“You First” (Re: Remi Wolf) by Paramore, Saturday, October 12, 2024
In September last year, Paramore released Re: This Is Why, a remix album of the original featuring big-name collaborations like Julien Baker, Wet Leg, The Linda Lindas, and others. Paramore tweeted about the album: “Re: This Is Why is almost a remix album. Some of the songs have been remixed sort of classically, while others were reworked or rewritten. It’s incredible to hear all our worlds colliding.” The album is mostly for fans of the band’s sixth studio album, This Is Why. Some of the reworked songs are more interesting than the originals, but the original versions of the songs on This Is Why make a consistent record and one of Paramore’s best efforts. All the songs from the original album are represented on the remix album with “Running Out of Time” receiving two remixes. The remix album also included an extra song, “Sanity,” a demo of a song the band had written during sessions for After Laughter.
EVERYONE IS BAD, SO WHY ARE YOU A PACIFIST? Some songs on Re: This Is Why are remixes of Paramore, some are collaborations, and some are covers. The first song “This Is Why” features instrumentation by the English band Foals. The second track “The News” features Paramore in the verses and teenage band The Linda Lindas in the chorus. “Running Out of Time” is presented as two classic-style remixes with manipulated original audio. “C’est Comme Ça” is the first of several covers on the album. Rather than Paramore performing the track, Wet Leg performs the track in their own way. The Paramore version of the song stretched Paramore into punk and post-punk, but “C’est Comme Ça” fits perfectly into Wet Leg’s discography. Other cover versions on the album are Bartess Strange’s “Figure 8,” Julien Baker’s “Thick Skull,” and Remi Wolf’s “You First.” These covers do not feature Paramore’s lead singer Hayley Williams singing--as far as I can tell--but I haven’t been able to find out if guitarist Taylor York or drummer Zac Farro contributed to the music or if the other artists’ teams contributed the instruments.
WHICH WOLF WILL WIN NOW, BABY? On Paramore’s 2023 headlining This Is Why tour, the band opened with the non-single “You First.” Several contributors to remix albums opened for the band on their 2023 tour including Foals, The Linda Lindas, Claud, and Remi Wolf. Remi Wolf opened the show for Paramore’s Australian/New Zealand leg. Wolf’s jangly alt-pop sound makes “You First” a stand-out song on the remix album. Paramore’s version of “You First” is a well-written track that drops in several metaphors with memorable lines. Lines about being in a horror film, the myth of the two wolves, and the central metaphor of feeding a stray animal give the song a memorable spot on This Is Why. Remi Wolf’s version becomes a standout track above the remixes of the hits that seemed to have slightly degraded the original versions. Wolf’s version is an upgrade on the original. When I first listened to This Is Why, “You First” wasn’t a particular standout track. Remi Wolf’s version sees rewritten lyrics that tighten up the metaphors, making the song “hit . . . with a tide of bricks.” The music is also a bit tighter, Wolf’s funky ‘70s flare with ‘90s alt-rock guitar. In whichever form you choose to consume the song, the lyrics remind us that no one is really good and that everyone must take account of their actions. But in a classic Paramore fashion, revenge feels much better when the other person gets their comeuppance first.
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