Foo Fighters was the debut album from ex-Nirvana member Dave Grohl and his new band Foo Fighters. It was released on July 4, 1995 on EMD Records and was distributed by Capitol Records. The album totaled 44 minutes and one second in length.
In the wake of Kurt Cobain's suicide in April of 1994 and the subsequent breakup of the legendary band Nirvana as a result, the other two members of the group, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic chose widely different paths. Krist mostly became involved in local politics and the Seattle independent music scene. Dave, on the other hand, chose to make a musical go of it on a national stage with his own music.
Throughout late 1994, Dave was rumored to be recording a solo album, and given the relative "success" of other drummers turned attempted frontmen (Ringo Starr comes to mind), not much hope was held out for the project, although there was definitely a keen level of interest in the project.
It turned out to not entirely be a solo disc (more accurately, Dave doing all of the singing and most of the instrumentation with remnants of Nirvana and some members of Sunny Day Real Estate filling in the blanks). Released on July 4, 1995, Foo Fighters became a landmark 1990s pop/rock album. It consisted of grainy hard rock with a sense of humor.
This album sounds like a bunch of very good rock musicians with decent wit having a big jam session in a barn somewhere. You can almost imagine them sitting around, having a laugh, and tossing together some truly worthwhile rock songs here. The recording isn't good, but that's part of what really makes this work; it feels very impromptu and alive.
That's not to say all the songs are excellent; they're not. This disc has some weak points. But this album has a handful of unbelievably good punk/pop masterpieces, and the weaker tracks aren't necessarily bad; it's just hard to stand up to truly worthwhile stuff like This Is A Call and Alone+Easy Target.
The disc starts off with their first single from this album This Is A Call (3:53), one of several gems on this disc. From the first track, one can tell that compared to Nirvana, the Foo Fighters have a cleaner sound, even with the stripped-down recording style. This song is written nice and tightly and there's *gasp* harmonization. Foo Fighters have been referred to as the Hardcore Beach Boys, and I can definitely see where that comes from. The lyrics to This Is A Call, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
visiting is pretty
visiting is good
seems that all they ever wanted was a brother
this can be a secret
we can keep it good
even all the ever wanting had a problem
this is a call to all my
past resignations
it's been too long
fingernails are pretty
fingernails are good
seems that all they ever wanted was a marking
them balloons are pretty big
and say they should
ever fall to ground
call the magic marker
this is a call to all my
past resignations
this is a call to all
this is a call to all my
past resignations
it's been too long
minicyn is pretty
minicyn is good
seems that all the cysts and mollusks tend to barter
ritalin is easy
ritalin is good
even all the ones
who watered down the daughter
The second song on the album and the second single from the album as well, I'll Stick Around (3:52) is an example of how to build a rock song to a worthwhile and exciting audio conclusion. The song builds on itself to the conclusion of Dave treading the fine line between shouting and singing with the line "I'll stick around and learn from all that came from it!" over and over again. The lyrics to I'll Stick Around, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
I thought I knew all it took to bother you
every word I said was true that you'll see
how could it be I'm the only one who sees your rehearsed insanity
I still refuse all the methods you've abused
it's all right if you're confused let me be
I've been around all the pawns
you've gagged and bound
they'll come back and knock you down and I'll be free
I've taken all and I've endured
one day it all will fade
I'm sure
I don't owe you anything
I had no other hand in your ever desperate plan
it returns and when it lands words are due
I should've known we were better off alone
I looked in and I was shown
you were too
I've taken all and I've endured
one day it all will fade
I'm sure
I don't owe you anything
I'll stick around and learn
from all that came from it
The third song on the album and their fourth single, Big Me (2:12) is perhaps most well known for a clever music video parodying the cloyingly inane Mentos television commercials from the 1990s. The song itself sounded sarcastic to me from day one; I've never before heard a ballad so steeped in sarcasm without giving into it and bending into self-parody. That in itself is impressive, but what's even better is that the music remains great, even though the tempo has significantly dropped from the first two tracks. The lyrics to Big Me, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
when I talk about it
it carries on
reasons only knew
when I talk about it
aries or treasons
all renew
big me to talk about it
I could stand to prove
if we can get around it
I know that it's true
when I talked about it
carried on
reasons only knew
but it's you I fell into
well I talked about it
put it on
never was it true
but it's you i fell into
Side note: When I first picked up this disc shortly after I was released, I actually stopped it after the first three tracks, thinking that perhaps the greatest album of all time had just been released. I had not heard them on the radio; I picked it up solely because it was the post-Nirvana debut of Dave Grohl, but during the fall and winter of 1995, this album lived in my stereo and a dubbed cassette copy lived in my car.
