Oh Jonas
| "Oh Jonas (Maria's Theme)" | |||||
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| Demo by Rivers Cuomo | |||||
| Album | Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo | ||||
| Released | November 25, 2008 | ||||
| Recorded | February 1995 in Hamburg Germany | ||||
| Length | 0:26 | ||||
| Label | Geffen | ||||
| Writer(s) | Rivers Cuomo | ||||
| RC# | 201 | ||||
| COR# | N/A | ||||
| Producer(s) | Rivers Cuomo | ||||
| Status | Released | ||||
| Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo track listing | |||||
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| Rivers Cuomo song chronology | |||||
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| Alternate Cover | |||||
 Songs from the Black Hole |
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| Songs from the Black Hole track listing | |||||
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| Songs from the Black Hole (Tracklist 2) track listing | |||||
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"Oh Jonas" (also known as "Maria's Theme") is the eighth track on Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo and the third track on both track listings of Songs from the Black Hole.
Contents
Appearances
- Alone II
- Songs from the Black Hole (Tracklist 1) (Maria's Theme)
- Songs from the Black Hole (Tracklist 2)
Overview
"Oh Jonas" was written by Rivers Cuomo in 1995 while at Harvard and was intended to be on Songs from the Black Hole. The demo that was released on Alone II is likely from the second SFTBH soundtrack, which can be inferred by the fact that it segways into "Please Remember". Prior to its release, the song was covered numerous times by fans using only the sheet music that Cuomo published online. In "Oh Jonas", Maria sings of her affection for Jonas in this short interlude. However, Cuomo provides all vocals for the song, as this SFTBH project was never realized. To simulate a female voice, Cuomo pitch-shifted his vocals up several keys. Joan Wasser was the singer that Cuomo intended to use for the character of Maria.
Alone II liner notes
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In '93 I had spent a lot of time listening to Jesus Christ Superstar. In '94, on the road with Weezer, I listened to Les Miserables, Verdi's Aida and Puccini's Tosca and Madama Butterfly. I loved how these works married music and drama, how the different characters would sing to each other instead of talk and how the story unfolded through song. I realized that musical-drama could be the larger scale composition I wanted to write for Weezer's second record: a new-wave influenced rock musical in which I could explore my feelings about relationships, stardom, and my life in Weezer. I would call the musical, Songs from the Black Hole. I purchased an Electro-Harmonix keyboard and a Korg keyboard from Center Music in Newington, Connecticut on January 3, 1995, to add a sci-fi tone to Weezer's guitar crunch. I got excited, now knowing what I wanted to do. I started planning and writing out sketches, music, and songs. To stand for my relationship with Chiba, I imagined a character named Maria (a role which I hoped to be sung by Joan Wasserman[sic] of the Dambuilders, though I abandoned the project before asking her.) In the liner notes to Alone I, I quoted the opening scene of The Black Hole in which Maria lets the guys known how she feels about being called a "b***h". Next Maria opens up to Jonas in private.
The Black Hole synopsis |
Reception
As is typical for most SFTBH songs, "Oh Jonas" is viewed positively by many Weezer fans. Although it is a bare, short song, the melody is praised by fans. The pitch-shift that Cuomo used is often spoken of humorously by fans, as seen in the positive review it received from Teenage Victory Songs.
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo - guitar, synthesizer, vocals
Audio
Lyrics
[MARIA:]
Oh Jonas, I miss you
Nobody else loves you like I do
Oh Jonas, I need you
Nobody else, nobody else, loves me, loves me, like you do
