Pork and Beans (song)

Single infobox
Name = Pork and Beans


Artist = Weezer
from Album = Weezer
Released = June 16, 2008
Format = CD, Vinyl
Recorded = 2008
Genre = Alternative rock| Length = 3:09
Label = Geffen
Composer = Rivers Cuomo | Producer = Jacknife Lee
Chart position =
Reviews =
Last single = "This Is Such a Pity"
(2006)
This single = "Pork and Beans"
(2008)
Next single = "Troublemaker"
(2008)

"Pork and Beans" is a song from alternative rock band Weezer's 2008 album, "The Red Album". It was released in digital form on April 24, 2008.cite web | last =Koch | first =Karl | url = http://weezer.com/news/default.aspx/nid/13443 | title = 04/18/08 Triunfa Del Fjord | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | date=2008-04-18 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] The track debuted at #19 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, and would go on to spend eleven weeks at #1.

The song was written by Rivers Cuomo as a reaction to a meeting with Geffen executives where the band was told they needed to record more-commercial material.cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/weezer/news/11449 | title = Weezer Make First New Album Track Available | format = | work = | publisher =Uncut | accessdate = 2008-04-21] Cuomo remarked, "I came out of it pretty angry. But ironically, it inspired me to write another song."cite news |title=Spring Album Preview |work=Issue #1050 |publisher="Rolling Stone"|page=32 |accessdate=2008-04-21] Jacknife Lee produced the track with the band in early 2008.cite web | last = | first =| url =http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/may/13Weezer_CD_Coming_3_Weeks_Early.shtml| title = Weezer CD Coming 3 Weeks Early | format = | work = | publisher =antiMUSIC.com |date=2008-05-13 | accessdate = 2008-05-13]

A music video of the song, which incorporated many YouTube celebrities and memes with the band, was premiered first on YouTube and was one of the most popular videos in the weeks following its release.

Track listing

UK Retail CD / US Indie Retail 7" (Red Vinyl)cite web | last =Kharas | first =Kev | url = http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/3353344 | title = Watch: New Weezer Video Plus Exclusive Single Details | format = | work = | publisher =Drowned in Sound | date=2008-05-23 | accessdate = 2008-06-23]
#"Pork and Beans"
#"Are 'Friends' Electric?" (Gary Numan)

UK Retail 7" #1
#"Pork and Beans"
#"Love My Way" (Richard Butler, John Ashton, Tim Butler, Vince Ely)

UK Retail 7” #2
#"Pork and Beans"
#"Oddfellows Local 151" (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe)

