The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)

"The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" is a song released as an iTunes single from American alternative rock band Weezer's sixth album, Weezer (2008). "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" was released to radio on December 9, 2008. The song bears a resemblance to the Shaker song "Simple Gifts" hence the "(Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" in the title. According to lead vocalist and writer Rivers Cuomo, "The Greatest Man" has 11 different themes, including rapping and imitations of other bands such as Nirvana and Aerosmith (both of whom also recorded for Weezer's then-label Geffen Records at one point).

This song received favorable reviews. After being announced as the third single, a music video was also announced; however, this never materialized and instead the song was featured in a film directed by Warren Miller.

## Background

In 2004, Rivers Cuomo began taking private music composition lessons from Bruce Reich at UCLA. Some of the vocal harmonies written for "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" were originally composed for a focal counterpoint exercise from these lessons. Cuomo excitedly contacted Reich after the release of The Red Album, but was dismayed to learn that Reich had recently passed away.

In describing his initial inspiration for the song, Cuomo has said, "I just had this really strong and kind of sudden conviction that I am sick of writing verse-chorus-verse songs. I've been doing it for so many years, that's what everyone else does; I wanna do something completely different." Cuomo decided to instead write a song using the musical structure of theme and variations, as used in classical music, using different bands and musician styles (Slipknot, Jeff Buckley, Aerosmith, etc.) as the different variations. Cuomo intially also attempted to utilize different lyrical perspectives for each variation, but found the results too disjointed, and resolved to maintain the same persona throughout. Early alternate song titles in consideration included "Mack Daddy," "The Player," "Player 4 Life," and "The Ballad of Oswaldo Sánchez" (named for the Mexican soccer goalie). Cuomo was inspired by Sánchez after seeing him play the World Cup in 2006 despite having just lost his father to a heart attack.

Cuomo had difficulty writing the spoken word section of "The Greatest Man", and so contacted Rick Rubin to get examples of spoken word sections in pop songs. Rubin suggested Elvis Presley's rendition of "Are You Loneseome Tonight?," which Cuomo studied. The lyrics for the spoken word section from "The Greatest Man" is derived from similar lyrics in Presley's song (which itself was partially derived from the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare).

At the time of the release of The Red Album, Cuomo called the song his favorite song on the album, and one of his favorite songs he's ever written. Bassist Scott Shriner, in an interview, called the song "a masterpiece that includes ten different styles of music based around a common theme. It's awesome."

The song's title includes the parenthetical "Variations on a Shaker Hymn," referring to the 1848 Shaker song "Simple Gifts," generally attributed to Joseph Brackett.

## Music Video

In late 2008, it was reported that a music video for "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" was planned with director Spike Jonze (who previously directed music videos for "Undone - The Sweater Song," "Buddy Holly," and "Island in the Sun"). Ultimately, an official video never materialized.

## Lyrics

[Intro: Live Piano]

[Verse 1 (Rap)]

You try to play cool like you just don't care

But soon I'll be playin' in your underwear

I'm like a mage with the magic spell

You come like a dog when I ring your bell

I got the money and I got the fame

You got the hots to ride on my plane

You givin' me all that I desire

'Cause down with me, I'm taking you higher

[Verse 2 (Slipknot)]

I'm the baddest of the bad, I'm the best that you've ever had

I'm the tops, I'm the thing, all the girls get up when I sing, yeah

I'm the meanest in the place, step up, I'll mess with your face

I don't care where you are, look up and follow the star

[Verse 3 (Jeff Buckley)]

I, I'm gonna tear down the wall

I may not be here when you call, so best be givin' me your all

Ooh

[Verse 4 (Choral)]

After the havoc that I'm gonna wreak

No more words will critics have to speak

I've got the answers to the tangled knot

Sleep tight in your cot

[Verse 5 (Aerosmith)]

Oh baby, I've been told I'm goin' crazy

Oh baby, well, I can't be held down

Oh baby, somehow, I'm keeping it steady

Oh baby, I'm tearing up this town

[Verse 6 (Nirvana)]

Hey, this is what I like

Cut my heart with a martyr's spike

Hey, this is nothing new

I've got more than enough for you

[Verse 7 (Andrews Sisters)]

I can take on anybody, I can do my thing

I don't wanna hurt nobody but a bee has got to sting

I'ma fix it if you mix it up, hoot, hoot

Talk smack, and I'm-a gonna shut you up, hoot, hoot

[Verse 8 (Green Day)]

I am the greatest man that ever lived

I was born to give (I was born to give)

I am the greatest man that ever lived, oh

Radioactive (Radioactive)

[Spoken Word (Elvis' "Are You Lonesome Tonight?")]

Somebody said all the world's a stage

And each of us is a player, that's what I've been tryin' to tell you

In Act 1, I was struggling to survive

Nobody wanted my action dead or alive

Act 2, I hit the big time

And bodies be all up on my behind

And I can't help myself

Because I was born to shine

If you don't like it, you can shove it

But you don't like it, you love it

So I'll be up here in a rage

'Til they bring the curtain down on the stage

[Verse 9 (Bach & Beethoven)]

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

I'm the greatest man that ever lived

[Verse 10 (Weezer)]

I am the greatest man that ever lived

I was born to give and give and give

I am the greatest man that ever lived

Radioact-dioact-dioact-dioactive

I am the greatest man that ever lived

I was born to give

Woo! Hoo! Hoo!

## See Also

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