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Rating: In the (recent and not) history of rock, there exist albums that represent a "white fly" in the careers of certain artists, albums that escape tedious interpretations and convenient labels stuck by those who sell, review, and even those who listen, "suspicious relatives" presented under the guise of apparent commercial suicides, but that in many cases gain, over the years and through the words of fans, completely unforeseen and unexpected prestige and reevaluation.
This is the case with "Pinkerton," the second album by Weezer, an American guitar-oriented band now very famous for its catchy singles based on immediate melodies and roaring guitars, which became, several years after the release of this work, one of the most well-known rock bands in the world, with videos regularly in heavy rotation on MTV.
To be honest, Rivers Cuomo and his band already experienced their first wave of popularity at the beginning of their career with the debut "Blue Album," which, driven by the memorable hit "Buddy Holly," established them as the revelation band of 1995, while parallelly another band member (bassist Matt Sharp) achieved similar results with the side project The Rentals and the single "Friends Of P."
However, the following year a profoundly different Weezer reappeared to the audience who were still humming the amusing choruses of their debut record: a neglected if not even shabby look, low-budget videos, scarce and enigmatic promotion. The sonic equivalent, on the other hand, fully resonated with this new guise: yes, because if the "Blue Album" was a cheerful, ironic, goofy album played upon the interaction between the band and the listener through carefree power pop and adolescent lyrics, "Pinkerton" was instead a dead, dark album, sometimes depressed and certainly schizophrenic, completely at the mercy of Cuomo’s mood swings, who, as he himself tells, was living a delicate personal moment. Cuomo didn’t care much about writing lyrics that could empathize with American college students (who until that moment represented the primary target of their audience) choosing to throw his inner anxieties into the pieces, often referring to specific vicissitudes of his private life, indifferent to the idea and understanding that the viewers might develop about the themes discussed.
Cuomo here unleashes his entire catalog of obsessions without regard to metaphors or rhetorical devices: Japanese girls, his high school nerd complexes as in "The Good Life" ("when I look in the mirror I can't believe what I see/ tell me who's that funky dude staring back at me… i ain’t no Mr. Cool/ i’m a pig i’m a dog"), the constant doubt of being a "pathetic failure," and other mental spins in an emotional crescendo that reaches its peak when "Pink Triangle" starts, a song centered on having madly fallen for a lesbian who obviously does not reciprocate his feeling… the menu of "Pinkerton" offers this and much more, all of it, as described years later by the frontman himself, thrown in your face in the manner of someone who gets drunk one evening, climbs onto a table, and starts shouting what he thinks of himself and life in general.
Cuomo rants, slobbers, rages, torments, raves, spits on the microphone, gently whispers and then suddenly lets out a desperate scream completely out of sync as in the opening "Tired Of Sex", the album’s manifesto track characterized by a hallucinatory nonsense text, an obsessive riff, and a sick synth completing the whole: the powerful "Getchoo" and the chaotic ballad "No Other One" illustrate how the main theme of the record is the frustration over the inability to communicate with the opposite sex and the obvious symptoms of a "midlife crisis" (even though the singer was 26 at the time), exclusively narrated (and often supported by almost tavern-like choruses) in first person in a direct sound mess, dry and distorted in the manner of the Pixies and Pavement.
The sound of "Pinkerton" is in any case compact and homogeneous: dark atmospheres (despite being predominantly major chords), rough and dissonant guitars, unstable melodic structures subject to constant time changes ("Across The Sea") that in a certain sense betray Cuomo's progressive metal roots, who seasons all the tracks with a suffering, bitter, and angry singing: the only concessions to the style of the debut album are the "Buddy Holly-like" "Why Bother?" and the single "El Scorcho", a lopsided and dazed version of "The Joker" by the Steve Miller Band (complete with a furious mid-song acceleration that compromises its commercial potential).
