add to this theme of fakeness. Of course, that whole analogy could be entirely wrong, and “Make Believe” could simply be crap, but I really don’t want to believe it, as it doesn’t fit anywhere in the progression.
Now we come to the Red Album. It should be noted that Weezer is inviting comparison again by the iconic album cover. In all honesty, this is not one of my favorite albums, there are too many attempts to please the crowd. “The Greatest Man..” is an attempt for the sound of “Beverly Hills,” and only no longer contributing the the message of the album. “Pork and Beans,” “Everybody Get Dangerous,” and “Troublemaker” just suck.
But there are flashes of light, signs of what made Weezer so incredible. “Dreamin’” is a throwback to “Holliday.” “The Angel and the One” is a tribute to “Only in Dreams,” and, like it’s predecessor, is pulled off flawlessly. Furthermore, while in the same vein as “Only in Dreams” we get an entirely separate song in both melody and lyrics. They didn’t have to capture the same mode exactly as the blue album, as seen in no guitar buildup at the end, no direct “verse-chorus-verse.” The lyrics are no longer about teenage yearning for that one you can never get, but enlightened acceptance that comes with growth, and is this albums highlight.
So this all brings me to “Heart Songs.” Thanks for being patient in reading this far. This is probably the second best song on the album. Immediately, we are invited to compare it to “in the garage” by the lyrics. Both are about the aspiration to make it big like the rock stars before them, in their own way. The lyrics are amazing; they are the raw, innocent kid shouting out to those who he worshipped, the type of lyrics that made us all love the blue album. Furthermore, you mentioned that the first two albums had good hooks while the third and fourth have been decent lyrically. Well, fortunately, Heart songs has both. Weezer tries a slower, funky beat and tempo, and mixes in a minor melody. They realize in this song that they really are a successful band and shake the feeling that they have to please everyone. I think that this song was for them, their favorite bands, their style, and that’s what made us like them to begin with. For those reasons, I think “heart songs” is definitely a triumphant weezer song.
Heart Songs is a song honoring all the artists that made Weezer who they are, it’s as simple as that. If you think it’s a crappy song, Weezer doesn’t give a hoot what you think anyways.
(Rivers also doesn’t care if you don’t like Weezer’s style mixing, candy w/ pork and beans, and he doesnt care if you don’t like his mustache and hat, he’s not gonna wear the clothes that you like)
WHOA WHOA WHOA;
like some guy said up there.
he is 34;
his music is appealing to such a young age?
amazing; right there;
the new music isng going to last;
sorry to say;
this song is just to show you all the artists who helped influence there unique music style; i think its absolutly amazing looking at all those artists and thinking that they helped create a band thats this orgasmic =)
“I like this song. A lot. The nostalgia building up to the classic weezer
sound at the end. It’s River’s story, it’s personal, and it reminds me of
pinkerton in its defiance.”
Agreed. And for the most part I also agree to “10:20am”s post (the really long one; yes, i read every word).
This and the blue album are the only to that I feel to my toes. Yes, the others have a few good songs for a beer party, but they aren’t good music for the most part.
I’m 35 and grew up with Cat Stevens and Springstien. I think its right that Weezer is acknowledging their past. Not enough artists admit where they come from.
35 is not that old. And we still have feelings, believe it or not.
Okay, so i would like to see one of you write a better song then “Heart Songs” i thought it was actually a pretty decent song. tell me what is so awful about it?!
Didn't Weezer start off as a diluted rip-off of Pavement, who themselves were dripping with influence of The Fall? Shouldn't there be some mention of Pavement or The Fall in this song?
It’s not necessarily even a song about where they got there sound and feeling. Rivers is paying homage to everyone he ever liked listening to. People he probably heard his parents listening to. Music that reminds him of some point in his life. I’ve loved every album weezer has ever put out because it doesn’t cater to a specific age group. They reflect on themselves at the time of recording. I don’t feel there is ever any regression. They’re always growing and developing their sound and keeping me on my toes. Heart songs and greatest man are my favorites from red. Greatest man may be my favorite song ever to come out of them. It isn’t traditional at all. It’s gritty and experimental. It’s showing us they are comfortable musically that they can do any style and pull it off. Heart songs and greatest man may not be what were used to getting drunk to but it’s an obvious sign of growth a testament to their creativity and talent.
Ps their cover of kids/poker face is amazing.
There’s no way this is the worst song, heart songs is great.
Are you retarded? Heart songs is one of the best songs of that year!
Who else guessed as soon as “1991″ was out of his mouth that the whole last verse was going to be Rivers sucking Cobain’s dick? Heart songs?
More like “Fart Songs”
Want to learn more about this? I invite you to another page on this subject. If the language barrier is the use of google translator:)
Is “Heart Songs” The Worst Weezer Song Yet?
I have never disagreed any more than this! Great song, fantastic!!