Say It Ain't So

Single infobox
Name = Say It Ain't So


Artist = Weezer
from Album = Weezer (1994 album)
Released = July 13, 1995
Format = CD|, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded = August-September, 1993 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 4:18
Label = DGC Records
Producer = Ric Ocasek
Last single = "Buddy Holly"
(1994)
This single = "Say It Ain't So"
(1995)
Next single = "El Scorcho"
(1996)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Weezer (The Blue Album)
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "My Name Is Jonas"
# "No One Else"
# "The World has Turned and Left Me Here"
# "Buddy Holly"
# "Undone - The Sweater Song"
# "Surf Wax America"
# "Say It Ain't So"
# "In the Garage"
# "Holiday"
# "Only in Dreams""Say It Ain't So" is the third single by American rock band Weezer, released as both a single and as a part of their debut album, "Weezer" (1994).

Written (like most Weezer songs) by frontman Rivers Cuomo, the song came to be after he had all the music finished and one line, "Say it ain't so". [ [http://www.cbc.ca/dnto/podcast.html Wireless ] ] Cuomo made a connection to an incident in high school where he came home and saw a bottle of beer in the fridge. He believed his parents split up when he was four because his dad was an alcoholic. [ Luerssen D., John. "Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story". ECW Press, 2004, ISBN 1-55022-619-3 p. 110-111]

As noted in the Weezer DVD collection "Video Capture Device" and the slip cover of the re-released special edition of their debut album, the video was filmed at the old "Amherst House" where the band used to rehearse and record. The video also features a cameo by the band's webmaster/band photographer/archivist and close friend for many years, Karl Koch. It reached #23 on The New Zealand show "U Choose 40 Sing-A-Long Classics".

The song is featured on the music video game "Rock Band" as a playable track. In 2008, the song was ranked #72 on "Rolling Stone"'s "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/20947527/the_100_greatest_guitar_songs_of_all_time/print The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time : Rolling Stone ] ]

ong mixes

There are two mixes of the song. On the original album pressings, a mix with slightly different sounding drums and no guitar feedback was used. However, when they released the single, they used the mix that kept the guitar feedback in the song. The band liked this mix so much that they asked for it to replace the version on the album, after the album had sold 3 million copies. The single version is now the version on the album, and on the deluxe edition, both mixes appear.

Tracklist

;Radio Only Promo CD
# Say It Ain't So (Remix) - 4:17

;UK Retail Cassette
# Say It Ain't So (Remix) - 4:17
# No One Else (Live Acoustic) - 3:15

;UK Retail CD/UK Retail 10" Single (Black Vinyl)
# Say It Ain't So (Remix) - 4:17
# No One Else (Live Acoustic) - 3:15
# Jamie (Live Acoustic) - 3:53

Live acoustic tracks were recorded on April 1, 1995 at Cat's Paw Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Music video

The music video for "Say It Ain't So", directed by Sophie Muller, was less successful than the previous two Weezer videos directed by Spike Jonze, however the song was still successful climbing to the top 10 of the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It featured the band performing in the garage of their former house, and the bandmates playing hacky sack in the backyard. [ Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 146–147]

Charts

Covers

*The band Further Seems Forever covered the song on their album "Hope This Finds You Well". A cover by Mozella was featured on an episode of "One Tree Hill".
*Juliana Hatfield covered the song at a concert in 1995. [cite web | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjcQT5EU0Vk|title=Juliana Hatfield - Say It Ain't So (weezer) (Live 1995)|accessdate=2007-09-11 |publisher="YouTube"]
*The Deftones have covered this song in concert.

Personnel

*Rivers Cuomo – lead guitar, lead vocals
*Patrick Wilson – percussion
*Brian Bell – rhythm guitar, vocals
*Matt Sharp – bass guitar, vocals
*Ric Ocasek – producer

References

External links

* [http://www.weezernet.com/index.php?page=lyrics&lid=12 Lyrics]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU7LZts87Zg Music Video]