#2: The Good Life by Weezer I have had such a hard time trying to narrow down what my favorite song is. It was a neck and neck race between today’s entry, and the eventual winner which will be revealed tomorrow. Ultimately, I think it came down to a matter of timelessness. #1 is a song that I think will still be relevant to me years from now, while today’s entry perfectly sums up who I am right now as a man in my twenties. But despite it’s runner up status, Weezer’s “The Good Life” IS the defining song in my life currently. Coming from their second album “Pinkerton”, “The Good Life” is sandwiched in between more well known hits like “Pink Triangle” and “El Scorcho”. My love for this song snuck up on me gradually, there was no big “A-HA!” moment, I heard it once and moved on. But over time, I realized this song speaks to me in a way most songs don’t. I grew to love Weezer the way most people did, by endlessly listening to “The Blue Album” over and over again. So you might think I have an affinity to songs like “Undone” or “Say it Aint So” or “Buddy Holly”. And I do, those are all great. But Pinkerton is a much deeper album that bombed on release but has slowly been gaining a cult following over the years. The song is about a guy who’s tired of his bad, depressing attitude and wants some more excitement in his life. And that’s it, really. It’s not an especially deep song by any stretch of the imagination. But there’s hidden layers to it if you listen hard enough. Throughout the song, there’s the signature Weezer style of party anthem music throughout it. The chorus of “I don’t want to be an old man anymore It’s been a year or two since I was out on the floor Shaking booty making 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 want to go back, Yeah!”, Shows that this is someone who’s ready to throw caution into the wind and break out of his comfort zone. He’s ready to let go of his inhibitions and try something new. Go out, meet new people, dance and have fun. The song could have easily rested on those laurels and been a non-stop party anthem. But then something really interesting happens. The calamitous jam session of a bridge suddenly slows to a low crawl, and the entire tone of the song changes. The wailing guitar signifies a night filled with booze and bad decisions, and the earlier carefree attitude has been replaced with something altogether more depressing. The protagonist then repeats the chorus of, “I wanna go back, I wann go back, And I don’t even know how I got off the track”, But in an entirely different mindset. You instantly see this guys entire night. He went in with a carefree attitude, but became disillusioned as the night went on. He drank to much, was rejected by women, made a fool of himself on the dancefloor, spent way too much money. And in the end, all he wants to do is go back to where he was at the beginning of the song. It’s dense, revealing, and exactly how most of MY excursions into the night usually go. Everytime I’m home, I feel I should be out, and everytime I’m out, I want to go back. Then, the song finishes up with another manic energy chorus which signifies the whole damn thing is starting all over again. I love this song. I wish Weezer was as good as they used to be. I wish I could satisfy the longing I feel in my soul. And most importantly of all, I wish this song was popular enough that I could sing it at Karaoke, because I’ve sung every other Weezer song by this point, and it’s STILL no substitute.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 22:08:02 +0000
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