We Are All on Drugs
Encyclopedia
"We Are All on Drugs" is a song by American alternative rock
band Weezer
. It was released as the second single from the band's 2005 album, Make Believe. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not specifically about drugs. Rather, Rivers Cuomo
claims that it is more generally about the over-stimulated society addicted to the internet, gambling, drugs and relationships.
's 1985 video "Fear No Evil," and the other focusing on Rivers Cuomo
wandering through a world entirely on drugs (with many of the extras miming to the lyrics). The latter video was directed by Justin Francis
. The video was the most complex shoot in Weezer history, spanning two days, having various actors, special effects and at one point according to Brian Bell
, nearly being shut down by the police.
's edit of the song, which changes the song to "We Are All in Love," has angered many fans of the band, while amusing others. Patrick Wilson
originally suggested having the radio edit be "We Are All on Hugs," Cuomo thought it was too "quirky." Brian Bell
suggested the "in love" edit and so it stood . Despite this edit the headline "WE ARE ALL ON DRUGS" still remains on the newspaper Cuomo reads at the barber shop in the music video.
In a May 9th, 2005 interview with Y100, Rivers talked about the song: "Don't take it literally...I'm singing more about the fact [of] how addicted we all are to stimulating ourselves, and over-stimulating ourselves with music, or whatever it is in our lives. [It's] not necessarily about drugs."
Despite all songwriting credits going to Cuomo, Brian Bell wrote the intro.
UK Retail CD
The video featured on the CD is the song playing over a re-edited version of Grim Reaper's 1985 video "Fear No Evil"
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 was released as the second single from the band's 2005 album, Make Believe. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not specifically about drugs. Rather, Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers 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...
claims that it is more generally about the over-stimulated society addicted to the internet, gambling, drugs and relationships.
Mixing errors
The song went into mixing with two of the wrong lines, "I want to confiscate your drugs, I don't think I can get enough", and was eventually released that way on early printings of the album, and on published sheet music, but was replaced on future printings (as well as on the CD single) with "I want to reach a higher plane, where things will never be the same."Music videos
There are two music videos for the song, with one featuring the song playing over a re-edited version of Grim ReaperGrim Reaper (band)
Grim Reaper are a British heavy metal band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era. The band was formed in 1979 in Droitwich, England, by guitarist Nick Bowcott.-Early years :...
's 1985 video "Fear No Evil," and the other focusing on Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers 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...
wandering through a world entirely on drugs (with many of the extras miming to the lyrics). The latter video was directed by Justin Francis
Justin Francis
Justin Francis is a New York-based director/photographer. He has directed music videos for Alicia Keys,Nickelback, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Scherzinger, Modest Mouse, Amos Lee, Weezer, Jaguar Wright, Timbaland, Obie Trice, Cashis, Stat Quo, Kill Hannah, Young the Giant, Dropping...
. The video was the most complex shoot in Weezer history, spanning two days, having various actors, special effects and at one point according to Brian Bell
Brian 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...
, nearly being shut down by the police.
"We Are All in Love"
MTVMTV
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 edit of the song, which changes the song to "We Are All in Love," has angered many fans of the band, while amusing others. Patrick Wilson
Patrick 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....
originally suggested having the radio edit be "We Are All on Hugs," Cuomo thought it was too "quirky." Brian Bell
Brian 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...
suggested the "in love" edit and so it stood . Despite this edit the headline "WE ARE ALL ON DRUGS" still remains on the newspaper Cuomo reads at the barber shop in the music video.
Inspiration
"I was living in an apartment above the Sunset Strip, and every Friday and Saturday night I’d hear people cruising and partying, and hooting and hollering. And I went to sleep one night and I heard those sounds all through the night, in my dreams. I had this dream about a kid on the Metro bus, blasting hip hop into his brain through his headphones. And the music sounded so decadent and overstimulating, and I woke up in the midst of that dream, in a haze, and immediately said to myself, “Man, we’re all on drugs!” And I instantly knew that would be a cool song."In a May 9th, 2005 interview with Y100, Rivers talked about the song: "Don't take it literally...I'm singing more about the fact [of] how addicted we all are to stimulating ourselves, and over-stimulating ourselves with music, or whatever it is in our lives. [It's] not necessarily about drugs."
Despite all songwriting credits going to Cuomo, Brian Bell wrote the intro.
Track listing
UK Retail 7" (Pink Vinyl)- "We Are All on Drugs"
- "Beverly Hills" (Urbanix Mix)
UK Retail CD
- "We Are All on Drugs"
- "Beverly Hills" (Urbanix Mix)
- "Burndt Jamb" (Live)
- "We Are All on Drugs" (CD-ROMCD-ROMA CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
Video)
The video featured on the CD is the song playing over a re-edited version of Grim Reaper's 1985 video "Fear No Evil"
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... - 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... - Scott ShrinerScott ShrinerScott G. Shriner is the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Weezer.-Early life:Shriner was born in Toledo, Ohio. He took up bass in high school. After being discharged from the Marine Corps, he found his high school bass teacher Mark Kieswetter, with whom he studied until moving to Los...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - 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... - Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
– productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...