Reception

The song has been generally well received by critics and fans alike.cite web | last = | first = | url = http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/weezer/pork_and_beans/ | title = Pork and Beans By Weezer: Reviews and Ratings | format = | work = | publisher =Rate Your Music | accessdate = 2008-04-21] Many reviewers were pleased with what they saw as a return-to-form to the sound of the group's earlier power pop sound, which was present on "The Blue Album" and "Pinkerton".cite web | last =Gresehover | first =Ehren | url = http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/04/weezer_return_to_their_blue_pe.html | title = Weezer Return to Their Blue Period | format = | work = | publisher =New York Magazine | date=2008-04-14 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080416/BLOG21/972565622 | title = Hear It Now: Weezer's Single "Pork and Beans" | format = | work = | publisher =The Herald | date=2008-04-16 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] cite web | last =Goodman | first =William | url = http://www.spin.com/articles/new-weezer-album-out-june-24 | title = New Weezer Album Out June 24 | format = | work = | publisher =Spin | date=2008-04-21 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] cite web | last =Ritter | first =David | url = http://www.cokemachineglow.com/track_review/3430/weezer | title = Track Reviews: Weezer: Pork and Beans | format = | work = | publisher =Cokemachineglow | date=2008-04-19 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] Pitchfork Media writer Marc Hogan gave the song a positive review and described the song as, "a catchy, self-referential rocker, with the buzzsaw guitars and big choruses of Weezer's glory days, and that familiar, self-assured lameness."cite web | last =Hogan | first =Marc | url = http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/50004-weezer-pork-and-beans-stream | title = Pitchfork Forkcast: New Music: Weezer: "Pork and Beans" | format = | work = | publisher =Pitchfork Media | date=2008-04-17 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] Simon Vozick-Levinson of "Entertainment Weekly" also gave the song a positive review, "That chunka-chunka guitar hook is pure gold, so much so that I didn't focus on Rivers Cuomo's very clever lyrics at first."cite web | last =Vozick-Levinson | first =Simon | url = http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/04/weezer-single.html | title = Snap Judgment: Weezer's Delectable 'Pork and Beans' | format = | work = | publisher =Entertainment Weekly | date=2008-04-17 | accessdate = 2008-04-21] Stereogum was also impressed with the song stating it was a "sweet, savory dose of self-referential, self-deprecating Weezer rock...This stuff sounds very familiar in a good, good way."cite web | last = | first = | url = http://stereogum.com/archives/new-weezer---pork-and-beans-full-length-track_009162.html | title = New Weezer - "Pork and Beans" (Full-Length Track) | format = | work = | publisher =Stereogum | date=2008-04-17 |accessdate = 2008-04-21] In terms of chart performance, "Pork and Beans" is Weezer's most successful single in their 16 year career. The song reached #1 on the "Billboard" Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts in only its third week on the charts. It became their ninth Top 10 hit on this chart and third Number One overall and spent 11 weeks at #1,cite web | last =Hasty | first =Katie | url =http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003800930 | title = Leona Lewis Holds Onto Hot 100 No. 1 | format = | work = | publisher =Billboard |date=2008-05-08 | accessdate = 2008-05-08] making it one of only 17 songs to ever sit at #1 on that particular chart for 10 weeks or longer and one of 3 songs to have spent 11 weeks at #1. It also represented their fastest rising single ever, reaching #1 after a mere 11 days after release. It debuted at #39 on the "Billboard" Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it is currently at a peak of #25 and debuted in the "Billboard" Hot 100 at #84 with 17,000 downloads of the song on iTunes and has so far peaked at #64 on this chart.cite web | last =Molanphy | first =Chris | url =http://idolator.com/386650/forever-leavin-pork--beans-big-chart-moves-by-summer-single-contenders| title = Forever Leavin' Pork & Beans: Big Chart Moves By Summer Single Contenders | format = | work = | publisher =Idolator.com |date=2008-05-02 | accessdate = 2008-05-08] cite web | last =Hasty | first =Katie | url =http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003797323 | title = Leona Lewis Regains No. 1 On Hot 100 | format = | work = | publisher =Billboard |date=2008-05-01 | accessdate = 2008-05-08]

Music video

The music video for "Pork and Beans" was directed by Mathew Cullencite web | last =Koch | first =Karl | url = http://weezer.com/news/default.aspx/nid/13671 | title = 05/12/08 the immensity of the pork and the bean | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | date=2008-05-12 |accessdate = 2008-05-13] of Motion Theory and prominently features many internet phenomena and YouTube celebrities.

On May 23, 2008, the video premiered on YouTube. It features the band interacting with many YouTube stars and Internet memes, [cite web | url = http://valleywag.com/392972/weezer-undestands-how-to-work-youtube | title = Weezer understands how to work YouTube: allude to these 24 viral videos | publisher = Valleywag | first = Nicholas | last = Carlson | date = 2008-05-24 | accessdate = 2008-05-24] cite web | url = http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23772877-5014108,00.html | title = Spot the memes in Weezer's Pork and Beans | date = 2008-05-28 | accessdate = 2008-05-29 | publisher = News Limited] cite web | url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/05/some-more-notes.html | title = Mathew Cullen, director of Weezer's 'Pork and Beans,' shares some secrets | publisher = Los Angeles Times | first = David | last = Sarno | date = 2008-05-30 | accessdate = 2008-05-30] including Gary Brolsma ("Numa Numa guy"), [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6tlw-oPDBM Matt McAllister] , Mark Allen Hicks ("Afro Ninja"), Caitlin Upton, Judson Laipply, Chris Crocker, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embdtwW-sSE Kicesie] , Tay Zonday, Kevin Federline (stock footage), Kelly, Ryan Weiber, Michael "Dorkman" Scott, Jeong-Hyun Lim, Dramatic Prairie Dog (including lookalikes of J-Pop group Mini Moni, who were in the original TV clip the Dramatic Prairie Dog originated from), Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz's Diet Coke and Mentos eruptions, parody G.I. Joe PSAs, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-prfAENSh2k catching Raybans with one's face] , the Dancing Banana, Will It Blend?, All Your Base Are Belong to Us, Sneezing Panda, One Man Band by Connor Berge, [http://youtube.com/watch?v=K2cYWfq--Nw Daft Hands] , [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLYD_-A_X5E Daft Bodies] , the Soulja Boy dance (listed on YouTube as "Crank That Soldier Boy"), a CGI Donald Duck and King Kong, [http://www.filmcow.com/movies.html Charlie the Unicorn] , and the UFO sighting in Haiti Hoax video.

