Superstar

"Superstar"
Demo by Weezer
Format	MP3
Recorded	2000—2002
Writer(s)	Rivers Cuomo
RC#	504
COR#	197
Status	Demo circulating
Live debut	July 25, 2000 in San Francisco, CA
Last played	April 26, 2002 in Vancouver, Canada
Rivers Cuomo song chronology

"Superstar" is a Weezer song, originally demoed and performed live in 2000.

Appearances

Performed live
Released online
Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years (2020)
Alone XII: The White Year (2020)

Overview

"Superstar" was written by Rivers Cuomo in 2000 and subsequently demoed and performed live by Weezer throughout the summer of 2000, making it one of the songs collectively known as the Summer Songs of 2000. Ultimately, however, the song would not make the cut for the band's subsequent album. Various demos and soundboard recordings were shared with fans on the band's website, including as part of a semi-official Summer Songs of 2000 "album" distributed by Cuomo to the website summersongs2k.com.

The song was revived for a time in 2002, following completion of the band's fourth album, Maladroit. The song, which received new lyrics, was performed live and demoed during sessions for the band's planned fifth album. Two of these demos were shared on weezer.com, before the songs from these sessions were scrapped.

Cuomo has occasionally revisited the song's main riff in the years since, releasing demo sketches on the digital demo compilations Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years and Alone XII: The White Year in 2020.

Live performances

Personnel

2000 demo

Rivers Cuomo - lead guitar, lead vocals
Brian Bell - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Mikey Welsh - bass
Patrick Wilson - drums

2002 demos

Rivers Cuomo - lead guitar, lead vocals
Brian Bell - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Scott Shriner - bass, backing vocals
Patrick Wilson - drums
Ryan "Shmedly" Maynes - piano

Lyrics

There used to be a better kind
Of rock-and-rollin' superstar
They'd strut around and do their thing
All I know how to do is sing

But I don't do that so well
I never summon things from hell
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to rock so hard
I break my guard
And give myself away
Away

There used to be a better brand
Of frontman personality
They'd strut around and do their thing
All I know how to do is sing

But I don't do that so well
I never summon things from hell
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to rock so hard
I break my guard
And give myself away
Away

But I don't do that so well
I never summon things from hell
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to rockin' to the sky
Who's afraid to rockin' to the sky
Who's afraid to rock so hard
I break my guard
And give myself away
Away

There used to be a better kind
Of rock-and-rolling superstar
They'd strut around and do their thing
All I know how to do is sing

And I don't do that so well
I never summon things from hell
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to

I guess that I could drink a beer
And smoke a doobie to get loose
But that depletes my energy
And screws up all my business moves

Gotta make it stone-cold straight
Without a dreadlock to my name
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to rock so hard
I break my guard
And give myself away

I gotta make it stone-cold straight
Without a dreadlock to my name
I'm just a regular white guy
Who's afraid to rock so hard
I break my guard
And give myself
And kill myself
Away

Known recordings

*about this table*
Performer(s)	Title	Date of recording	Length	Appeared on	Notes
Weezer	Superstar	Summer 2000	2:49	Summer Songs 2000 ("album")
Weezer	Superstar	Summer 2000	2:40	Summer Songs 2000 ("album")	Edited by Rivers Cuomo for semi-official SS2K "album"
Weezer	Superstar	July 2, 2002	3:10	released on weezer.com
Weezer	Superstar	July 16, 2002	3:07	released on weezer.com