Basketball

"Basketball"
Album track by Weezer
Album	SZNZ: Winter
Recorded	2022
Length	2:49
Label	Crush Music/Atlantic Records
Writer(s)	Rivers Cuomo
Status	Release forthcoming
Live debut	September 19, 2022 in West Hollywood, CA
SZNZ: Winter track listing
"Iambic Pentameter" (2) "Basketball" (3) "Sheraton Commander" (4)
This song is part of the "Basketball" lineage of songs "Hello, Concubine" (1995) "Basketball" (2022)

"Basketball" is the third track on SZNZ: Winter.

Appearances

• SZNZ: Winter (2022)

Overview

Rivers Cuomo stated in 2021 that musical elements from the verses of his unrecorded 1995 demo "Hello, Concubine" would be used for the verses in "Basketball." The chorus melody borrows from the first gavotte movement of Bach's Cello Suite no. 6 in D major.

Weezer (under the Goat Punishment moniker) performed SZNZ: Winter in its entirety (including "Basketball") at a secret show in West Hollywood on September 19, 2022, months ahead of the EP's release.

A demo of "Basketball" was leaked online in December of 2022.

Personnel

• Rivers Cuomo — lead vocals, guitar
• Brian Bell — rhythm guitar
• Scott Shriner — bass
• Patrick Wilson — drums

Lyrics

Under the bleachers hiding for an hour
Coach is looking for me 'cuz his job is to empower
I don’t want to go in; I won't make a difference
I don’t need a stupid award

I’m still in my parka watching condensation
I’d be glad to stay here 'til the end of all creation
I wish you would cue me, give a little whistle
Maybe just a wink of your eye

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

I was counting on you, you’re the one who gets me
When I try my best, you shoot a cannon of confetti
I’ve been growing colder
You’ve been getting bolder
But I believe I still have a shot

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

Down to the buzzer
I'll go in for a jumper
But ooh, alley-oop-oop-oop
Don’t make me go alone
Ohh, I'm alone
Over and over and over, and over, and over

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Over and over and over, and over, and over

Under the bleachers hiding for an hour
Coach is looking for me 'cuz his job is to empower
I don’t want to go and I won't make a difference
I don’t need a stupid award

I’m still in my parka watching condensation
I’d be glad to stay here 'til the end of all creation
I wish you will cue me, give a little whistle
Maybe just a wink of your eye

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

I was counting on you, you’re the one who gets me
When I try my best, you shoot a cannon of confetti
I’ve been growing older
You’ve been getting colder
But I believe we still have a shot

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

Ooh alley-oop
Don’t make me go alone
Ooh alley-ooop
Don’t make me go alone

Down to the buzzer
I’m going for the jumper
And ooh alley-oop
Don’t make me go alone

Ohh, ohh
Over and over and over, and over, and over
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

Under the bleachers, I've been hiding out
Coach is looking for me 'cuz his job is to empower
I don’t want to go in; I won't make a difference
I don’t need a stupid award

I’m still in my parka watching condensation
I know I got skills, but I can't seem to face the nation
I wish you would cue me, give a little whistle
Maybe just a wink of your eye

'Cause I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

I was counting on you, you’re the one who gets me
I can't even swim, but they will put me on a jet ski
Pulling down my 'didas
Laughing in the hallway
Kids can be so heartless sometimes

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

We could have won it all, but

I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Could you be there for me
And tell me that you want me on the team?
I can’t throw this basketball into my own arms
Basketball
Basketball

Known recordings

about this table

Performer(s)	Title	Filename	Date of recording	Recording location	Length	Appeared on	Notes
Rivers Cuomo		132_minor_piano_chorus_or_verse_2018_5_2_11_30_59.mp3	May 2, 2018		1:02	Alone XIII: The Pacific Daydream Black Years	Bridge melody from "Basketball"
Rivers Cuomo	Basketball	Basketball 2021-02-10 16.23	February 10, 2021
Rivers Cuomo	Basketball	Basketball 2021-06-22 16.40.mp3	June 22, 2021		3:28	Leaked online
Weezer	Basketball		2022	Groove Masters, Santa Monica, CA The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles, CA Funkhaus Berlin, Berlin, Germany	2:49	SZNZ: Winter

See also

• SZNZ: Winter
• List of Rivers Cuomo songs
• List of Weezer songs