Falling for You

"Falling for You"
Song

Falling For You is the ninth song from Weezer's sophomore album, Pinkerton, penned by lead guitarist and singer Rivers Cuomo. It serves as the band's musical closer for the album, precluding the solo acoustic song "Butterfly" at the end of the album. It is one of the most musically complex songs on the album, and one of the most musically challenging songs in all of the Weezer catalog.

Music

The music of "Falling For You" combines elements from classical music with hard rock riffs to create a truly unique sound that has rarely been duplicated in other Weezer songs.

It's interesting to note that in the third verse, Cuomo states "What could you possibly see in little ol' 3-chord me?" Ironically though, this lyric comes within a song where Cuomo uses chords based from all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. He achieves this through the modulations and accidentals that permeate the basic chord progressions, and then through shifting the entire key of the song from Eb Major to F# Major during the solo, which continues into the third verse and final chorus.

When asked "Which Weezer song are you most proud of and why?" in the Official Rivers Cuomo Fan Interview of 2006, Cuomo responded that, along with "Beverly Hills", "the solo, third verse, and last chorus of "Falling For You" always blew me away (also with a lyric about admiring the stars!) its impossible to decide." [1]

The numerous chord progressions and key changes in the song make it one of the most difficult to recreate live, evidenced by Cuomo's comments before and after performing the song live from "The Lion and the Witch" EP. Before starting the song, Cuomo facetiously says, "I'd like to ask for the Lord's help in guiding us through the performance of this next song. Please God!" He then rejoices at the completion of the song, exclaiming, "Yeah! We didn't f--- it up! We kicked ass! We displayed our superiority to the mulititudes."

Lyrics

Holy cow! I think I've got one here

Now just what am I s'posed to do?

I've got a number of irrational fears

That I'd like to share with you

First, there's rules about old goats like me

Hangin' 'round with chicks like you -but I do like you-

And another one: you say "like" too much

But I'm shakin' at your touch

I like you way too much

My baby, I'm afraid I'm falling for you

'n I'd do 'bout anything to get the hell out alive

Or maybe I would rather settle down with you

Holy moly, baby, wouldn't you know it?

Just as I was bustin' loose

I gotta go turn in my rock star card and get fat and old with you

'cuz I'm a burning a candle you're a gentle moth

teaching me to lick a little bit kinder

And I do like you - you're the lucky one

No! I'm the lucky one

Holy Sweet goddamn! You left your cello in the basement

I admired the glowing the stars and tried to play a tune'

I can't believe how bad I suck, it's true

What could you possibly see in little ol' 3-chord me?

But it's true - you like me, I like you too

I'm ready, let's do it baby

Personnel

• Rivers Cuomo – lead guitar, lead vocals
• Patrick Wilson – percussion
• Brian Bell – rhythm guitar
• Matt Sharp – bass guitar

External links

• The Official Rivers Cuomo Fan Interview 2006