Happy Hour
| "Happy Hour" | |||||
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| Single by Weezer | |||||
| Album | Pacific Daydream | ||||
| Released | October 18, 2017 | ||||
| Length | 2:57 | ||||
| Label | Crush Music/Atlantic Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Rivers Cuomo/Chris Sernel/Sean Bowe | ||||
| Producer(s) | Butch Walker | ||||
| Status | Official released | ||||
| Live debut | October 18, 2017 | ||||
| Stream |  Spotify |
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 Apple Music |
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| Weezer singles chronology | |||||
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| Pacific Daydream track listing | |||||
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| Acoustic Version | |||||
 Cover of the acoustic version |
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"Happy Hour" is the fourth track and second single from Pacific Daydream. The song was released on October 18.
Overview
Songwriter Rivers Cuomo employed free-association when writing "Happy Hour." He knew that the chorus was going to be about wanting a "happy hour" and that the verses would depict the narrator's bleak life. The "20-ton weight" (a reference to the 16-ton weight recurring gag from Monty Python's Flying Circus was described by Cuomo as the "ultimate buzzkill" that first came to mind when writing the verse.[1] The opening lyrics referring to Stevie Ray Vaughan originally made explicit reference to Vaughan being high on cocaine[2], but were later changed.
The official YouTube video for Happy Hour features art by Spanish artist LAPRISAMATA, whose art also appears in the videos for "Beach Boys" and "Weekend Woman". A different music video, starring Pete Wentz of the band Fall Out Boy, was originally filmed for the song, but was scrapped. The footage was later repurposed for the single "Midnight", before the song was scrapped. The footage was repurposed again and was finally used as the music video for the Black Album track "Can't Knock The Hustle."[3]
It was announced on the Weezer Twitter account that Happy Hour would be the fifth and final song released before the release of Pacific Daydream. It was also pushed to radio as the album's second single. When debuted live, it was followed by an instrumental known as "I'll Love You Every Day" (subsequently retitled "A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier").
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo – lead vocals, keyboard
- Patrick Wilson – percussion
- Brian Bell – guitar, backing vocals
- Scott Shriner - bass guitar, backing vocals
Tracklist
Happy Hour (The Remixes) EP
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Happy Hour" (Radio Mix) | 2:55 |
| 2. | "Happy Hour" (Lefti Remix) | 2:56 |
| 3. | "Happy Hour" (Ødyssey Remix) | 2:46 |
| 4. | "Happy Hour" (THANKS Remix) | 3:15 |
| 5. | "Happy Hour" (Eden Prince Remix) | 3:32 |
Video/Audio
Official video
Acoustic Version
Remixes
- Happy Hour (Lefti Remix)
- Happy Hour (Odyssey Remix)
- Happy Hour (Eden Prince Remix)
- Happy Hour (THANKS Remix)
Lyrics
I’m like Stevie Ray Vaughan
On the stage, high on music
Teeth grinding, sweating under the lights
But then my boss calls
And she’s crushing me with a 20-ton weight
Just like in Monty Python
Somebody left on the sink
It’s still running
My eyes are gonna overflow
I need happy hour
On sad days
I need happy hour
I can’t wait
I’m like Ponce de Leon
Sailing on a ship for the new world
Checking out the birds and flowers
Let’s chill out on this island
I’ve been sucking on a lime and coconut
I think I could stay here
For the rest of my life
Please don’t ever make me go home
I need happy hour on sad days
It’s my happy hour I can’t wait
Maybe I'll meet a scientist
In sweatpants and a hair tie
We’ll conversate about ghetto birds
And midi keyboards
Then we’ll slow dance
Head on my shoulder
Swaying back and forth
And my friends look on and smile
Everything gonna be alright
It’s my happy hour
On sad days
I need happy hour
I can’t wait
I need happy hour
To save me
I need happy hour
I can’t wait
Known recordings
| Performer(s) | Title | Filename | Date of recording | Recording location | Length | Appeared on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour aku 3 @99.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 8 lyric tweaks.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 10 v1melody and cuba bridge.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 12 jake feel @113.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 14 edit.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 16 Takin it easy bridge @ 99.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 17 v1melody and cuba bridge @100.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 19 @101.mp3 | 2016–2017 | ||||
| Weezer(?) | Happy Hour | Happy Hour 2017 newmix1 - Weezer.OhHush.SBowe.mp3 | 2017 | ||||
| Weezer(?) | Happy Hour | Happy Hour NewTrack+Vox MIX1.1 - Weezer.OhHush.mp3 | 2017(?) | ||||
| Weezer(?) | Happy Hour | HAPPY HOUR 6.22.17.mp3 | June 22, 2017 | ||||
| Weezer | Happy Hour | 2017 | Ruby Red Productions, Santa Monica, CA | 2:57 | Pacific Daydream | ||
| Weezer | Happy Hour | 2017 | ? | 2:57 | "Happy Hour (Acoustic)" (digital single) | Acoustic version |
See also
References
- ↑ Hilton, Robin. "How Weezer Traded Power Chords For Pop: A Conversation With Rivers Cuomo" NPR. 27 October 2017. https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/10/27/560044425/how-weezer-traded-power-chords-for-pop
- ↑ "Making Records with Eric Valentine - Weezer - "Mexican Fender"" YouTube. 1 September 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFGVMrcjSpA
- ↑ Ginsberg, Gab. "Rivers Cuomo on His Data-Driven Approach to Weezer" Billboard. 1 March 2019. https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/weezer-rivers-cuomo-data-driven-approach-interview-8500614/