Weezer is finding new life as a cover band for iconic songs of the ’80s. They hit the charts with their recording of Toto’s “Africa” and released a whole LP of covers, “The Teal Album,” in January (to vicious reviews from some critics who either didn’t get or didn’t like the joke), including a nearly note-for-note re-creation of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” No complaints, though, when Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal themselves joined the band to perform it at Coachella, a performance they reprised a few nights later on Jimmy Kimmel’s live broadcast. Again, it’s close to note-for-note, even the guitar solos. But having the original artists on stage makes it not exactly a cover anymore, eliminating the smirking tone Weezer brings to the enterprise. And nobody is enjoying it more than Curt and Roland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbhWvOXj8rM
For comparison’s sake (and the classic-period MTV video), here’s the original:
