Songs from the Black Hole - Glossary

From Weezerpedia

This article collates characters and terminology appearing in the songs and draft material for Weezer's scrapped rock opera, Songs from the Black Hole (henceforth abbreviated as SFTBH).

Betsy II

Betsy II is the ship featured in SFTBH. It is named after "Betsy," a name given to a 1984 Dodge Prospector that Weezer used throughout 1994.

Dondó

Dondó is one of Jonas' shipmates, along with Wuan, Maria, and Laurel. He was intended to be voiced by Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. During live performances of the song, the character is voiced by bassist Scott Shriner. The names Wuan and Dondó are a reference to the fictional libertine Don Juan. In Cuomo's notes for the character,[1] Dondó is described as macho and nihilistic. The songs demoed for SFTBH refer to him as having a large penis. At the beginning of the story, Dondó refers to Maria as Jonas' "favorite bitch from the academy." ("Blast Off!") Dondó later has an affair with Maria, after which Jonas discovers a used, "extra-huge" condom ("What Is This I Find?")

Dondo's songs

Jonas

"Jonas" redirects here. For other uses, see My Name Is Jonas and Oh Jonas.

Jonas is the protagonist of SFTBH, intended to have been voiced by Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo. Jonas is the insecure captain of the ship Betsy II and a top graduate from the Star Corps Academy. Jonas' insecurities about the group's mission were intended to mirror Cuomo's own insecurities about his then-unfolding rock star life.[1][2] In the story as depicted in the demoed songs for SFTBH, Jonas is somewhat promiscuous, sleeping with Maria after clearly stating to her that he would not ("Come to My Pod"). Jonas later falls in love with Laurel ("Superfriend") and subsequently discovers that he has fathered a child with Maria ("She Had a Girl").

Laurel

Laurel (spelled a number of different ways, including Laura, Laural, Lloral, etc.) is one of two love interests from SFTBH. She was intended to have been voiced by Rachel Haden of the band That Dog. Haden sings lead vocals on the Weezer B-side "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams," which was originally written for SFTBH. Cuomo's notes on the character from 1994 describe her as studious, smart, and as a moral and intellectual ideal, representing a monogamous life.[1] In the story of SFTBH as represented by the songs demoed, Jonas sings "Superfriend" with her after he has struggled with his relationship with Maria, believing he has fallen in love with Laurel, but Laurel admonishes him. Laurel then sings "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams," in which she laments her rejection of Jonas.

M1

M1 is the "mechanoid"[3] of the crew of Betsy II. It was originally intended to be voiced by Karl Koch. Rivers Cuomo sings the part in the demo for "Blast Off!" using a vocoder. In live performances of the song, the character's lyrics are omitted and substituted with an additional verse by Wuan (Brian Bell).

Maria

Maria is one of two love interests from SFTBH. Cuomo intended for the character to be voiced by Joan Wasser of the Dambuilders (with whom Weezer had previously toured), although the project was abandoned before Cuomo ever asked her.[3] Maria was intended to stand in for Cuomo's real-life on-again-off-again relationship with Jennifer Chiba.[3] Maria is depicted in SFTBH as greatly-disliking Dondó ("Who You Callin' Bitch?"), though she later has an affair with him ("What Is This I Find?"). Jonas and Maria sleep together ("Come to My Pod"), leading her to get pregnant ("She's Had a Girl").

The song "Oh Jonas" serves as Maria's theme as a recurring motif in early drafts of SFTBH.[1]

Nomis

Nomis is the name of a planet mentioned in that Jonas and the crew of Betsy II attempt to save from being swallowed by its sun ("Blast Off!").

Wuan

Wuan is one of Jonas' shipmates, along with Dondó, Maria, and Laurel. He was intended to be voiced by Weezer guitarist Brian Bell. Bell reprises this role when the song is performed live. The names Wuan and Dondó are a reference to the fictional libertine Don Juan. Wuan is a "suave," "seductive," and "morally oblivious"[1] who, along with Dondó, acts as a foil to the pessimistic Jonas, highlighting Jonas’s doubts and insecurities. Wuan is more laid-back, often drinking beer and partying about the mission, even as the Betsy II first takes off, contrasting Jonas’s anxieties.

Wuan's songs

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cuomo, Rivers. The Pinkerton Diaries. Self-published, 2011.
  2. ↑ Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, liner notes
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, liner notes
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