This album was, at the time, a huge flop, it almost immediately left the charts, and led to the consequent breakup of the band, which reunited several years later without Matt Sharp (who was probably the real mastermind behind the dizzying arrangements present here): moreover, it seems that Weezer no longer played any tracks from the album live, confirming the negative vibes that still compromise Cuomo’s judgment, always reluctant to talk about it except with clear embarrassment. Yet, 10 years later, "Pinkerton" enjoyed a happy rehabilitation by critics and audience, becoming a highly appreciated cult album, so much so that despite the very poor sales upon its release in stores, it has now reached "gold record" status and is seen on the web at the 7th position in the '96 album ranking on RateYourMusic, and in 2002 it appeared 16th in the all-time best albums list compiled by Rolling Stone readers, besides being generally recognized as one of the fundamental works to understand the rock of the '90s.
Speaking of Rolling Stone, at its release it was marked with one star and the infamous sentence "worst record of '96"… in 2004, following its remarkable "posthumous" recognition, a new review was published, this time enthusiastic, with 5 stars awarded, the same I give now, well-deserved.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Tired of Sex (03:01)
I'm tired, so tired. I'm tired of having sex. (so tired)
I'm spread, so thin. I don't know who I am. (who I am)
Monday night I'm makin' Jen,
Tuesday night I'm makin' Lyn,
Wednesday night I'm makin' Catherine.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
(Ohhh!)
I'm beat, beet red, ashamed of what I said. (what I said)
(Oh) I'm sorry, here I go. I know I'm a sinner but I can't say no. (say no)
(Woah) Thursday night I'm makin' Denise,
Friday night I'm makin' Therese,
Saturday night I'm makin' Louise.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
(What can I do?)
(Oh) Tonight, I'm down on my knees.
Tonight, I'm beggin' you please.
Tonight, tonight it bleeds.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
02 Getchoo (02:52)
(Uh ho)
This is beginning to hurt.
This is beginning to be serious.
It used to be a game, now it's a crying shame,
'Cause you don't wanna play around no more.
(Uh huh)
Sometimes I push too hard.
Sometimes you fall and skin your knee.
I never meant to do, all that I've done to you,
Please, baby say it's not too late.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo. Uh huh.
(Uh ho)
You know this is breaking me up. You think that I'm some kind of freak, uh huh.
But if you come back to me, then you will surely see,
That I'm just foolin' around.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo.
I can't believe, (I can't believe)
What you've done to me.
What I did to them, (what I did to them)
You've done to me, whoa!
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo. Uh huh.
This is beginning to hurt. (Uh huh) [x4]
04 Why Bother? (02:08)
I know I should get next to you.
You got a look that made me think you're cool.
But it's just sexual attraction.
Not something real so I'd better keep whackin'.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
I've known a lotta girls before; what's the harm in knowing one more?
Maybe we could even get together.
Maybe you could break my heart next summer.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
(Yeah!)
It's a crying shame; I'm all alone.
Not with you, nor her, nor anyone.
Won't you knock me on my head.
Crack it open let me outta here.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
(Why bother) Why bother?
(It's gonna hurt me) It's gonna hurt me.
(It's gonna kill me) Why bother?
(You desert me) Gonna hurt me.
(Why bother) Why bother?
(It's gonna hurt me) It's gonna hurt me.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
05 Across the Sea (04:32)
You are eighteen year old girl, who live in small city of Japan.
You heard me on the radio about one year ago,
And you wanted to know, all about me, and my hobbies.
My favorite food and my birthday.
Why are you so far away from me?
I need help and you're way across the sea.
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong, oh.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
They don't make stationery like this where I'm from so fragile, so refined.
So I sniff, (so I sniff)
And I lick, (and I lick)
Your envelope and fall to little pieces every time.
I wonder what clothes you wear to school.
I wonder how you decorate your room.
I wonder how you touch yourself and curse myself for being across the sea.
Why are you so far away from me?
I need help and you're way across the sea.
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong, oh.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
At ten I shaved my head and tried to be a monk.
I thought the older women would like me if I did.
You see mom, I'm a good little boy. (good little boy)
It's all your fault. Momma, it's all your fault. (it's all your fault)
Goddamn, this business is really lame.
I gotta live on an island to find the juice.
