December
| "December" | |||||
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| Album track by Weezer | |||||
| Album | Maladroit | ||||
| Released | May 14, 2002 | ||||
| Length | 3:00 | ||||
| Label | Geffen | ||||
| Writer(s) | Rivers Cuomo | ||||
| RC# | 605 | ||||
| COR# | 286 | ||||
| Producer(s) | Weezer, Rod Cervera, Chad Bamford | ||||
| Status | Released | ||||
| Live debut | June 8, 2001 in Toronto, ON | ||||
| Last played | December 17, 2014 in Santa Ana, CA | ||||
| Rivers Cuomo song chronology | |||||
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| Maladroit track listing | |||||
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"December" is the thirteenth and final track on Maladroit.
Appearances
- Released on weezer.com
- Songs from the Forthcoming "Maladroit" (2002)
- Maladroit (2002)
Overview
"December" was first recorded on May 27, 2001 at Monster Island Studios in Washington, D.C., during a stop on the Hooptie Tour, with the intention of sending the recordings to prospective producers for the band's planned fourth album. Several of these recordings were posted to weezer.com, but "December" was not among them. The song was attempted again for the Radio 1 show The Evening Session, presented by Steve Lamacq, on June 13, 2001. Normally, bands record four songs to promote a new album, but Weezer performed eight entirely new songs. "December" was not one of the songs aired, but was finished in Los Angeles on July 9 and later released for free on weezer.com. The song was brought back during the sessions for Maladroit in December of that year. The band shared several in-progress recordings of the song with fans during the album's production.
Rivers Cuomo's guitar solo and Brian Bell's counterpoint were reportedly composed independently, without either guitarist having heard the other. "We just mashed them together to see what would happen, and it sounded beautiful," Cuomo later told Guitar Player in 2002.[1]
"December" was played live at several shows throughout June and July of 2001, during the Hooptie Tour and Euro Freak Out Tour, though it was only performed three times during the tours in support of Maladroit in 2002. In early December of 2014, Rivers Cuomo created a Christmas-themed Spotify playlist titled "Everything Will Be Jolly in the End," featuring several songs by Weezer, among others. "December" was included on this playlist. On December 6, at a show in Atlanta, Georgia on the Everything Will Be Alright in the End Tour, Weezer performed the song for the first time in twelve years, acoustically. The song was also played during that tour's final two remaining shows.
Live performances
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo — lead guitar, lead vocals
- Patrick Wilson — drums
- Brian Bell — rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Scott Shriner — bass guitar, backing vocals
- Chad Bamford — additional production, engineering
- Rod Cervera — additional production
Audio
Album version
Lyrics
Only love can ease the pain
Of a boy caught in the rain
Only hope will remember
Burning flame in December
Only love, only love
Only faith can bring to life
One that falls by the wayside
Only trust can inspire
Soggy lungs to breathe fire
Only love, only love
It's only natural
The moon is just half-full
We give our best away
We give our best away
Only love
Only trust can inspire
Soggy lungs to breath fire
Only love, only love
Only love, only love
Known recordings
| Performer(s) | Title | Filename | Date of recording | Recording location | Length | Appeared on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weezer | December | May 27, 2001 | Monster Island Studios in Washington, D.C. | ||||
| Weezer | December | June 13, 2001 | BBC Studios, London, England | 3:30 | Released on weezer.com | Started June 13; finished July 9, 2001. | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2001-12-18_02December_286.mp3 | December 18, 2001 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:10 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2001-12-21_09December_286.mp3 | December 21, 2001 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:06 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2001-12-22_09December_286.mp3 | December 22, 2001 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:09 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-01_04December_286.mp3 | January 1, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:02 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-02_01December_286.mp3 | January 2, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:02 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-05_08December_286.mp3 | January 5, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:10 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-06_03December_286.mp3 | January 6, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:08 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-12_06December_286.mp3 | January 12, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:16 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-23_December_286.mp3 | January 23, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:09 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | WEEZER-2002-01-24_December_286.mp3 | January 24, 2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:05 | Released on weezer.com | |
| Weezer | December | 2001—2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:10 | Songs from the Forthcoming "Maladroit" | CD matrix/runout: BJM #11946 | |
| Weezer | December | 2001—2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:10 | Songs from the Forthcoming "Maladroit" | CD matrix/runout: LIGHTING HILL/11982 | |
| Weezer | December | 2001—2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:02 | Songs from the Forthcoming "Maladroit" | CD matrix/runout: LIGHTNING HILL 12020 | |
| Weezer | December | 2001—2002 | Cello Studios, Los Angeles, CA | 3:00 | Maladroit |
See also
References
- ↑ Blackett, Matt. "Weezer's Rivers Cuomo Saves the Guitar Solo" Guitar Player. July 2002. Transcript.
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