Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Steve Threw Up (3:19)
Available on The History Of Beck: A Selection Of His Non-DGC Work and 1 other release.
CreditsAnna Waronker: Bass, Vocals (Background)
Rachel Haden: Drums
Beck Hansen: Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals
Tom Grimley: Producer
Petra Haden: Violin / Fiddle, Vocals (Background) - Steve Threw Up (3:35)
Available on Golden Leftovers and 1 other release.
Lyrics:
Steve Threw Up [Version (a)]:
Steve had a big commotion
Didn't need no suntan lotion
He was doing fine with what he had
And off his melting jaw
All the wonderful things he saw
And a pretty hair growing on his sandwich
He looked out on the fairground
With the spinning things spinning all around
And he felt the food going down coming back
And on top of the Ferris wheel
He threw up on the heels
Of the beautiful girl
Who was laughing
There must have been some pizza
And there must have been some fries
And there must have been some tequila
There must have been some wine
There must have been some falafels
There must have been some beer
And there must have been some bagels
You could see it so clear!
And there must have been some pickles
And there must have been some sauerkraut
There must have been some catfish
When he laid his burden down
Pineapples, mangoes
Cottage cheese and caramel candy
Garlic, spam and the Kool-aid
Oh bananas, fudge, popcorn, ketchup
There must have...
Oh he really threw up!
He threw up all over the place!
He really threw it! He got really sick!
Steve threw up!
No no no no no no no...
Steve had a big commotion
Didn't need no suntan lotion
He was doing fine with what he had
And off his melting jaw
All the wonderful things he saw
And a pretty hair growing on his sandwich
He looked out on the fairground
With the spinning things spinning all around
And he felt the food going down coming back
And on top of the Ferris wheel
He threw up on the heels
Of the beautiful girl
Who was laughing
There must have been some pizza
And there must have been some fries
And there must have been some tequila
There must have been some wine
There must have been some falafels
There must have been some beer
And there must have been some bagels
You could see it so clear!
And there must have been some pickles
And there must have been some sauerkraut
There must have been some catfish
When he laid his burden down
Pineapples, mangoes
Cottage cheese and caramel candy
Garlic, spam and the Kool-aid
Oh bananas, fudge, popcorn, ketchup
There must have...
Oh he really threw up!
He threw up all over the place!
He really threw it! He got really sick!
Steve threw up!
No no no no no no no...
Steve Threw Up [Version (b)]:
Steve had a big commotion
The street fair was an ocean
When he took three tabs of bad acid
And off his melting jaw
All the wonderful things he saw
The pretty hair growing on his sandwich
Well, he looked out on the fairground
With the spinning things spinning all around
And he felt the food going down coming back
And on top of the Ferris wheel
He threw up on the heel
Of the beautiful girl
Who was laughing
Well, there must have been some pizza
And there must have been some fries
And there must have been some tequila
And there must have been some wine
And there must have been some falafels
And there must have been some beer
And there must have been some bagels
You could see it all so clear!
And there must have been some pickles
And there must have been some sauerkraut
And there must have been some catfish
When he laid his burden down
Pineapples, mangoes, wild rice, beans
Granola, cheetoes, caramel candy, popcorn
Ice cream, banana, fudge and some corn dogs
And mayonnaise, steak sauce, ketchup and mustard
Garlic, Kool-aid, Spam and some eggrolls
Sushi, rice cakes, oatmeal, cucumbers
Biscuits, beef jerky, Pop Tarts, tamales, shish-ka-bob
And a side order of &#@!
Steve had a big commotion
The street fair was an ocean
When he took three tabs of bad acid
And off his melting jaw
All the wonderful things he saw
The pretty hair growing on his sandwich
Well, he looked out on the fairground
With the spinning things spinning all around
And he felt the food going down coming back
And on top of the Ferris wheel
He threw up on the heel
Of the beautiful girl
Who was laughing
Well, there must have been some pizza
And there must have been some fries
And there must have been some tequila
And there must have been some wine
And there must have been some falafels
And there must have been some beer
And there must have been some bagels
You could see it all so clear!
And there must have been some pickles
And there must have been some sauerkraut
And there must have been some catfish
When he laid his burden down
Pineapples, mangoes, wild rice, beans
Granola, cheetoes, caramel candy, popcorn
Ice cream, banana, fudge and some corn dogs
And mayonnaise, steak sauce, ketchup and mustard
Garlic, Kool-aid, Spam and some eggrolls
Sushi, rice cakes, oatmeal, cucumbers
Biscuits, beef jerky, Pop Tarts, tamales, shish-ka-bob
And a side order of &#@!