So you send, (so you send)
Me your love, (me your love)
From all around the world,
As if I could live off words and dreams and a million screams.
Oh, how I need a hand in mine to feel.
Why are you so far away from me?
Why are you so far away from me?
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
(I've got your letter) I've got your letter, you've got my song.
06 The Good Life (04:17)
(Yeah, check me.)
When I look in the mirror, I can't believe what I see.
Tell me who's that funky dude, starin' back at me?
Broken, beaten down, can't even get around.
Without an old man cane, I fall and hit the ground.
Shivering in the cold, I'm bitter and alone. (woo!)
Excuse the bitchin', I shouldn't complain.
I should have no feeling, 'cause feeling is pain.
As everything I need, is denied me.
And everything I want, is taken away from me.
But who I got to blame? Nobody but me.
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
Screw this crap, I've had it! (I've had it!)
I ain't no Mr. Cool.
I'm a pig, I'm a dog, so 'scuse me if I drool.
I ain't gonna hurt nobody, ain't gonna 'cause a scene.
I just need to admit that I want sugar in my tea.
(Hear me) Hear me? I want sugar in my tea!
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
I wanna go back, I wanna go back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
(I wanna go back) I wanna go back.
07 El Scorcho (04:03)
(El Scorcho, rock n' roll!)
Goddamn, you half-Japanese girls, do it to me every time.
Oh, the redhead said you shred the cello, and I'm jello, baby.
But you won't talk, won't look, won't think of me;
I'm the epitome, of Public Enemy.
Why you wanna go and do me like that?
Come down on the street and dance with me.
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (oh)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
I asked you to go to the Green Day concert; you said you never heard of them.
(How cool is that) How cool is that?
So I went to your room and read your diary.
Watching Grunge leg-drop New Jack through a press table.
And then my heart stopped listening to Cio-Cio San, fall in love all over again. (Oww!)
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (oh, what could it be now)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
How stupid is it?
I can't talk about it. I gotta sing about it.
And make a record of,
(my heart) How stupid is it?
Won't you gimme a minute?
Just come up to me, and say hello to my heart.
How stupid is it?
For all I know you want me too; and maybe you just don't know what to do;
And maybe you're scared to say:
"I'm falling for you."
I wish I could get my head outta the sand, 'cause I think we'd make a good team,
And you would keep my fingernails clean.
But that's just a stupid dream that I won't realize, 'cause I can't even look in your eyes without shakin', and I ain't fakin'.
I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon.
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (waiting, oh)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
(I'm a lot like you) I'm a lot like you.
(I'm a lot like you) I'm waiting, oh.
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
(Woo-ho)
08 Pink Triangle (03:58)
When I'm stable long enough, I start to look around for love.
See a sweet in floral prints, my mind begins the arrangements.
But when I start to feel that pull, turns out I just pulled myself.
She would never go with me, were I the last girl on earth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one.
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
Might have smoked a few in my time, but never thought it was a crime.
Knew the day would surely come, when I'd chill and settle down.
When I think I've found a good old fashioned girl, then she put me in my place.
Everyone's a little queer, why can't she be a little straight?
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one.
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one. (oh)
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one. (oh)
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
Let me know the truth. [x2]
10 Butterfly (02:53)
Yesterday I went outside with my Mama's mason jar,
Caught a lovely butterfly.
When I woke up today, looked in on my fairy pet,
She had withered all away.
No more sighing in her breast.
I'm sorry for what I did; I did what my body told me to -
I didn't mean to do you harm.
Every time I pin down what I think I want it slips away.
There it goes, slips away.
Smell you on my hand for days; I can't wash away your scent,
If I'm a dog then you're a bitch.
I guess you're as real as me; maybe I can live with that,
Maybe I need fantasy.
Life of chasin' butterfly.
I'm sorry for what I did; I did what my body told me to -
I didn't mean to do you harm.
Every time I pin down what I think I want it slips away.
There it goes, slips away.
I told you I would return, when the robin makes his nest,
But I ain't never comin' back.
I'm sorry. [x3]
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