El Scorcho
Encyclopedia
"El Scorcho" is a song by the American alternative rock
band Weezer
. It is the first single from the band's second album Pinkerton
, released in 1996. The music video features the band playing in an old ballroom in Los Angeles
(as revealed by Weezer's Video Capture Device
DVD
), surrounded by light fixtures of diverse origin, flashing in time to the music. The name of the song was supposed to have come from a packet of hot sauce from Del Taco
, labeled "Del Scorcho."
The song was a somewhat unconventional single for the band, featuring a loose, often wandering riff, improvised-sounding vocal contributions from all the band members, and a sudden shift into double-time and a different music style for the bridge. The track failed commercially; several radio stations refused to play the song, and the video stiffed on MTV
. This is considered to be one of the causes for the initial commercial failure of the album.
It was, however, extremely popular in Australia, and made it to #9 on the Triple J Hottest 100 chart, the national poll for the most popular songs of the year. It was subsequently released on the 1996 Triple J Hottest 100 compilation.
The song can be downloaded for play on Rock Band, Rock Band 2
or Rock Band 3
.
wrestler Johnny Grunge
leg drop
ping New Jack
, through a table, possibly referencing a photograph of Grunge wrestling New Jack that was published in Pro Wrestling Illustrated
. Notably, Johnny Grunge was part of a tag-team known as "The Public Enemy
," a connection to the "Don't Believe the Hype" quote earlier in the song.
opera, Madame Butterfly, The main characters of which are an American sailor—Pinkerton—and a Japanese girl named Cio-Cio San. The singer who played Cio-Cio San at the opera's premiere in 1904 was named Rosina Storchio
though the alternate spelling indicates that this is likely an unintentional reference. This, in conjunction with the song "Pink Triangle
", and the continued reference to the opera gives the album an over-arching theme. Additionally, the line "I'm the epitome/of public enemy" is a lyric from Public Enemy's "Don't Believe the Hype
."
The song also mentions the band Green Day
in the lyric "I asked you to go to the Green Day concert/You said you never heard of them." In 2005 while on the Foozer
tour, Weezer often changed the lyric to "I asked you go to the Foo Fighters
concert" and changed it to "the Weezer concert" in late '05. During their stop in Chicago for Lollapalooza, this was again changed to "I asked you to go to the Pixies concert", who were playing just before Weezer on a nearby stage.
"-like videos explaining "I really don't want the songs to come across untainted this time around...I really want to communicate my feelings directly and because I was so careful in writing that way. I'd hate for the video to kinda misrepresent the song, or exaggerate certain aspects." The final video featured the band playing in an assembly hall in Los Angeles, surrounded by light fixtures of diverse origin, flashing in time to the music. ="page195">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 195 At the beginning of the video, a neon sign reads "Weerez," although at the end, it reads Weezer. It debuted on MTV
's program 120 Minutes
and only received moderate airplay on the channel. Mark Romanek
directed the video.
UK CD #2
"You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" was recorded for and released on the soundtrack to the film Angus. This version is a completely new recording.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
. It is the first single from the band's second album Pinkerton
Pinkerton (album)
Pinkerton is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, released on September 24, 1996. After finishing tours in promotion of their 1994 album Weezer, the band originally planned to record a space-themed rock opera entitled Songs from the Black Hole...
, released in 1996. The music video features the band playing in an old ballroom in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
(as revealed by Weezer's Video Capture Device
Video Capture Device
Video Capture Device is a DVD released by rock band Weezer. It contains footage from various live gigs in the band's history, from the early stages of their musical career up until 2002. The DVD also contains all of the Weezer music videos from The Blue Album until Maladroit...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
), surrounded by light fixtures of diverse origin, flashing in time to the music. The name of the song was supposed to have come from a packet of hot sauce from Del Taco
Del Taco
Del Taco is a North American fast food restaurant chain which specializes in American-style Mexican cuisine as well as American foods such as burgers, fries, and shakes...
, labeled "Del Scorcho."
The song was a somewhat unconventional single for the band, featuring a loose, often wandering riff, improvised-sounding vocal contributions from all the band members, and a sudden shift into double-time and a different music style for the bridge. The track failed commercially; several radio stations refused to play the song, and the video stiffed on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. This is considered to be one of the causes for the initial commercial failure of the album.
