Expatriates in Paris

"Expatriates in Paris"
Demo by Weezer
Album	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Writer(s)	Rivers Cuomo, Daniel Brummel, Ryen Slegr
Status	Released

"Expatriates in Paris" (also demoed under the title "Expatriates in L.A.") is a song written by Rivers Cuomo in collaboration with musicians Daniel Brummel and Ryen Slegr (of the band Ozma).

Appearances

• Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years (2020)
• Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers (2020)

Background

"Expatriates in Paris" was co-written by Rivers Cuomo with Ozma musicians Daniel Brummel and Ryen Slegr around 2012. The song was previewed to fans at focus groups in the years leading up to the release of Weezer's 2014 album, Everything Will Be Alright in the End. Though the song remained otherwise unheard, fans who attended re-created the memory from memory. Cuomo confirmed on May 1, 2020 that the song was co-written with Brummel and Slegr. Piano sketches of the song's melody, recorded by Cuomo, were released in November of that year as part of the digital compilation Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years, and several full demos of the song were released on December 11 as part of the compilation Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers.

The lyrics for "Expatriates in Paris" allude to a desire for intellectual discussion, likening the singer to Henry Miller and F. Scott Fitzgerald (and their respective wives, June Miller and Zelda Fitzgerald) meeting in a cafe in Paris, France. While both writers had taken time as expatriate writers in Paris, it is unlikely they ever met. Though unconfirmed, the "Justin" and "Adam" mentioned in the song's bridge may refer to Justin Fisher and Adam Orth, friends of Cuomo's since childhood.

Known recordings

about this table

Performer(s)	Title	Filename	Date of recording	Recording location	Length	Appeared on	Notes
Rivers Cuomo		sappy piano 8-27-2012 9h47m25s.mp3	August 27, 2012		7:10	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Ryen Slegr	I'm Getting Fat	I'M GETTING FAT - ROUGH 1 - SEPT 8.mp3	September 8, ?		4:24	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Ryen Slegr	I'm Getting Fat	I'M GETTING FAT(scratchvcl) - ROUGH.mp3	September 8, ?		4:24	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Rivers Cuomo		Work 9-12-2012 9h18m11s.mp3	September 12, 2012		3:44	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Rivers Cuomo		Work 9-12-2012 9h22m13s.mp3	September 12, 2012		0:53	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Rivers Cuomo		Work 9-12-2012 9h24m31s.mp3	September 12, 2012		0:45	Alone XI: The EWBAITE Years
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris     1.mp3	2012—2014		4:20	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris     2   we be.mp3	2012—2014		4:17	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris     4.mp3	2012—2014		4:17	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris       5.mp3	2012—2014		3:49	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris       6.mp3	2012—2014		3:49	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in L.A.	Expatriate In LA         7.mp3	2012—2014		3:47	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in L.A.	Expatriate In LA         8.mp3	2012—2014		3:47	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris         9.mp3	2012—2014		3:45	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris         10.mp3	2012—2014		4:28	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris         10 1.mp3	2012—2014		4:28	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
Rivers Cuomo, Ryen Slegr	Expatriates in Paris	Expatriates In Paris         11.mp3	2012—2014		3:45	Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers

Lyrics

Expatriate in L.A. (ver. 8) The end of the day I'd bicycle down to A little café On the ??? I'd look for my June Fitzgerald or Zelda With whom I could talk About our work from that day The special kind of animal So heady Human encyclopedias So petty Expatriate in L.A. Hanging out in a café Looking for someone who knows Why am I still this way I exiled myself From a homeland that hurt me And didn't believe In the things that I made I came to a place Where I could be a hero And my soul could be saved In a loving embrace The special kind of animal So heady Human encyclopedias So petty Expatriate in L.A. Hanging out in a café (hanging out!) Looking for someone who knows Why am I still this way Justin et Adam sont en train de disparaître Expatriate in L.A. Hanging out in a café (hanging out!) Looking for someone who knows Why am I still this way Why am I still this way

Expatriates in Paris (ver. 11) The end of the day They gathered together In a little café On the bank of the Seine Miller had June Fitzgerald had Zelda And they traded their tales Of the work from that day A special kind of animal So heady Human encyclopedias So petty Expatriates in Paris Hanging out in a café (hanging out!) Talking 'bout the day's events Why can't we be that way? I exiled myself From a homeland that hurt me And didn't believe In the things that I made I came to a place Where I could be a hero And my soul could be saved In a loving embrace A special kind of animal So heady Human encyclopedias So petty Expatriates in Paris Hanging out in a café (hanging out!) Talking 'bout the day's events Why can't we be that way? Justin et Adam sont en train de disparaître Expatriates in Paris Hanging out in a café (hanging out!) Talking 'bout the day's events Why can't we be that way? Why can't we be that way?

See also

• List of Rivers Cuomo songs
• Weezma: Daniel, Ryen & Rivers
• Everything Will Be Alright in the End