Originally published January 2021
1: I Want You (COR 001)
From The Black Room
January 1, 1999
After more than a year of being disappointed by his songwriting efforts, Rivers Cuomo went into seclusion, painted the walls of his room black and cataloged every element that went into writing & composing songs. This songwriting effort would eventually lead to the tunes that made up Weezer’s Green Album.
The first song in this effort, I Want You, is a departure from the riff oriented songs of the year before and isn’t quite the formulaic power pop song type that made up the Green Tracklist.
It’s perfectly in the middle. Catchy, seems to be about something and has a dynamic/evolving chorus. There’s no solo, but that’s okay. The song does everything it needs to do.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2⭐️
2: The Rules Of Life (v28 – vTo Par)
From The EWBAITE Years
2010-2014
There are some songs in Rivers’ released demos that have multiple versions. The Rules of Life is definitely one of the most attempted, with more than 40 versions available.
At it’s core, Rules is a great song that would have been a highlight of any album it was on. And it would have stood out, with a bridge containing the lyric ‘And then they’ll fuck you.’
But each version has some lyrical tinkering. Version 28 changes the bridge to ‘And they’ll be happy.’ That, combined with some other lyrical changes make this version stand out, and not necessarily in a good way.
I’d rank most versions of Rules pretty highly. And maybe that’s unfair to this one, but that’s the way it is.
⭐️⭐️
3: Beverly Hills
2004-07-20
From The Make Believe Years
July 20, 2004, SIR Demos
Weezer had a huge comeback single in 2005 with Beverly Hills. And while I think it’s a good song, it’s not something I go out of my way to listen to.
The demo has the same overall structure as the final song. But the composition feels looser and the lyrics are noticeably different.
Perhaps my favorite change is instead of the talk box on the solo, Rivers recorded this demo using a pan flute, changing the whole vibe of the song.
It’s still a song about wanting to be famous. But I’ve heard the single countless times over the last 15 years. Without the polish of the single, the pan flute and slightly off-key sound, the demo is a breath of fresh air.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4: Rock and Roll Cockroach (Rough 3)
From The EWBAITE Years
Late 2010/Early 2011
Last summer, Weezer released Beginning of the End, the third single from their upcoming album Van Weezer. Sharp-eared fans recognized the tune as one Rivers worked on nearly ten years prior from a video published on Weezer’s YouTube channel.
The song that would become Beginning of the End went through several iterations, starting with Rock and Roll Cockroach, a song about a rock band that has persevered throughout the years.
The song wouldn’t make it on 2014’s Everything Will Be Alright in The End, although the concept of a long-running rock band would. However, the tune was very appropriate for an album influenced by the sound of Van Halen.
The melody and arrangement are identical, and the Nostradamus line was carried over. But otherwise, the demo is its own song.
The demo is a step or two slower, but it’s still a good listen. And I love the “I want to be a star but not in someone else’s orbit” line.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
5: I Want to Know (COR: 305)
The Maladroit Years
July 17, 2001
In the fall of 2001, Weezer released a number of full-band demos showing the direction that would take them towards Maladroit. These songs were short, heavier rock numbers with meaningless and bizarre lyrics.
Some of the songs were good. But others were not.
Among the not-as-well-received of those was I Wanna Know, a short song with the immortal lyric “Tuchis on the side is heaven-sent/Giblets never run away, they come for free.”
Rivers’ original demo of the song is an expanded version of the tune, with more guitar noodling. But the demo itself was recorded with just an electric guitar on a handheld recorder. There may be a song there, but the audio quality certainly isn’t.
⭐️ 1/2⭐️