It was, however, extremely popular in Australia, and made it to #9 on the Triple J Hottest 100 chart, the national poll for the most popular songs of the year. It was subsequently released on the 1996 Triple J Hottest 100 compilation.
The song can be downloaded for play on Rock Band, Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
or Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.
Inspiration
Cuomo mentioned in a 2006 interview with the Harvard college newspaper, The Crimson, that the lines mentioning "Cio-Cio San" and "watching Grunge leg-drop New Jack" were actually taken from an essay from a classmate of his at Harvard in an Expository Writing class. The printed lyrics to the song identify these two lines as quoted with the enclosure of quotation marks. "...one example is, in 'Pinkerton,' in 'El Scorcho,' two lines in the song are actually taken from someone else’s essay in my Expos class. Because at one point, we had to do a little workshop thing, and we each got assigned to review someone else’s essay. So, I reviewed this one person’s essay, and I liked some of the lines in it, so I took them and used them in the song." The actual meaning of "watching Grunge leg-drop New Jack through a press table" is a reference to ECWExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
wrestler Johnny Grunge
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
leg drop
Leg drop
A leg drop or legdrop refers to an attack used in professional wrestling in which an attacking wrestler will jump and land his leg across a fallen opponent's chest, throat, face or head or in some cases, the groin/lower-abdominal area...
ping New Jack
New Jack
Jerome Young is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name New Jack in ECW.He is known for his willingness to take dangerous bumps and his stiff hardcore wrestling style, often taking high risks and "shooting" on opponents, though he is only known to shoot on opponents who...
, through a table, possibly referencing a photograph of Grunge wrestling New Jack that was published in Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
. Notably, Johnny Grunge was part of a tag-team known as "The Public Enemy
The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)
The Public Enemy was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge. The duo competed in many promotions, including Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , National Wrestling Alliance , and the World Wrestling Federation...
," a connection to the "Don't Believe the Hype" quote earlier in the song.
Cultural references
The first line of the song has been mistakenly referenced to punk band Half-Japanese. The line "listening to Cio-Cio San" is in reference to Puccini'sGiacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
opera, Madame Butterfly, The main characters of which are an American sailor—Pinkerton—and a Japanese girl named Cio-Cio San. The singer who played Cio-Cio San at the opera's premiere in 1904 was named Rosina Storchio
Rosina Storchio
Rosina Storchio was an important Italian lyric soprano who starred in the world premieres of operas by Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Giordano...
though the alternate spelling indicates that this is likely an unintentional reference. This, in conjunction with the song "Pink Triangle
Pink Triangle (song)
"Pink Triangle" is a song by American rock band Weezer. Released as the third single from their second album Pinkerton, it was released to radio on May 20, 1997 in a last ditch effort to boost sales for the album...
", and the continued reference to the opera gives the album an over-arching theme. Additionally, the line "I'm the epitome/of public enemy" is a lyric from Public Enemy's "Don't Believe the Hype
Don't Believe the Hype
"Don't Believe the Hype" is the second single of Public Enemy's second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song's lyrics are mostly about the political issues that were current in the U.S. at the time of its release. "Don't Believe the Hype" charted at number 18 on the U.S....
."
The song also mentions the band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
in the lyric "I asked you to go to the Green Day concert/You said you never heard of them." In 2005 while on the Foozer
Foozer
Foozer was the title given to the Fall 2005 co-headlining concert tour of Foo Fighters and Weezer. Various openers for the bands included Mae, Kaiser Chiefs and Hot Hot Heat...
tour, Weezer often changed the lyric to "I asked you go to the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
concert" and changed it to "the Weezer concert" in late '05. During their stop in Chicago for Lollapalooza, this was again changed to "I asked you to go to the Pixies concert", who were playing just before Weezer on a nearby stage.
Music video
For the single, Cuomo refused to make any "Buddy HollyBuddy Holly (song)
"Buddy Holly" is a song by the rock group Weezer, written by Rivers Cuomo. It was released as the second single from the band's debut album Weezer in 1994. The single was released on what would have been Buddy Holly's 58th birthday. The lyrics reference the song's 1950s namesake and actress Mary...
