Improvisational twelve bar blues song originally by
Chad Cunningham and
J.R. Parsons. It can't be found on any of their
studio recordings; it has been performed
live several times, however. One
bootleg from their
Columbus, Ohio set (
June 2, 2001) is rumored to be circulating on the
Internet.
The song has the simplicity in structure of Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and B.B. King combined with the edginess of latter-day blues-based artists like Led Zeppelin and the Black Crowes. "Fuck You, Jared!" is most often compared to Zeppelin's "Friends" and Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You."
The taper following of Cunningham and Parsons claims that the song is best when performed acoustically at small venues. Larger stages make the sound less focused and more impersonal, even when the duo opened for the Greatful Dead and were permitted to utilize the legendary Wall of Sound.
"Fuck You, Jared!" was the first in a series of songs by the duo expressing their angst at an unappreciative audience -- much in the way of Roger Waters' struggles which led to the groundbreaking album Pink Floyd: The Wall.
At the time of this writing, "Fuck You, Jared!" has been covered by the likes of Southern Culture on the Skids, Bob Dylan, Los del Mar (a dance remix) and (reportedly) Radiohead. The songs which followed -- including the crowd pleaser "Fuck You, Guy in the Second Row!" -- have only been performed by Cunningham and Parsons themselves.
Rumor has it that "Fuck You, Jared!" will be the title track on their as-yet-untitled next album, due for release sometime this millenium.
Update September 2001: After the duo's staggering reunion concert, the popularity of the song is soaring! Expect to see a single on the Billboard charts sometime soon!
Update March 2002: The reunion concert didn't garner as much interest as critics expected, and the duet has since faded from the performing forefront. A comeback tour has been planned, which will start with a show not far from where Parsons and Cunningham originally penned their now famous (infamous?) hit.
There is much speculation as to whom the titular Jared actually is. Perhaps the world may never know.