The Song:
"Steve Threw Up" is probably the closest thing Beck has ever come to having a pure novelty song. Of course, it was liked enough to be released as a single, and somehow there is something slightly charming about it, despite the topic. But it did get a fair amount of play on Dr. Demento's radio show in 1994 and 1995. Fortunately, however, Beck never became the "Steve Threw Up" Guy.
Apparently, this is a true story. It is about Steve Moramarco, a friend of Beck's back in the day, a fellow Los Angeles musician. Most notably for us, he was in Bean, the band Beck shared a single with on his first ever single release (MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack).
There are two versions of "Steve Threw Up": the released single version in 1994, and a version he recorded for Golden Feelings.
The latter was not included on Golden Feelings, but it was made available in 2001 with a collection of outtakes from that album. Interestingly, this outtake had already been "released" in a way, on the tape Beck made for his mother, Fresh Meat and Old Slabs. The outtake release is of better, clearer quality (of course), as the version known to most on Fresh Meat has been dubbed from tape to tape to tape to tape for many a year.
The single version is a much more accomplished version, of course. The earlier outtake is pretty much done in a folk arrangement, and Beck shouts the lyrics. He actually sings a bit, and has that dog backing him, on the single. Petra Haden plays violin, and she and Anna Waronker sing back-up vocals. I'm not sure what they're saying exactly; it sounds like "Steeeve tossed it." Also Steve's throw-up has a great deal more food in it, as Beck goes into excruciating detail.
"Steve Threw Up" is probably the closest thing Beck has ever come to having a pure novelty song. Of course, it was liked enough to be released as a single, and somehow there is something slightly charming about it, despite the topic. But it did get a fair amount of play on Dr. Demento's radio show in 1994 and 1995. Fortunately, however, Beck never became the "Steve Threw Up" Guy.
Apparently, this is a true story. It is about Steve Moramarco, a friend of Beck's back in the day, a fellow Los Angeles musician. Most notably for us, he was in Bean, the band Beck shared a single with on his first ever single release (MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack).
There are two versions of "Steve Threw Up": the released single version in 1994, and a version he recorded for Golden Feelings.
The latter was not included on Golden Feelings, but it was made available in 2001 with a collection of outtakes from that album. Interestingly, this outtake had already been "released" in a way, on the tape Beck made for his mother, Fresh Meat and Old Slabs. The outtake release is of better, clearer quality (of course), as the version known to most on Fresh Meat has been dubbed from tape to tape to tape to tape for many a year.
The single version is a much more accomplished version, of course. The earlier outtake is pretty much done in a folk arrangement, and Beck shouts the lyrics. He actually sings a bit, and has that dog backing him, on the single. Petra Haden plays violin, and she and Anna Waronker sing back-up vocals. I'm not sure what they're saying exactly; it sounds like "Steeeve tossed it." Also Steve's throw-up has a great deal more food in it, as Beck goes into excruciating detail.
Live:
Played live 5 times:
Earliest known live version: August 16, 1996
Latest known live version: August 25, 2002
Beck, I would guess, played this a bit in his early '90s, pre-Mellow Gold days.
But since then, he seems to have actively avoided it (people in the audience used to like to request it often).
In summer 2002, Beck did a solo tour, improvising setlists and taking requests. A few times he responded to audience requests for the song, and talked about how his old goofy folk stuff ("Satan Gave Me A Taco," "MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack" etc.) were better left in the past. A few times, he attempted brief medleys of the songs, or sang a line or two of "Steve" as he talked. Never a full cover.
Played live 5 times:
Earliest known live version: August 16, 1996
Latest known live version: August 25, 2002
Beck, I would guess, played this a bit in his early '90s, pre-Mellow Gold days.
But since then, he seems to have actively avoided it (people in the audience used to like to request it often).
In summer 2002, Beck did a solo tour, improvising setlists and taking requests. A few times he responded to audience requests for the song, and talked about how his old goofy folk stuff ("Satan Gave Me A Taco," "MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack" etc.) were better left in the past. A few times, he attempted brief medleys of the songs, or sang a line or two of "Steve" as he talked. Never a full cover.