The video shares some thematic similarities with the music video for the Barenaked Ladies single "Sound of Your Voice", which also featured multiple YouTube celebrities. According to Cullen, the video was to be a "celebration of that creativity", an idea that went over well with the members of the band. In contrast to an earlier "South Park" episode, "Canada on Strike!" which parodied the YouTube celebrities, Cullen wanted to embrace the concept of "about being happy with who you are". Cullen hopes that the video will be "a living thing on the Internet"; as the video itself was a mash-up of Weezer's "favorite stuff", Cullen hopes others will use the video to create their own mash-ups. The YouTube celebrities were flown into Los Angeles, California to work with the band for the four-day shooting of the video.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRJROskpp4 Dan Dzoan] , current world record holder for solving a Rubik's Cube with one hand, was present for the shooting but does not appear in the video, though there are Rubik's Cubes in the video, and Dan is present in [http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Tds7hzkZsSk&feature=user another video] posted by Weezer to YouTube. Neil Cicierega's Potter Puppet Pals were slated to be in the video but were left out due to problems with shipments of props. A mock-up of the Dumbledore puppet can be seen in the video nonetheless. [cite web | url = http://trapezzoid.livejournal.com/182970.html | title = Pork 'n' Beans | first = Neil | last = Cicierega | date = 2008-05-23 | accessdate = 2008-05-28 | publisher = Neil Cicierega]

The video had over 1.2 million views in its first 24 hours up on YouTube [cite web | url = http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/05/net-gorges-on-w.html | title = Net Gorges on Weezer's 'Pork and Beans' -- but Will It Blend? | publisher = Wired | first = Lewis | last = Wallace | date = 2008-05-24 | accessdate = 2008-05-24] and 3.6 million by May 27, 2008.cite web | url = http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/05/director-behind.html | title = Weezer's Memetastic Video Director Spills the 'Pork and Beans' | publisher = Wired | date = 2008-05-27 | accessdate = 2008-05-27 | first= Jenna | last = Wortham ] As of May 29, 2008 it has reached four million views.cite web | url = http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-05-28-weezer-youtube-pork-beans_N.htm | title = YouTube stars, Weezer dine out on 'Pork & Beans' | publisher = USA Today | date = 2008-05-29 | accessdate = 2008-05-29 | first= Mike | last = Snider] The video quickly became the most-watched video on the internet of the weekend following its release.cite web | url = http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20202462,00.html | title =Viral YouTube Hit 'Pork and Beans' Shoots to No. 1 | publisher = People Magazine | date = 2008-05-27 | accessdate = 2008-05-28 | first = Cynthia | last = Wang ] It was the most popular video of the month in June, reaching 7.3 million views by June 16, 2008. [cite web | url = http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/who_pulled_the_plug_on_weezers_pork_and_beans | title = Who Pulled The Plug On Weezer's "Pork And Beans" YouTube Video? | date = 2008-06-16 | accessdate = 2008-06-18 | first = Dan | last = Frommer | publisher = Silicon Valley Insider ]

The video was nominated for "Best Editing" for the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. [cite web | url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1593631/20080827/west_kanye.jhtml | title = Kanye West, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Katy Perry Videos Pick Up More VMA Nominations | date = 2008-08-27 | accessdate = 2008-08-28 | first = Chris | last = Harris | publisher = MTV ]

Personnel

*Rivers Cuomo – lead guitar, lead vocals
*Patrick Wilson – drums, percussion, backing vocals
*Brian Bell – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
*Scott Shriner – bass guitar, backing vocals
*Jacknife Lee – producer

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muP9eH2p2PI Official video on YouTube]
* [http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/05/go-behind-the-s.html "Go Behind-the-Scenes With Weezer's 'Pork and Beans'"] - Wired