March 20, 2009

Today's Not-So-Random Song Accompanied By Minimal Commentary: Weezer - "Say It Ain't So"

By now, I'm sure a lot of you two have been exposed to "I Love College", the lead single from Asher Roth's debut album, Asleep In The Bread Aisle. What some of you may not be aware of is the origin of the first version of the track, which swiped elements from Weezer's "Say It Ain't So", a 1990s rock staple that, oddly, makes me want to play the first Rock Band game again. But I digress.



Since "I Love College" is slowly becoming a moderate hit, you may have noticed that the song itself sounds nothing like the Weezer track. As the story goes, Asher Roth offered up all of the publishing rights to Rivers Cuomo in an effort to clear the sample, but the Weezer frontman told him to fuck off (maybe not using those exact words, but it is fun to imagine), forcing Roth and his producers to re-tool the beat for public consumption. Here's the original version of "I Love College".



I'm not surprised that this song is popular, mainly because, as I continue to argue, there are a lot of people out there that like really shitty music. (This bit of frat-boy douchebaggery sounds like something L.F.O. might have recorded a few years ago.) However, I'm not down on Asher Paul Roth himself (yeah, I brought out the middle name) as a rapper: he's simply doing what is taught in all writer's workshops and writing what he knows. (Besides, I can't recall hearing about beer pong, keg stands, and pizza slices for a buck in a mainstream rap song since...well, ever.) The man has actually impressed me with his freestyles (and his mixtape, The Greenhouse Effect, alongside Don Cannon and DJ Drama). "I Love College" simply comes off as the radio single meant to attract a wider audience, one that may be shocked to find actual lyricism when they steal purchase Asleep In The Bread Aisle on April 21, 2009, provided that they haven't smoked themselves stupid.

Here's the retail version of the song in question.




And, for no reason, here's Weezer's "Buddy Holly", one of director Spike Jonze's finest moments.



-Max

6 comments:

  1. asher roth is just doing what the beastie boys already did, only gayer

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  2. This song isn't that bad, but I hate this lazy flow...
    You know who doesn't have a lazy flow?
    Tek and Steele...C'mon Max, the Smiff n' Wessun review is long overdue!!

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  3. Ugh, this "I Love College" song is one of the worst things I've ever heard. It's so generic it makes Nickelback sound like innovators.

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  4. Oh Douchbaggery...you have a way in coming out in all us...

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  5. Hey Anonymous, that song is totally not the Beastie Boys. Granted they have mad rhymes about reaching into the Miller Cooler and grabbing a cool Bud, but they are their own category. This Asher Roth Asshat is just rhyming about stereotypical college behavior. If anything it looks like he wants to be the next Eminem. Except with a perspective from a privileged, yuppie, frat boy background.

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  6. I like these types of sample reviews. Can we keep these going and create awareness to the songs being sampled? some sort of good/bad use of samples and why.

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