Tragic Girl
| "Tragic Girl" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||
| Album track by Weezer | |||||
| Album | Pinkerton (Deluxe Edition) (Disc 2) | ||||
| Released | November 2, 2010 | ||||
| Recorded | 1996 | ||||
| Length | 5:26 | ||||
| Label | Geffen | ||||
| Writer(s) | Cuomo | ||||
| RC# | N/A | ||||
| COR# | N/A | ||||
| Status | Officially released | ||||
| Pinkerton (Deluxe Edition) (Disc 2) track listing | |||||
|
|||||
"Tragic Girl" (previously titled "Cry and Cry") is the sixteenth track from the second disc of the deluxe edition of Pinkerton.
Contents
Appearances
Overview
Songs from the Black Hole
"Tragic Girl" as a song title existed as early as 1995. The song underwent numerous lyrical revisions,[1] Self-published though it's not known how much the song evolved melodically. The song title is first known to have been written in Cuomo's notes in early drafts for the aborted Weezer concept album Songs from the Black Hole. An early, handwritten, potential track list lists the song at the end of Act I, between the songs "I Thought You Should Know" and "Good News!", with the accompanying lyric notes "I beg you don't tell a soul, she'll never know / Stay away from me 'n I'll stay away from her". Cuomo's draft of the lyrics from this period don't indicate which character (Maria or Laurel) is the eponymous "Tragic girl", but the song is presumably sung from the point of view of the character Jonas. It is not known if this iteration shares any attributes with the final song aside from the title.
Pinkerton
The next iteration of the song appears in The Pinkerton Diaries (under the title "Cry and Cry"). The book features more than eight pages of lyric drafts. This lyrics from this iteration more closely resembles the lyrics that appear in the final song.
"Tragic Girl" was recorded very late during the Pinkerton sessions, and was forgotten until work began on the Pinkerton Deluxe Edition in 2010. The song was found unlabelled in the vaults while looking for masters to use. As few people were around during the recording of the song (Adam Orth was called in to perform bass after Matt Sharp left), Cuomo was the only one to remember it when they played back the tape; even Karl Koch was unaware of its existence. It was not revealed to the public until the announcement on the deluxe version of Pinkerton. Rivers also tweeted that the song would be like Nirvana's "You Know You're Right" for Pinkerton fans.[2] "Tragic Girl" has been performed live only twice, both times on the Weezer Cruise in 2012.
Live performances
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo – lead guitar, lead vocals
- Brian Bell – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Adam Orth – bass guitar
- Patrick Wilson – percussion
Audio
Lyrics
When you kiss me and say you love me
It makes me feel so good
I want to break down and give in to you
I want to believe that you’re the one
You give me my pills and sing a strange song
And all my hurting goes away
Start to drift off with you beside me
I want to believe that you’re the one
Cry and cry and let it out
We have to face that it’s over now
Even as I anoint your door
I’m looking out for something more
Cry and cry, I’m crying, too
'Cause no one touches me like you do
I don’t want my mom to know
That I’ve been a dirty boy
I try my darndest to be a bastard
I want you to think that I don’t care
But I feel sorry and you’re so pretty
You start to cry and I kiss your mouth
Cry and cry and let it out
We have to face that it’s over now
Even as I anoint your door
I’m looking out for something more
Cry and cry, I’m crying, too
'Cause no one touches me like you do
I don’t want my mom to know
That I’ve been a dirty boy
You’re a tragic girl
You lead a tragic life
I’m just meant to be
Your latest tragedy
Ain’t no butterfly girl
This ain’t no butterfly love
I’m just meant to be
Your latest tragedy
I try my darndest to be a bastard
I want you to think that I don’t care
You’re so pretty, and I feel sorry
You start to cry and I kiss your mouth
I don’t want my mom to know
That I’ve been a dirty boy
You’re a tragic girl
You lead a tragic life
I’m just meant to be
Your latest tragedy
This ain’t no butterfly girl
This ain’t no butterfly love
I’m gonna have to be
Your latest tragedy
See Also
References
- ↑ Cuomo, Rivers. The Pinkerton Diaries. Self-published, 2011
- ↑ @RiversCuomo ""Tragic Girl" is going to be like "You Know You're Right" for Pinkerton fans." Twitter. 12 November 2009. https://twitter.com/RiversCuomo/status/5663540251 Screenshot
