They Are Stupid

From Weezerpedia
"They Are Stupid"
They Are Stupid cover
Demo by Rivers Cuomo
Recorded 2004
Writer(s) Rivers Cuomo
COR# 526
Status demo circulating

This song is part of the "They Are Stupid" (COR# 526) lineage of songs

"They Are Stupid" is a song recorded by Weezer during the studio sessions for the band's fifth album, Make Believe. It was ultimately unused, and has since been dubbed by Karl Koch as one of the "Fallen Soldiers." Rivers Cuomo released demos of the song in 2020 as part of the digital compilation Alone IX: The Make Believe Years.

Appearances

Overview

"They Are Stupid" is a reworking of previous demos "Et Tu Brute" and "Over the Mountain." Cuomo worked on the song at S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios in Los Angeles throughout June and July of 2004 during pre-production on Make Believe. Cuomo's final known demo, dated July 20 (two days before the band entered the studio to begin recording the album), features a wholly different chorus melody from the one used in previous demos of "They Are Stupid" (and its prior incarnations). "They Are Stupid" was one of twelve songs that Cuomo felt was right for the album at the beginning of production.[1] The song was completed (sans final mix) at Grandmaster Recorders in Los Angeles between July 22 and October 5, 2004. By late September, the song had—in the words of Koch—"morphed into quite a disco jam [...] complete with keyboard effects, [and] walking basslines." Until as late as March of 2005, the song was listed as the tenth track on Amazon.com store page for Make Believe.[2] Ultimately, the song went unused and has never been released.

On November 7, 2020, a demo of the song was leaked through the demo storefront on riverscuomo.com. Multiple demos of the song were made available for purchase on November 22 as part of the digital compilation Alone IX: The Make Believe Years

Lyrics

I've never seen such a group of total fools
I can't believe that you would even think they're slightly cool
See, you and them, I thought, were on completely different levels
You are such an angel and they were such the devils
But now I see that you are just as bad as all the rest
You haven't got the slightest clue of who or what is best
You only want the one thing that makes you feel alive
And so your power of discrimination can't survive

They are stupid
How can you stand them?
You shouldn't hang with them at all
They are stupid
Pompous and vapid
How can you answer when they call?

I thought that you were the coolest from the start
The things you said and how you said 'em really moved my heart
You and me both listened to all the same bands
We read the same books and we held each other's hands
But I can see you getting giddy when they come around
And seeing you excited makes me want to put 'em down
'Cause you don't know what you are doing when you leave my side
And if you go for good, then I'll know at least I tried

They are stupid
How can you stand them?
You shouldn't hang with them at all
They are stupid
Pompous and vapid
How can you answer when they call?

Don't go to the dark side
You can forget all about me
When will I find somebody right?

They are stupid
How can you stand them?
You shouldn't hang with them at all
They are stupid
Pompous and vapid
How can you answer when they call?

I never seen such a group of total fools
I can't believe that you would think they're even slightly cool
See, baby, you and them are on completely different levels
You are such an angel, and they are such the devils
They only want the pleasure from living in the moment
They have no thought at all about the places they are going
I'm telling you that they will not amount to anything
And you will wish that you had never

They are stupid
And you deserve so much better
Don't give in to them

I thought that you were the coolest from the start
The things you said and how you said 'em really moved my heart
You and I both listen to all the same bands
We read the same books, and we held each other's hands
But I can see you getting giddy when they come around
And seeing you excited makes me wanna put 'em down
'Cause you don't know what you are doing when you leave my side
But if you go for good, then I'll know at least I tried

They are stupid
And you deserve so much better
Don't give in to them

Don't go to the dark side
You will forget all about me
When will I find somebody right?

I guess if I think about it from your point of view
I can see why they are so attractive to you
But some day you may want something more from your life
And then you will look back and say "yeah, he was right"

They are stupid
And you deserve so much better
Don't give in to them

Known recordings

Performer(s) Title Filename Date of recording Recording location Length Appeared on Notes
For previous demos derived from this song lineage, see 526.
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid 03 526 They Are Stupid (gtr intro).mp3 June 4, 2004 S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA 3:45 Alone IX: The Make Believe Years
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid - 03 526 They Are Stupid (gtr intro) I (23828).mp3 June 4, 2004 S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA 0:45 Alone IX: The Make Believe Years Intro only
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid June 7, 2004[1] S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA Possibly same as above
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid June 11, 2004[1] S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid July 3, 2004[1] S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid 02 526 They Are Stupid.mp3 July 20, 2004 S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA 4:03 Alone IX: The Make Believe Years
Rivers Cuomo They Are Stupid 526 They Are Stupid INTRO.mp3 July 20, 2004 S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA 0:55 Alone IX: The Make Believe Years Intro only
Weezer They Are Stupid September 25, 2004[1] Grandmaster Recorders, Los Angeles, CA Rough mix
Weezer They Are Stupid October 4, 2004[1] Grandmaster Recorders, Los Angeles, CA Completed; no final mix
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See also

References