Falling for You: Difference between revisions

| Released = [[September 24]], 1996

| Recorded = Spring 1996 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA

"Falling for You" was written in spring of [[1996]], while [[Rivers Cuomo]] was attending Harvard, toward the end of the recording cycle for ''Pinkerton''. Working lyric sheets for the song appear in ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]'' dated [[April 14]] and [[May 23]]. The song was likely the penultimate song written for the album (before "[[Butterfly]]"). Like many other songs written by Cuomo at Harvard, no solo demos are known to have been recorded beforehand; Cuomo brought the song to the band and developed it in the studio.<ref>[[Weezerpedia Discord Q&A with Karl Koch - August 2022]]</ref> [[Brian Bell]] would remark in [[2022]] regarding a rehearsal of "Falling for You" that ''Pinkerton'' made such extensive use of tremolo picking that the band thereafter referred to the technique as "butterfly picking/strumming," and that he uses special picks for such occasions to this day.<ref>trelationship "“Falling For You” #pinkerton fun fact , we did so much tremolo picking on Pinkerton that we renamed the technique butterfly picking/strumming. To this day I have special picks (not used here) that I refer to as my butterfly picks." ''Instagram''. 25 August 2022. https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChsNhTkJp_f/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D Screenshot: [[:File:Brian Bell Instagram Falling for You caption - 08-25-22.png]]</ref>

In the song's lyrics, Cuomo refers to himself as "little old 3-chord me" ironically. In fact, "Falling for You" is one of the most musically complex songs in the Weezer discography, utilizing every root note on the guitar fretboard and employing numerous chord progressions and key changes. The song was not performed live after [[1997]] until [[2002]], when the song was selected at random<ref>''[[The Lion and the Witch]]'' liner notes</ref> for [[Weezer concert: 05/26/2002|a concert in Tokyo]] (a performance which later appeared on the EP ''[[The Lion and the Witch]]''), leading Cuomo to quip "I'd like to ask for the Lord's help in guiding us through the performance of this next song. Please, God!"

The previous track, "[[Pink Triangle]]", transitions seamlessly into "Falling for You" (the first Weezer song to do so). At the beginning of the track, a woman's voice can be heard saying, in Korean, "어는 회사작품이지요" ("What company makes this product?"). During the recording sessions, Rivers' amplifier was receiving radio interference, of what sounded like a woman speaking an Asian language. Considering the themes of the album, Rivers felt it was divine intervention, and left the intrusion on the master tape as a happy accident, rather than re-record or edit the recording {{Citation needed}}.

Now just what am I supposed to do?

Hangin' around with chicks like you

—But I do like you— and another one:

You say "like" too much

I'd do 'bout anything to get the hell out alive

I gotta go turn in my rock star card

And get fat and old with you

'Cuz I'm a burning candle, you're a gentle moth

And I do like you — you're the lucky one

I'm shakin' at your touch

I'd do 'bout anything to get the hell out alive

Holy sweet goddamn! You left your cello in the basement

I admired the glowing stars and tried to play a tune

What could you possibly see in little old 3-chord me?

I'm shakin' at your touch

I'd do 'bout anything to get the hell out alive