"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.[1]
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).[1] 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.[2]
List of releases[]
- Satisfaction (1976) [Version 1]
- The Residents Radio Special (1977) [Version 1]
- The Third Reich 'n Roll Expanded (1987) [Version 1]
- In Memoriam Torso (1994) [Version 1]
- Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses (1997) [Version 1]
- Documentation - Tunes In Danger Of Becoming Lost (2009) [Version 1]
- Residue of The Residents (2014) [Version 1]
- The Wonder of Weird (2014) [Version 2]
- Marching To The See: The Wonder of Weird Tour (2014) [Version 3]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2018) [Version 1]
- In Between Dreams (Live In San Francisco) (2020) [Version 4]
- Picnic/Loser + God’s Magic Finger (Live in Japan) (2021) [Version 4]
- Leftovers, Again? (2021) [Version 5]
List of versions[]
External links and references[]
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
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Satisfaction (1976) Side A: "Satisfaction" |
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Residue of The Residents (1983) Side A |
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The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) Side A: "Swastikas on Parade" |