Lyrics:

The Song:

There are two known studio recordings of this song. The first is the "demo" version, and is available on Beck's early album, Golden Feelings. This early version is rawer and rougher, and Beck sings it more with his teeth clenched, getting into the spirit of the song. He includes a lot of adlibbed vocals at the end.

The Mellow Gold version is much better recorded, and Beck's vocals tap more into the humor of the song, as he uses his falsetto voice to good effect. This is a good rock song, quick and catchy.

Live:

Played live 53 times:
Earliest known live version: April 20, 1994
Latest known live version: February 10, 2016

"Mutherfuker" was one of the more often-played songs when Beck started extensively touring in 1994 and then for the first few years. It then has mostly vanished, though it does pop up every once in awhile as a treat for fans.

1994 Mellow Gold tour

His early shows on that tour were especially grunge noisy, and this song fits that. We don't have all the setlists for back then, but I believe it was safe to assume it was most all the shows.

On October 28 1994, Beck amusingly dedicates this performance to "for all you lovers tonight... all you close friends... reach out and touch the one you care for especially, the one special to your heart, close to you... whisper in his ear, whisper in his or her ear something beautiful... doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl... doesn't matter... this song is called 'Mutherfuker.'" The song begins with a jerky reggae-type riff for the first verse, before exploding into the song as you know it. (This arrangement would be used throughout the fall of 1994.) It's very entertaining, as usual.

Beck introduces the song on November 28 1994 as "Mother Hubbard." One almost wishes he tagged the song that on Mellow Gold!

December 1 1994 sounds funny since Beck decides not use the title in the chorus. "Everyone's out to get you!" is yelled over and over. This could be because it was broadcast on French radio, though the French DJ does immediately say the name of the song to his audience when it's over. It's probably the shortest version around, as well.

1995 Lollapalooza

Again, we don't have every Lollapalooza setlist in the summer of 1995, but most of the ones we do show "Mutherfuker" was played. Beck introduces the song on August 27 1995 by saying, "This is called 'Frequent Flyer Premier Card.'" Coming after a "Fume" that did not have the usual heavy metal ending, this one too sounds somewhat bland. Beck does not sound himself at all. It's a very odd version. But mostly in 1995 the song was a mosh pit festival favorite.

1996-1997 Odelay tours

We have "Mutherfuker" down for about 14 shows in 1996 and 1997 on the Odelay tour. By this point, the song may have been a little bit dated, but it was still a song Beck could dig out every so often.

Listening to one of the early Odelay shows (July 21 1996), it's pretty obvious that a lot of the "rock" songs come off really well with his new band. So it's most appropriate that they use this song to close their show. They slow it down a bit, give it a little more groove -- it's less an attack on the senses as it used to be.

The version on February 10 1997 is especially nasty. Beck's vocals are as "evil"-sounding as ever, while the band makes a lot of noise behind him. It appropriately ends with a mess of feedback.

A few days later on February 14, Beck asks for requests at the end of his acoustic set. Someone requests "Mutherfuker," so he plays an acoustic version! It's completely insane. It is, I think, the only time I'm aware Beck played the song this way.

(We also have "Mutherfuker" down for a show in 1998, but that set may be unreliable and I'm not sure about it.)

2007 The Police version

Beck did a small run of shows at the end of 2007 where he went to South America and opened for The Police. Before that, he did one show in a club in LA as a warm-up. Nigel Godrich joined his band for this too. At the warm-up show, they tossed in a couple of old surprises, "Mutherfuker" and "Fuckin With My Head" for instance. They then next did at the show in Argentina with The Police.

2012 return to the road

After a few years away from the road, Beck got his classic band back together for a short run of shows in 2012. The first run was four shows in May, and at those they dropped "Mutherfuker" twice. They than did it two more times later in August.

2016 post-Morning Phase gigs

Beck played a short set in February 2016 at a fashion show after party. Beck and his band played a short 6-song heavy rock set that included "Mutherfuker" for the first time in 4 years. (And currently, the last time ever.)