In a recent Wired interview, Weezer answered the web’s most searched questions. Among them, they were asked, “What is Weezer’s best song?” All four members gave different answers initially.
Guitarist Brian Bell answered first with “Say It Ain’t So”. Scott Shriner, the group’s bassist, followed up with “I was going to say ‘Buddy Holly’.” Lead singer and guitarist Rivers Cuomo jokingly answered “Teenage Dirtbag”, a Wheatus song. Of course, Rivers wouldn’t answer seriously, as he’s written the majority of the songs. Drummer Patrick Wilson gave a surprising answer: “I’ll say ‘Crab’.” It’s a very underrated song from the Green Album. Great answer, Pat. But here are four better options.
“EL SCORCHO” (1996)
At first, I was surprised that this wasn’t mentioned by the band. Truly, I think they’re still in disbelief that Pinkerton has become a cult classic and a fan favorite. Upon release, “El Scorcho” failed commercially. It was simply misunderstood at the time and grew in popularity through the next two decades. Overall, I would put this one among their best as it captured the band’s truest sound in the 1990s. It’s a raw track with catchy, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and genuinely felt like a group effort. Rivers, Brian Bell, and former bassist Matt Sharp all contributed vocals to the track. Most modern Weezer fans who praise Pinkerton would most likely give this answer.
“in the garage” (1994)
I would place “In The Garage” among Weezer’s best because it was a foundational song for the band. Weezer fans are known to be societal outcasts who resonate with the group because of songs like this. They were the band for weird kids, much like myself. “In The Garage” is the weird kid anthem. Rivers wrote about how he feels the safest in the garage where the band lived and rehearsed, ahead of their debut release. He mentions Dungeons & Dragons, the X-Men, and his favorite rock group, Kiss. Specifically, his love for Ace Frehley and Peter Criss (the least popular members of the original lineup). It’s an anthem for feeling comfortable in your safe space.
“The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” (2008)
Weezer returned to their color-themed albums with the Red Album in 2008. They experienced a resurgence of popularity at the time due to the success of their single “Pork And Beans”. Track two of the Red Album is the band’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Not only do I rank this among their best work, but it’s potentially their most underrated track. This five-minute anthem goes through highs and lows, much like “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Ultimately, it’s a Weezer masterpiece that is often overlooked.
“keep fishin’” (2002)
I admit, this one is a personal answer. The music video for this song featured The Muppets, and I thought it was the greatest collaboration. The entire Maladroit album is massively underrated as it’s flooded with front-to-back rockers. Moreover, it contains some of Rivers’ best guitar work, ripping rock solos throughout. As a lifelong Weezer fan, and even hosting a Weezer-themed birthday party when I was 12, this is my pick for best Weezer song.
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