# Weezer’s Africa



## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

Just heard this “muzak” on Dick Clark’s New Year Show for the first time. I cannot describe it better than this review, and I am (well, I guess I *was* until now) a moderate Weezer fan: Why Weezer's "Africa" Is the Worst Pop Recording of All Time

Might need to copy-paste the text URL below due to http vs https confusion by the forum software:

```
www.realclearlife.com/music/weezers-africa-worst-pop-recording-time/
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## Guest (Jan 1, 2019)

I prefer this Africa.
Besides Jimi, how many kazoo leads are out there?


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

That song was on a playlist over a whole weekend. Terrible mixing. Song well done otherwise. 

The Cymbals were terrible.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

Jokes aside, I hated the Weezer version. The words were there, but it was dead, no emotion or dynamic range. Hence my agreement with the over-the-top review article in the first post.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

sambonee said:


> That song was on a playlist over a whole weekend. Terrible mixing. Song well done otherwise.
> 
> The Cymbals were terrible.


Weeper?


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

fretzel said:


> Weeper?


Stupid autocorrect!!! I meant Weezer.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

No, I think Weeper was correct


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## jayoldschool (Sep 12, 2013)

I can't open the page. Can someone paste the text? I'd like to read it.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

SNL had a good sketch about Weezer and Africa.


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2019)

jayoldschool said:


> I can't open the page. Can someone paste the text? I'd like to read it.


Try this.
Why Weezer's "Africa" Is the Worst Pop Recording of All Time


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

The link is failing on Safari because something is translating the http:// prefix (correct) into https:// prefix (not correct). Ah, “technology today for problems tomorrow” strikes yet again.

Here is the text, I hope:



> Why Weezer’s “Africa” Is the Worst Pop Recording of All Time
> 
> RCL music columnist Tim Sommer has been rocked by cover…and not in a good way.
> 
> ...


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I didn't think it was a great version but I can think of a lot worse pop tunes. This is my vote for the worst


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I tried to read that but it was inane.


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

I think the author is missing the point the song was recorded and released, literally, as a joke. Or maybe he knows that, in which case I don’t understand his point. Except that he appears annoyed that the holy sanctity of rock is being defiled. And if that’s his point, he should unclench his ass cheeks.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

Interesting, I didn’t realize Weezer Africa cover was a result of fan request and was a bit of a joke. But that actually puts the original post article in even clearer context — the author is not just pissed because it’s a bad cover (which is my problem), but BECAUSE it’s a joke (i.e. the cover is ironic of rock).

Anyway, turnaround is fair play:


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Is Weird Al the Anti-Christ?


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

LexxM3 said:


> Interesting, I didn’t realize Weezer Africa cover was a result of fan request and was a bit of a joke. But that actually puts the original post article in even clearer context — the author is not just pissed because it’s a bad cover (which is my problem), but BECAUSE it’s a joke (i.e. the cover is ironic of rock).
> 
> Anyway, turnaround is fair play:


Future tour partners? Lol


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

Hammerhands said:


> Is Weird Al the Anti-Christ?


Weird Al doesn’t pretend that he’s not making fun, so his stuff is not irony, it’s satire. When you play your cover on the biggest US New Years Show, you can’t really say it is “obviously satire”. Significantly not the same thing.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I used to read crap like that about another band that I greatly admire. Critics often take themselves far more seriously than I do.

I listened to the Weezer version. It's a decent cover of great song, but I'm at a loss to connect the clip I watched with the critics comments.

Having said that, I like Thundermug's tune. There's a drum fill in that track that slaughters me every time.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Hammerhands said:


> I tried to read that but it was inane.





Delores Streisand said:


> maybe he knows that, in which case I don’t understand his point. Except that he appears annoyed that the holy sanctity of rock is being defiled. And if that’s his point, he should unclench his ass cheeks.





LexxM3 said:


> But that actually puts the original post article in even clearer context — the author is not just pissed because it’s a bad cover (which is my problem), but BECAUSE it’s a joke (i.e. the cover is ironic of rock).


Like others here, I don't get the author's point and whatever it is, I don't think his argument supports it. I did enjoy the 'prose' , so I gave it a like.
Never did care much for the original, and sure don't think anyone would hold it up as rock 'canon' not to be blasphemed against, so I guess his beef is with Weezer? So maybe a band with some kind of punk 'cred' should not be covering MOR rock as a joke? I did scratch my head when I heard it was them doing it on the radio (thought it was the original) and wondered wtf they were up to. Sort of like The Ataris version of _Boys of Summer. _Black Flag sticker? Yeah, I bet Hank's a big Henley fan. 

_Hash Pipe_ by Toto? Get with the times dudes . I saw Trooper doing a cover of _Hash Pipe_ about 10 years ago, lol.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

His article didn’t touch on what exact aspects he’s referring to. I agree it’s horrible but his piece is lacking tangible points.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

The story (on my quick scan), is that a 14yo fan requested it and the request went viral. Weezer refuses or played coy for a while, and then caved as more or less a joke and released it. But the release went viral and charted, likely as continuation of the original request viral thread. I think the fact that Weezer did it as a joke, rather than respectfully, and were completely accidentally “successful” with it is the article author’s problem.

I enjoyed the prose as well. There is something to be said for a short story length rant and insult done well, it’s the level of commitment, I think . And I posted it because that level of commitment is always more interesting than a simple “that cover sucked” statement that I could have mustered with the available time.


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

LexxM3 said:


> The story (on my quick scan), is that a 14yo fan requested it and the request went viral. Weezer refuses or played coy for a while, and then caved as more or less a joke and released it. But the release went viral and charted, likely as continuation of the original request viral thread.


The funniest part is that they first actually released a cover of “Rosanna” in response.



> I think the fact that Weezer did it as a joke, rather than respectfully, and were completely accidentally “successful” with it is the article author’s problem.


I don’t even like Weezer, but Rivers Cuomo seems like a pretty decent guy. And he knows how to write a hit. I respect that. The author of that article, on the other hand,seems like a humourless, pretentious rock prick... an A-hole first class. I can only imagine he probably loves Greta Van Fleet.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

never heard the Weezer version, but I agree whoever wrote that article seemed like a complete doofus

unless he was just fishing for a viral success of his own


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Sounds pretty good to me.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

I was planning to never post in this thread again, but ...

A Toto song will play ‘forever’ in the middle of the Namib desert – or at least until the sand eats it






(I do also like that it’s “tito-hit-song” [sic], see URL)


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

davetcan said:


> Sounds pretty good to me.


Sounds to me like the boys liked it in the end.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

LexxM3 said:


> I was planning to never post in this thread again, but ...
> 
> A Toto song will play ‘forever’ in the middle of the Namib desert – or at least until the sand eats it
> 
> ...


They chose the right place. Definitely gonna miss the rains down in Africa in the Namib.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

LexxM3 said:


> I was planning to never post in this thread again, but ...
> 
> A Toto song will play ‘forever’ in the middle of the Namib desert – or at least until the sand eats it


"some say it's probably the worst sound installation ever. I think that's a great compliment."
_
Incoming drone alert! _


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## cbg1 (Mar 27, 2012)




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