Weezer Performs "Say It Ain't So" | Live On Letterman 

The bass player has never failed to start a lawnmower on the first try.

For those who don't know, Rivers just had an operation done to correct one of his legs being longer than the other. Hence the oversized pants to attempt to cover the brace on his leg. I also read somewhere that Matt (bass player) went all out with the energy in this performance to help draw the attention away from Rivers, who was in pain and embarrassed to have the brace on. Regardless they sounded fantastic, legendary performance.

One guy in a gas station shirt. One guy in flannel. One guy in a 70s t-shirt over a long sleeve. The 90s were great.

“I just hope those boys aren’t neglecting their studies.” Rivers really took that comment to heart.

If anyone is curious as to the context of this performance: Weezer was set to perform on Letterman's show after Rivers Cuomo had surgery to extend one of his legs 2" to match the other one. This occurred while he was enrolled at Harvard and going through a bit of a crisis, wondering if being a rock star was for him. This was also when he was in the process of writing Weezer's second album "Pinkerton," which focuses heavily on his personal crisis with both his career choice and personal romantic life. During the performance, you can see Rivers is standing quite still, and that's because his leg is in a brace under his pants. Before the show, Rivers reportedly asked his band members to move around a lot and make a scene so hopefully people wouldn't focus on him. Matt Sharp clearly cranked it up to 11 during the performance! The result is a classic performance, and one of interesting timing in the history of Weezer.

That bassist just goes SO HARD, bless his soul.

The mixing on this is incredible

Was about 13 or 14, staying up late at my grandparents and saw this episode of Letterman. Weezer blew my mind, I bought the CD the next day and have been a fan ever since. Just watched this video with my 13-year-old daughter who is also a big Weezer fan. Circle of life man, what an awesome band!

27 years later, and this performance is still amazing.

This full version is a rare gem. Didn’t think this existed in full quality. Thank you!!

These guys are absolute professionals. They played that song perfectly. I mean, it sounds like an album version.

The meaning of the song gets me every time. Parents, be good to your kids...they're watching you and clinging to your every word. They need you to lead and love them.

3:50 When Matt comes flying into the frame. Fantastic. We miss you, bro.

This must have been an insane moment for Rivers at the time... Such a great song.

At 4:00 rivers is feeling it. The ease of pressure when you block everything out and pour your soul into one of the best songs of all time and just "feel it"

Powerful for reasons you can never understand. Welcome to the 90’s.

One of if not the best live performance by weezer. 3:38 until the end gives me chills every time.

Finally we can listen to one of the best live performances of the Letterman show in the best quality

I can't imagine how loud this was live. Amazing.

Writing from roughly 30 years later, I want all of this back. The music, the fashion... everything.

I miss how special it is to kinda stumble on your fave band performing on TV

You don't know how much I would love to make the earth keep looping on the 90's endlessly. Great music, no technology around, for some reason even the air felt fresher and there was this constant feeling that things were gonna change for good.

3:25 is the one of the greatest cinematography in TV live performances

Almost 30 years later and i swear this song still makes me tear up. I dunno why!!! But i love it . Long live the 90s

I choose to believe that Matt the bassist won a bet on this night

Weezer is the king of what I used to call "Chill Grunge"-- loud and crunchy, but still kinda fun and laid-back.

One of the best rock n roll songs of the 90s

Best version of the solo he ever recorded.

The most performance of all time 😢😢😢

Each member of that band had an assignment on this performance. The Bassist certainly understood his

Such a great band. I'm sure their second album will be a smash hit right out of the gate

Hearing weezer referred too as a heavy pop quartette makes me feel good. Inside.

Underrated bass line! I learned it to play bass in a band a few years ago. Always my favorite

Honestly matt is totally matching the energy of that powerful chorus

Singing this with my 12 year old daughter, belting it out actually, is proof positive that I’m the greatest dad ever and that the 90s will forever rule the music world, regardless of genre.

I was so in love with the bass player, Matt, back then and watching this makes me feel it all over again.

This whole time frame from 3'25 to 3'55 is just so intense. It's almost inconceivable that you had 20 seconds straight on TV back then with just the singer and the drummer in the background. You can feel it.

I was lucky enough to see Weezer in August of '94 at First Avenue in Minneapolis. I had never heard of them at the time. They proceeded to play the Blue Album in its entirety. Many faces were melted including mine.

The performance that solidified my fandom!

