| "My Name Is Jonas" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Promotional single by Weezer | |
| from the album Weezer (The Blue Album) | |
| Released | May 10, 1994 |
| Recorded | August–September 1993 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:24 |
| Label | DGC |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Ric Ocasek |
"My Name Is Jonas" is a song by the American rock band Weezer. It is the first track on the band's self-titled 1994 debut album, also known as The Blue Album as well as being the only promotional single off of the album. It was written by guitarist/vocalist Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson and guitarist Jason Cropper, and produced by Ric Ocasek. Cropper wrote the song's acoustic intro; it is one of his only Weezer songwriting credits, as he left the band before the release of its first album. [3]
Background
The song was inspired by Cuomo's brother, who was having insurance problems after a serious car crash while at college. According to Cuomo, the song "explains how The Plan is reaming us all, especially my brother." [4] [5]
"My Name Is Jonas" was written in the key of B major. [6] However, as the song is played with guitars tuned a half-step down, it is played as if it were in the key of C.
Reception
Melissa Bobbitt at LiveAbout named "My Name is Jonas" the seventh best Weezer song, writing that its lyric "the workers are going home" was "a righteous way to kick off a weekend". [2] Michael Gallucci from Diffuser named it the third best Weezer song. [7] In his 2010 book Music: What Happened?, Scott Miller describes the song as "musicality everywhere, theatrical dynamics, little golden lyric details where the subplot reveals the whole mood." [8]
In other media
This song is featured in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock as a playable track, and was released as a downloadable song for the Rock Band series [9] and Rocksmith 2014.
Covers
Affinity covered the song on the album Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer. [10]
In 2021, Taking Back Sunday released a cover of the song as a single. [11]
Personnel
- Rivers Cuomo – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica,
- Patrick Wilson – drums
- Brian Bell – backing vocals
- Matt Sharp – bass, backing vocals
References
- ^ "Top 30 American Classic Rock Bands of the '90s". Ultimate Classic Rock. September 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ a b Bobbitt, Melissa. "Top 13 Weezer Songs". LiveAbout. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ Luerssen D., John. Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story. ECW Press, 2004, ISBN 1-55022-619-3 p. 61
- ^ Luerssen, John D (2004). Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story. ECW Press. pp. 110–111. ISBN 1550226193.
- ^ Runtagh, Jordan (May 10, 2019). "Weezer's Blue Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "My Name Is Jonas". Musicnotes.com. 1994.
- ^ Gallucci, Michael (January 20, 2013). "10 Best Weezer Songs". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- ^ Miller, Scott (2010). Music: What Happened?. 125 Books. ISBN 978-0-615-38196-1. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ Holden, Tom (October 2007). "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: Rock Your Way to the Top". Independent PlayStation Magazine (128): 26.
- ^ Semioli, Tom. "Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
- ^ Lavin, Will (October 18, 2021). "Taking Back Sunday share cover of Weezer's 'My Name Is Jonas'". NME. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
