Loser ≅ Weed

"**Loser ≅ Weed**" (pronounced "Loser Is Congruent To Weed", working title **"New Year / Old Song"**) is a song by The Residents, which was composed and recorded in January 1976, and released the following September as the B-side of their single "Satisfaction".

"Loser ≅ Weed" is the result of The Residents' first experiments with their ARP Odyssey synthesizer, which had then recently been gifted to them by future members of their management company The Cryptic Corporation.

## History

"Loser ≅ Weed" was recorded in January 1976, after The Residents had been gifted an ARP Odyssey synthesizer by future members of the group's management company The Cryptic Corporation (which would be officially founded the following June). During early sessions, the song's working title was "New Year / Old Song".

It was first released to the public as the B-side of The Residents' single "Satisfaction" in September 1976. Along with the A-side of the single, the song has commonly been included on CD reissues of the group's album *The Third Reich 'n Roll*, as well as the contents of the group's next single, *The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles*.

It was later performed live as part of the group's Wonder of Weird tour in 2013, as part of a medley with Snakefinger's "Picnic In The Jungle". This same medley later feature again as part of the first leg of the In Between Dreams tour in 2017.

An alternative, stripped-back "RDX" version, created by the group from elements taken from the original master tapes, was released in 2021 on the limited edition Record Store Day vinyl-only compilation album *Leftovers Again?!*.

## Lyrics

```
Free-ing, free-ing; free-ing for-tune
Loves the, loves the, the loser with
His gift, his gift, his gift of greed
His gift, his gift, his gift of greed

```

```
Con-sume, con-sum-ing emp-ty on-
-ion rings, -ion rings and feeling like
And feel, and feel, and feeling like a weed.

```

```
And feeling like, and feeling like,
and feeling like, and feeling like,
and feeling like, and feeling like...
A weed

```

```
Lacking certain social
Graces like the names
Of those foreign faces
What more could he do?
He polished up the deli
spread and put his mother
back in bed and then he
Then he went home too.

```

## List of releases

* *Satisfaction* (1976)
* *The Residents Radio Special* (1977)
* *The Third Reich 'n Roll Expanded* (1987)
* *In Memoriam Torso* (1994)
* *Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses* (1997)
* *Documentation - Tunes In Danger Of Becoming Lost* (2009)
* *Residue of The Residents* (2014)
* *The Wonder of Weird* (2014)
* *Marching To The See: The Wonder of Weird Tour* (2014)
* *80 Aching Orphans* (2018)
* *In Between Dreams (Live In San Francisco)* (2020)
* *Picnic/Loser + God’s Magic Finger (Live in Japan)* (2021)
* *Leftovers, Again?* (2021)

### List of versions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1976 Studio Version (2:07)
2. ↑ 2013 Live Mash-Up Version (7:39)
3. ↑ 2013 Live Mash-Up Version Edit (6:05)
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 2017 Live Version (5:00)
5. ↑ 1976 Studio version RDX mix (1:44)

## External links and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The problem that the Moog was way out of the financial reach of most people, was tackled by other innovative synth makers. After some serious lobbying on my part, I convinced Cryptic Corporation to part with about $1200 (mid-'70's dollars at that) to purchase an all-in-one device, the ARP Odyssey. I still have it and last recorded with it in 2008. Loser ⩰ Weed, was the first experiment with the device." Charles Bobuck, "Synth City", *Codgers on the Moon* website, 2012
2. ↑ Ima Buddy, *Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS*, 1992

**Side A:** "Satisfaction"
**Side B:** "**Loser ≅ Weed**"
**Personnel**
The Residents · Snakefinger · Don Jackovich
The Pointless Sisters · Raoul N. Di Seimbote
**Related works**
*The Third Reich 'n Roll* · *The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles* · *Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen* · *Leftovers Again?!*
**Related articles**
*Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor* · *The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger* · Residents, Uninc. · Sycamore St. studio · Ralph Records · Porno/Graphics · The Cryptic Corporation · The Rolling Stones

**Side A**
"The Sleeper" · "Whoopy Snorp" · "Kamakazi Lady" · "Boy in Love" · "Shut Up! Shut Up!" · "Anvil Forest" · "Diskomo"
**Side B**
"Jailhouse Rock" · "Ups & Downs" · "Walter Westinghouse" · "Saint Nix" · "Open Up"
***Residue Deux* (1998)**
"Scent of Mint" · "From The Plains To Mexico" · "In San Francisco" · "Dumbo The Clown" · "Is He Really Bringing Roses?" · "Time's Up" · "Daydream Believer" · "Safety Is A Cootie Wootie" · "Daydream in Space"
**Superior Viaduct edition (2014)**
"**Loser ≅ Weed**" · "Death In Barstow" · "Melon Collie Lassie"
**Related articles**
MOP tapes · *The Tunes of Two Cities* · Residents Classic Series · pREServed · *Leftovers Again?!* · Pour No Graphics · Elvis Presley · Richard Nixon

**Side A:** **"Swastikas on Parade"**
"Let's Twist Again" · "Land of a Thousand Dances" · "Hanky Panky" · "A Horse With No Name" · "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)" · "The Letter" · "Psychotic Reaction" · "Little Girl" · "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" · "Talk Talk" · "I Want Candy" · "To Sir With Love" · "Telstar" · "Wipe Out" · "Heroes and Villains"
**Side B:** **"Hitler Was a Vegetarian"**
"Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" · "96 Tears" · "It's My Party" · "Light My Fire" · "Ballad of the Green Berets" · "Yummy Yummy Yummy" · "Rock Around the Clock" · "Pushin' Too Hard" · "Good Lovin'" · "Gloria" · "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" · "Sunshine of Your Love" · "Hey Jude" · "Sympathy for the Devil"
**Personnel**
The Residents · Pamela Zeibak · Margaret Smyk (as Peggy Honeydew) · Gary Phillips
**Related works**
"Wooly Bully" · "Satisfaction" · *The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles* · *German Slide Music* · Oh Mummy! show · *The Third Reich 'n Roll* video · Collectors' Box series · "Double Shot" · *Icky Flix* (soundtrack) · *I Am A Resident!* · Dog Stab!
**Related articles**
Residents, Uninc. · Sycamore St. studio · Ralph Records · *Vileness Fats* · The Cryptic Corporation · Porno/Graphics · Collectors' Box series · Dick Clark · James Brown · The Rolling Stones · The Beatles