Dave really got himself when he thought they were called Tweezer

Oh my gosh. Long live the musical performances! No longer cutting everything out because of music clearences. Finally, MUSIC! 😁😁😁

I think this is their best live performance of this that I've seen. It's got Matt Sharp in it of course. It just seems like it's a lot more rockin' and like the album

Wish I could go back and see them in the 90’s live

I was a teenager when this came out. 30 years later I still blast this on the freeway. Windows down, singing at the top of my lungs. What a song.

I remember watching this back in the day. I was blown away!

wow, dude on bass is channeling his inner Dee Dee Ramone. Fantastic!

Man, this is awesome! Especially when the distortion kicks in on the chorus!

One of my all time favorite songs, it will never fade away.

One of the greatest rock albums of the 90s.

Thanks for bringing this one back! Weezer is one of my favorite bands👏🙏❤️🌟🌸

I'd forgotten what a brilliant song and album this is, will be on a Weezer binge for the next while, thanks. :)

This made me just so very happy! Thank you for sharing this. It genuinely means something to me, and I suspect I am not the only one. 😊🙏

Too good for their era. A band whose legacy will endure forever.

Such a powerful buildup, starts off so meek like a bunch of highschoolers in a garage band practice and then peaks with a full on grunge arena banger. Favorite song, always.

I am instantly 15 years old again every time I hear this performance. One of the ALL time great Weezer live performances.

One of my fav performances

Oh, yeah Alright Somebody's Heine' Is crowdin' my icebox Somebody's cold one Is givin' me chills Guess I'll just close my eyes Oh, yeah Alright Feels good Inside Flip on the telly Wrestle with Jimmy Something is bubbling Behind my back The bottle is ready to blow Say it ain't so Your drug is a heartbreaker Say it ain't so My love is a life taker I can't confront you I never could do That which might hurt you To try and be cool When I say This way is a waterslide away from me That takes her further every day So be cool Say it ain't so Your drug is a heartbreaker Say it ain't so My love is a life taker Dear daddy, I write you In spite of years of silence You've cleaned up, found Jesus Things are good, or so I hear This bottle of Steven's awakens ancient feelings Like father, stepfather The son is drowning in the flood Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Say it ain't so Your drug is a heartbreaker Say it ain't so My love is a life taker

Still better than ever!!! I did ysee you Live in STHLM 2022! A perfect concert!! Thanx

Cant believe its almost 30 yrs i hear this song and it still fresh 😊

Weezer and the Offspring are still the most iconic bands of the 90s. Would love to see a full tour.

I was 32 when the Blue album was released, loved it then as I do now. Best wishes from Scotland.

Awesome!!! How I love this song and performance!!

Live sound, amazing, the bass is perfect

great thing about this performance is that rivers just recently had leg surgery to extend his left leg as he was born with it slightly shorter then the other one, so hes wearing this huge brace underneath the pants. probably explains why theyre so big and baggy lol

I would have loved to see this live! 😍

Prolific. Still remember watching it live ❤

This mix is so good.

I watched this as a teen and thought Dave looked old. Watching it again now, Dave looks so young. This is what getting old is like kids.

The "sound guy" if responsible for the tone and overall quality of that bass sound in this performance is a legend...my god

I was a teen when this came out. Miss this music.

Matt is playing those two or three notes like he is 1981 Eddie Van Halen.

That gave me chills in 2023. One of the very best bands in the movement.

This takes me back!!

What an amazing performance! 🔥

I still can't believe this doesn;t have mroe views. Hands down best video ever.

Finally a HQ upload of this!

Just pure and utter class

My dad told me about a band he liked called weezer, and he showed me this video. Now I watch the Buddy Holly music video daily.

Saw them ‘02 at Reading Festival, UK. They were amazing!

Amazing band! Can’t get enough of this song ❤

October 26, 2022. this performance still rocks.

Such a damn powerful song!!!

4:16 that voice crack was so painful omfg

No idea how I got to 29 without hearing this live!

Amazing performance

They don't have different levels of energy, they just have different ways to show their energy 🖤

Such a great song ❤

Dude… you freaking nailed it. Awesome stuff

I would like to give props to the sound guy for this performance. You can't get better than this, even in 2023. Everything sounds amazing.

Well, this makes me feel old! Haha. Great performance! Thanks for the upload 🙂

Going to see them live next month. 😤

Love this

My best song like an old home. 언제나. 위져가 짱임

'bout time we got a good quality version of this performance.

Rivers let Matt hit too many of those falsettos alone. Lmao

Beautiful

One of the best performance of all time

This is the best thing I've ever seen

That bass tone!

All of these are so romantic. 90’s. Guitar. Nerds. David Letterman. And myself still alive.