Pork and Beans

"Pork and Beans" is a song by the American alternative rock band Weezer, released on the group's 2008 self-titled album Weezer, also known as the Red Album. It was released to radio on April 22, 2008 and released in digital form on April 24. The track debuted at number 19 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, and spent eleven weeks at number one. The song charted in many countries such as Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A music video of the song, which incorporated many YouTube celebrities and memes with the band, was premiered on YouTube and was one of the most popular videos in the weeks following its release. The video won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.

## Background

"Pork and Beans" was not originally a part of The Red Album. The song was written by Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo after a meeting with Geffen Records that left him fuming. In the meeting, label suits told Cuomo that the album was too slow and needed more upbeat, commercial material, which upset the band. Cuomo then wrote what Brian Bell would later call "a kickass song" based on a demo he'd written in 1998 entitled "Wan and Wistful Silvertone Riff." This demo went unheard by fans until Cuomo began self-releasing demos on his personal website in 2020. Cuomo reworked the song's riff and melody into a new song, adding a new chorus and bridge. The lyrics of the song explain his point of view of the meeting with the label. Supposedly, he'd paraphrased actual quotes of the label representatives. Ironically, "Pork and Beans" would go on to become one of Weezer's biggest hits ever. Pork and Beans is the first Weezer single ever to lack a guitar solo.

## Music Video

The wildly popular music video for "Pork and Beans", released on YouTube on May 23, 2008, was directed by Mathew Cullen. The video contains many internet celebrities and memes - mainly from YouTube - including Numa Numa, The Evolution of Dance, and Afro Ninja. It was an immediate hit at the site, and as of November 2009, it has had over twenty million views. On February 8, 2009, the video won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. In August of 2009, the video was named the 3rd best music video of the 2000s by Pitchfork Media.

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

They say I need some Rogaine to put in my hair

Working out at the gym to fit my underwear

Oakley makes the shades that transform a tool

You'd hate for the kids to think that you lost your cool

[Chorus]

I'ma do the things that I wanna do

I ain't got a thing to prove to you

I'll eat my candy with the pork and beans

Excuse my manners if I make a scene

[Post-Chorus]

I ain't gonna wear the clothes that you like

I'm fine and dandy with the me inside

One look in the mirror and I'm tickled pink

I don't give a hoot about what you think

[Verse 2]

Everyone likes to dance to a happy song, hey, hey

With a catchy chorus and beat so they can sing along, hey, hey

Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts, hey!

Maybe if I work with him, I can perfect the art

[Chorus]

I'ma do the things that I wanna do

I ain't got a thing to prove to you

I'll eat my candy with the pork and beans

Excuse my manners if I make a scene

[Post-Chorus]

I ain't gonna wear the clothes that you like

I'm fine and dandy with the me inside

One look in the mirror and I'm tickled pink

I don't give a hoot about what you think

[Bridge]

No, I don't care, I don't care

I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care

[Chorus]

I'ma do the things that I wanna do

I ain't got a thing to prove to you

I'll eat my candy with the pork and beans

Excuse my manners if I make a scene

[Post-Chorus]

I ain't gonna wear the clothes that you like

I'm fine and dandy with the me inside

One look in the mirror and I'm tickled pink

I don't give a hoot about what you think

## See Also

 Standard