Alone+Easy Target (4:05) doesn't quite match up to the open of the album; that's not to say this song isn't worthwhile, it just follows a very strong three song album opening. Still, it's a catchy song that, following Big Me, returns to the rock-oriented flavor of the first two tracks of the album. The lyrics to Alone+Easy Target, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
they knew all along
they're not dumb, they were so wrong
she's not always fun
hate it now, call when I'm done
pieces fell in place
puzzles suck, laugh in my face
turn and swing the pace
I'll give this, keep the good waist
head is on
I want out
I'm alone and I'm an easy target
metronome
I want out
I'm alone and I'm an easy target
crazy t.v. dreams might be true
not what it seems.
food and cavities, chewing words
tear at the seams
he don't feel so good, don't feel bad
not that he should
i don't feel so good, don't feel bad
not that i should
did you ever listen? get out.
Good Grief (4:01) is a very good rock song; the refrain is probably the most biting piece of rock on the disc. The lyrics seem to be a rip on Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's widowed wife Courtney Love; think of the cover of Hole's (that would be Courtney Love's band) Live Through This album and listen to this song and you'll get what I mean. The lyrics to Good Grief, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
since I'm putting down all of the true things around, but I like it
I handed down the crown, given the jewels and the answers of may
the thought of being ousted comes and goes
when I think about it the wind blows
I hate it
run me out of town, somewhere a move might intended a gown at
pissed at all the bowels, always the blues and a delicate smile
missed all of the sideways, gull and noun
chills and petty band-aids, wrapped around
I hate it
good grief
Floaty (4:30), the sixth track, starts off sounding as out of place as Big Me seems to be three tracks earlier in the disc, but it soon progresses into a great mix of acoustic and electric guitar pieces in a drifting and melodic style. The lyrics seem to be about drug use, although it is often hard to interpret such spartan lines. The lyrics to Floaty, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
he floats
floats away
on the ground
he comes back down
she floats
floats away
on the ground
she comes back down
they float
float away
on the ground
they come back down
we float
float away
on the ground
we come back down
that's not as big as
what's flown around here
Note: It is my impression that the first half of this disc is significantly better than the second half. It is also my impression that the first half of this disc is so good that I would recommend it without the other six tracks at full album price to any interested buyer. Take that for what you will. We now return to your regularly scheduled mostly objective writeup.
Weenie Beenie (2:45) features solid instrumentation with massively distorted vocals. This would have made for a very interesting instrumental just by dropping the nearly indecipherable vocal elements. The lyrics to Weenie Beenie, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
I'm molasses hung in rent
read a sponsor one shot no post-show
tear it off, but not a lot, it's not enough to debate
as if you blame real and stagnate
big shit no shit
tear it off, but not a lot, only so much you can take
some try that hit beast and mud lead
big shit no shit
tear it off, but not a lot, only so much you can take
tear it off, but not a lot, it's not enough to debate
big shit no duh
right?