"-like videos explaining "I really don't want the songs to come across untainted this time around...I really want to communicate my feelings directly and because I was so careful in writing that way. I'd hate for the video to kinda misrepresent the song, or exaggerate certain aspects." The final video featured the band playing in an assembly hall in Los Angeles, surrounded by light fixtures of diverse origin, flashing in time to the music. ="page195">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 195 At the beginning of the video, a neon sign reads "Weerez," although at the end, it reads Weezer. It debuted on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's program 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
and only received moderate airplay on the channel. Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek is an American filmmaker, whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and commercials.He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 2002 film One Hour Photo starring Robin Williams...
directed the video.
Track listing
UK 7" Single/UK CD #1- "El Scorcho" – 4:03
- "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" – 1:57
UK CD #2
- "El Scorcho" – 4:03
- "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" – 1:57
- "Devotion" – 3:11
"You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" was recorded for and released on the soundtrack to the film Angus. This version is a completely new recording.
Charts
| Chart (1996) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
50 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
19 |
| Canadian RPM Alternative 30 RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
5 |
Covers
- Actor Michael CeraMichael CeraMichael Austin Cera is a Canadian actor best known for his roles in Arrested Development, Youth in Revolt, Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Juno. Cera received the 2008 Canadian Comedy Award for best male performance for his work in Superbad.-Early...
's band The Long GoodbyeThe Long Goodbye (band)The Long Goodbye is a Los Angeles-based indie band whose members include actors Michael Cera , his Clark and Michael co-star Clark Duke, and drummer Christian Buenaventura...
has covered the song. - Manchester OrchestraManchester orchestraManchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
recorded a cover of it for their youtubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
podcast. - Chilean band Los MiserablesLos MiserablesLos Miserables is a well-known Chilean punk rock band formed in the early 1990s shortly after the demise of the military regime of Augusto Pinochet. The band is known for its songs charged with strong left-wing political ideas and anti-establishment commentary...
in their album "Date Cuenta" made a cover called "Chow Chow Sen" inspired by the song El Scorcho. - The Stereo also covered the song on the Weezer tribute album Rock Music: A Tribute to WeezerRock Music: A Tribute to WeezerRock Music: A Tribute to Weezer is an album released by Dead Droid Records. As the album title implies, it is a series of Weezer songs covered by a wide range of bands. The vinyl version contains two versions of "Say it Ain't So", covered by Further Seems Forever. One with the band's original...
. - MashupMashup (music)A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
artists The Hood InternetThe Hood InternetThe Hood Internet is a Chicago-based production duo specializing most notably in mashups of hip-hop with indie rock. They also run a blog of the same name through which they release their music, a venture that helped their foray into performing live DJ sets of their material...
paired the song with DrakeDrake (entertainer)Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
's single "Best I Ever HadBest I Ever Had (Drake song)"Best I Ever Had" is the first single from Canadian rapper Drake's first EP So Far Gone. It first became prominent from the release of Drake's third mixtape of the same name. In 2009, the song was named the "Hot Rap Song" of the year by Billboard. The song's popularity helped Drake decide to...
" to create the mashup entitled "El Besto I Ever Had." - The band Brand NewBrand NewBrand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
covered this song in Philadelphia, PA in July 2009. - Dashboard ConfessionalDashboard ConfessionalDashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" from the debut album The Swiss Army Romance....
covered this song for their album The Wire Tapes Vol. 1The Wire Tapes Vol. 1The Wire Tapes, Volume One is a tour-only album released by Dashboard Confessional in 2007.The album is a collection of cover songs, sold only during Chris Carrabba's solo acoustic tour during fall 2007, and also in a limited release through the band's website in September of that same year... - DeftonesDeftonesDeftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
have also covered this song in live performances.
Personnel
- Rivers CuomoRivers CuomoRivers Cuomo is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of the alternative rock band Weezer. Raised in an Ashram in Connecticut, Cuomo moved to Los Angeles at age 19, where he participated in a number of rock bands before founding Weezer in 1992...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Patrick WilsonPatrick Wilson (musician)Patrick "Pat" George Wilson is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band Weezer. He joined the band in 1992. In addition to his work in Weezer, he also fronts his own band, The Special Goodness....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Brian BellBrian Bell (musician)Brian Bell is an American guitarist and songwriter. Active since 1989, he is best known as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American alternative rock band Weezer. Bell joined Weezer in 1993 following the departure of founding member Jason Cropper...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals - Matt SharpMatt SharpMatthew Kelly Sharp is a founding member and former bassist for the band Weezer. In 1994, he started a band called The Rentals and released their debut album shortly after Weezer's first release, their second album in 1999, and an EP in 2007...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals