How the Fear of Being Alone Fueled These 3 Weezer Classics

Geek humor has defined Weezer as much as their color-themed self-titled albums, gigantic riffs, and Rivers Cuomo’s bookish image. Yet beneath the irony, the Buddy Holly frames, the shredding metal solos, the Blue Album, and the noisy brilliance of Pinkerton, Weezer’s lyrics can be profoundly sad.

Here are three Weezer classics that are propelled by a persistent fear of being alone.

“Say It Ain’t So”

Cuomo’s father left when he was only five years old. And in the opening verse, when a young Cuomo opens the refrigerator and finds beer, he assumes his stepdad will soon leave too. “Somebody’s Heine is crowding my icebox,” he sings. It’s funny, but in the bridge, Cuomo delivers a heartbreaking reaction:

Dear Daddy, I write you,
In spite of years of silence.
You’ve cleaned up, found Jesus,
Things are good, or so I hear.
This bottle of Stephen’s,
Awakens ancient feelings.
Like father, stepfather,
The son is drowning in the flood.

“In The Garage”

This is Cuomo echoing Brian Wilson’s “In My Room”. He’s in the garage, surrounded by KISS posters, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and other things that bring him joy and security. But it’s the rock stars on the wall, his guitar, and his songs that help cure his lonerism. Making music, like most creative pursuits, offers a portal through which experiences pass. It can create a kind of time-stop or escape. And when you feel alone, it can be the best companion you could ever hope for.

In the garage, I feel safe,
No one cares about my ways.
In the garage where I belong,
No one hears me sing this song.

“Only In Dreams”

Weezer ends the Blue Album with an epic about unrequited love. Cuomo describes a fantasy where he gets the girl. He asks her to dance, and she says, “I just might take the chance.” They reach out to hold each other’s hands. It’s a tender moment until the moment gets erased by reality. It was all just a dream. So Cuomo finds catharsis with a grand, indie-shred guitar solo.

But when we wake, it’s all been erased,
And so it seems, only in dreams.

Photo by Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images