one shot nothing
Oh, George (3:00) has nothing against it; it just doesn't quite have the energy or the sarcastic edge of many of the other tracks. The drum work on this track is very solid, though; it's perhaps the best feature of the track. The lyrics to Oh, George, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
the train that I got onto up and left that town
threw it up as it went down
strange enough it left me rude and turned around
watched as they all took their vows
fools were drawing trying to save that day
I don't doubt that anyway
phase it out until the older ones return
have a seat and watch it burn
trace around the corner this is what I've learned
always waited for my turn
For All The Cows (3:30), the third single, is the best part of the second half of the disc. Every third song seems to do something really different on this disc and the ninth track is no exception. The first minute and ten seconds is really entertaining, suddenly exploding into a rock frenzy for ten seconds then dropping back down into the sedateness, and alternating over the rest of the track. This alternation (and the lyrics) makes this track really interesting. The lyrics to For All The Cows, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
I'm called a cow
I'm not about
to blow it now
{For Everybody|for all the cows]
it's funny how money allows all to browse
and be endowed
this wish is true it falls into pieces new
the cow is you
my kind has all run out, as if kinds could blend
some time if time allows, everthing worn in
like it's a friend
I said you're all a painted doll and it caused
the walls to fall
how far is he? impatiently
that's as far as far can be
X-Static (4:13) features very solid harmonization. This track is one of the tracks I would point to when calling the Foo Fighters the Hardcore Beach Boys. The lyrics to X-Static, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
leading everything along
never far from being wrong
nevermind these things at all
it's nothing
couldn't find a way to you
seems that's all I ever do
turning up in black and blue
rewarded
all the static we all left
wait until the time has come
figure that's where time comes from
leaving all my senses numb
is heaven
lifted up the fay to seen
anything could never be
anything but play to me
in order
take it back for them to keep
fallen into something deep
not that I had made that leap
annointed
where have all the wishes gone
now that all of that is done
wish I would've felt I've won
for once
Wattershed (2:15) is just an explosion of very good guitar work. Dave's near nonsensical punk rock star vocals are really appropriate; the sheer power of the music and his singing makes the lyrics themselves drown in the power of the song. This song is good, but the techniques used are unfortunately often overdone, which is an easy thing to do on pure power songs. The lyrics to Wattershed, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
stick it to the mailman
reading is a problem
see you all suntanned
only with the ray bans
take that to the man you call the chair
pissing on a wet wall
skinny yellow spit, man
dealin' with the shit, man
make it with my bad hand
just another rock band
take that to the man they call the chair
trouble with the contract
hey there, boy, you been catchin' the black widow
that's what we want you to know
I want to swim in a watershed
I want to listen to crawdads
I lost the counter so bad
I keep on thinking I get ahead, I'm
pissin' on the disc jam
pissin' 'bout the farm hand
pissin' 'bout the greek state
miss it and I can't wait
take that to the man they call the chair
trouble with the contract
hey, man, can't you tell
it's still a problem?
I want to swim in a wattershed
I want to listen to crawdads
I lost the counter so bad
I keep on thinking I get ahead, I'm
pissin' on the disc jam
pissin' 'bout the farm hand
pissin' 'bout the greek state
miss it and I can't wait
The closer, Exhausted (5:45), is full of overly-fuzzed guitars and sedate vocals. I find this track to be an oddly mellow way to close out a largely excellent album. The lyrics to Exhausted, written by Dave Grohl and performed by Foo Fighters, are as follows:
I'm not around that much, I'm near exhausted and lost.
if it could be undone, will it have cost it?
It's torn, and alone.
knowing the way we strain, and tear exhausted and fall,
what if today I'd stayed in bed, and was bored?
oh we have gone, and fallen.
after bliss is gone in bed, use caution.
it's gone.
even the breeze that's flowin' there is caustic,
and I talked,
and I missed it.
Some European and Asian versions of the album include the b-side Winnebago, but this is not generally considered to be part of the album. Consider it a bonus if you have a disc that includes Winnebago among its tracks.
In all, this is a solid pop/rock album with a sense of humor. It is widely available; you can often find it at your local Wal Mart or whatever particular department store you shop at. It does not have 'clean' and 'unedited' versions, so you can purchase this album with confidence without worrying that it is edited. | 
