Paperface
| "Paperface" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Album track by Weezer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Albums | The Kitchen Tape (1992) The Blue Album (Deluxe Edition) (2004) Alone II (2008) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Released | March 23, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | August 1/August 2, 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 3:01 (solo), 5:33 (Weezer) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Geffen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Rivers Cuomo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RC# | 124 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COR# | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Producer(s) | Weezer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Officially released | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Live debut | June 11, 1992 in West Hollywood, CA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rivers Cuomo song chronology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alone II cover | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Paperface" (sometimes written as two words, "Paper Face") is an early track by Weezer. A Rivers Cuomo demo of the song has also been released.
Contents
Appearances
- The Kitchen Tape (1992)
- Dusty Gems & Raw Nuggets (2004)
- Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Demo, 2008)
- Not Alone: Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints (DVD, 2009)
Overview
"Paperface" was first recorded by Rivers Cuomo as a solo demo in May of 1992, which would later see release on Alone II. The song begins with Rivers singing, "Scratch track, momma, scratch track momma," possibly implying Cuomo meant to redo the vocal.
Later that year, Weezer recorded the song for their Kitchen Tape demo. The Kitchen Tape version was later included on the deluxe edition of The Blue Album. The original solo demo of the song was eventually released on Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo. In 2009, Rivers Cuomo recorded an acoustic rendition of the song, with musician Joe LoPiccolo on guitar, for Sirius Satellite Radio. This version later appeared as a bonus track on the DVD release of Not Alone: Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints.
Alone II liner notes
|
 Photo of Amy Moore from the liner notes for Alone II When I first read Brian Wilson's autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Nice, in 1993, I strongly identified with the author's sense of self-doubt, creative struggles and passion for music. I particularly identified with his words, "My whole life, since I discovered music, has been about only one thing: about experiencing the sheer, pure, unencumbered, liberating happiness of the creative moment" (390). His words seemed to describe my life perfectly at the time. But now, fifteen years later, I see that my life has been about something else in addition to experiencing "the happiness of the creative moment." It's also been about learning how to achieve those creative moments. It's been about learning what to do... and what not to do. A year before I read Wilson's book, I had already postulated a few essential ingredients to a great song for me. A great song should have the aggressive performance style I had heard recently from the Pixies, Nirvana, and Sonic Youth. It should employ the soft-verse/loud-chorus song structure used in songs like "Gigantic" or "Teen Spirit." And it must have been a captivating lyrical subject. My best friend Justin told me a juicy new rumor about Amy Moore, a classmate of ours from high school. Apparently, Amy had stolen a car, sped off to New Orleans and gotten herself arrested. I couldn't believe it: Amy was one of the sweetest–not to mention prettiest–girls in our class. The story sounded like it was straight off a Sonic Youth album cover. Whether any part of it was true or not1, it stirred up some conflicting feelings in me. On the one hand, I wanted to live as Amy apparently had, following my impulses and blasting away at the feeling of in-authenticity in my life. On the other hand I wanted to live conservatively, to have a stable family and to keep my life structured so that I could get the most out of it. The conflict between my desires seemed to be the compelling subject I had needed, so I put it together along with the details of Amy's story in a song called "Paperface" (Track 14).
|
Reception
"Paperface" has been received very well by fans. It is fairly obscure, and has only significantly been received by Weezer's more die-hard fan base, but is still well-liked. It received recognition in "The Very Best" category of Teenage Victory Songs, a Weezer songblog. It is often asserted, however, that Paperface is a song that Weezer "could never perform today."
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo – lead guitar, lead vocals
- Jason Cropper – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Matt Sharp – bass guitar
- Patrick Wilson – percussion
Audio
Kitchen Tape demo
Alone II solo demo
2009, acoustic
Lyrics
Amy Moore blew her top
Stole a car, shot a cop (Bang)
Sped away 2000 miles
Didn't stop until she hit New Orleans
That's alright
There's just one thing
Her wedding ring, or anything
She left behind, forgot to pack
How the hell is she gonna get it back?
Paperface
Paperface
I never heard of paperface
Until I moved to the west coast (L.A)
Where I found that to be smooth
I had to wear a paperface
That's alright
There's just one thing
How am I supposed to sing
With this thing in my way
With this thing...
In my face
Paperface
Paperface
Only hope to see
See what's underneath
Only hope to be
The me that's underneath
Amy Moore blew her top
Stole a car, shot a cop
Sped away 2000 miles
Didn't stop until she hit New Orleans
But that's alright
There's just one thing
Her wedding ring, or anything
She left behind, forgot to pack
How the hell is she gonna get it back?
Paperface, paperface
Paperface, paperface!
