Much of Weezer’s catalog is compared to their eponymous debut, often referred to as the “Blue album.” That’s somewhat understandable, given the smash hit record put them on the map with alternative tours de force like “Buddy Holly,” “Undone – The Sweater Song,” and “Say It Ain’t So.” Arguably, however, their most successful hit was a sleeper track off of 2001’s “Green Album,” and that song just hit a major milestone.
“When a band puts a song out into the world, there’s no telling whether it will soar or wither,” the rockers explained on Facebook. “‘Island In The Sun‘, which started its life as a very simple demo in Weezer’s ‘no man’s land’ of 1999, later worked up in the studio for ‘Green’, wasn’t as big a hit as its predecessor, ‘Hash Pipe’. But it soon made a bigger and bigger impact in Europe and started to show up in the US all over the place by 2002. Since then it’s only spread further, and has become an absolutely cherished essential in the band’s live set. And now a wild milestone has been reached, where ‘Island’ had hit 1 BILLION streams on Spotify! If that doesn’t show how far that simple little demo has come, nothing does!”
As is often the case with the most popular music of all time, “Island in the Sun” almost didn’t reach the public. The song originally was not even going to be released on the album, but producer Ric Ocasek fought for its inclusion, even making the band practice the chord progression for eight hours straight, according to guitarist Brian Bell.
“Island in the Sun” has a laid-back, never-ending summer feeling that instantly transports you to the beach. Part of that is due to the inclusion of an acoustic guitar and the relatively clean tone of the electric guitar.
“A lot of these riffs are deceptively simple,” Bell said. “That island-y guitar playing is a feel thing. And for the sound, it’s the center pickup sound… a combination of the two pickups.”
The song is in the key of G, again making it a simple guitar-based tune. Even the chord progression creates a simple, pleasing sound. “Island in the Sun” is one of the rare pop and rock songs that follows the circle of fifths. It begins in E minor and progresses to A minor, D, and G. If we put that into Roman numeral analysis, it starts on the vi chord and moves to ii, V, and I. Each of the chords is a fifth away from the next chord until it resolves to the tonic, or home key.
Weezer breaks up the repetition on the bridge, which creates tension by emphasizing D, or the V chord. This adds shape to an otherwise floating song.
“Island in the Sun” didn’t start off as a fan favorite, but it morphed into a staple of the band’s live show. It also became the most-licensed track in Weezer’s catalog. It just goes to show that what starts as a little earworm can become a massive hit.
Relive the song with the original music video above and sheet music for “Island in the Sun”:
