Guest Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 SCATTERED The fifth track from 1997's Nimrod, Scattered has become a firm fan favourite. Although never released as a single, it is commonly found amongst the favourites of many Green Day fans. Clocking in at 3 minutes, it's one of the longer songs from the album, although it follows Green Day's usual straightforward song structure. The song meaning, as far as I can tell, is fairly straightforward, someone who's made a mess of a relationship and is yearning to get it back again. As far as I know, there're no existing interviews dealing with the meaning. If anything, the lyrics are actually strangely straightforward for Billie The first verse has our protagonist reminiscing while looking at old photographs, thinking about how their life feels meaningless without the person they lost. They've learnt from their mistakes, and regret the choices that lead them to this point. In the chorus the protagonist thinks about how the person they've hurt is with them in the "past and present", and hopes they'll be in their "future too", because they'd give anything for it to happen. In the second verse, we're given an incredibly visceral description of the emotional suffering this relationship breakdown has caused our protagonist. Finally, in the bridge, they ask if they can give the relationship another chance. The most interesting thing about Scattered is how it fits into the story that's told by the opening songs of Nimrod. Nice Guys Finished Last has the protagonist of the story becoming jaded and cynical about life, and Hitchin' A Ride is them burning out. The Grouch is the bitter regret afterwards, and Redundant is a lament to a broken relationship. Scattered is where the pieces start to come back together, and the healing of the relationship can begin. On a personal note, Scattered is one of my favourite ever Green Day songs, because it really feels like Billie is writing from experience. Plus I know all too well the feelings expressed within the words. Lyrics I've got some scattered pictures lying on my bedroom floor. Reminds me of the times we shared. Makes me wish that you were here. 'Cause now it seems I've forgotten my purpose in this life. All the songs have been erased. Guess I've learned from my mistakes. Open the past and present. Now and we are there. Story to tell and I am listening. Open the past and present. And the future too. It's all I've got and I'm giving it up to you. Loose ends tied in knots. Leaving a lump down in my throat. Gagging on a souvenir. Lodged to fill another year. Drag it on and on until my skin is ripped to shreds. Leaving myself open wide. Living out a sacrifice. If you got no one and I've got no place to go, would it be alright? Could it be alright? Below is the most recent performance of Scattered, last year at Irving Plaza. Probably one of the best too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbX00rloao Hey, look at that, Céadóg managed to go an entire post without using a gif. Yeah, right BONUS: I translated it into Irish because I planned on covering it, but thankfully for your eardrums I was too busy. Here's the lyrics if anyone is interested Ta pictuir scaipthe agam ar mo urlar seomra leapa Gcuimhne dom an uair roinnte againn. Ba mhaith liom go raibh tú anseo. Mar anois is cosúil mé dearmad ar mo críche sa saol seo. Gach na hamhráin curtha scriosadh. Cheapaim go bhfuil a foghlaim o mo bhotuin Oscail suas an t-am anois agus tá muid ann Scéal a insint agus tá mé ag éisteacht Oscail suas an t-am anois agus amach anseo Gach rud agam mé a thabhairt duit Foircinn scaoilte ceangailte i snaidhm fágáil cnapshuim síos mo scornach Glas Béil ar cuimhneacháin Lóisteáil a líonadh bliain eile Tarraing sé ar aghaidh go dtí go bhfuil mo chraiceann sracadh fágáil a oscailt mé féin ar fud an Maireachtáil amach íobairt Má fuair tú aon duine agus fuair mé aon áit le dul go mbeadh sé ceart go leor? fhéadfadh sé a bheith ceart go leor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Maybe my favorite song by them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris The Spider Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Well I love all the songs on Nimrod but this is still an awesome song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaraGreenDay Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is my favorite song from nimrod, i just love it so much, can´t stop listen to it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyHandGrenade Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Scattered and Uptight are among my favorite Green Day songs ever, so I love seeing it as song of the week. To Ceadog: Congrats on a meaningful post, buddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Scattered and Uptight are among my favorite Green Day songs ever, so I love seeing it as song of the week. To Ceadog: Congrats on a meaningful post, buddy! You'd be surprised, a fair amount of my posts are meaningful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyHandGrenade Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 You'd be surprised, a fair amount of my posts are meaningful In your own, (e)special(ly) annoying way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChelseaDagger Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 well written Céadagh!!! i would have been deeply disappointed if there was no gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrot Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 what i find interesting is that the first half of this song was written in '92 then finished in '96. best song off nimrod period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 what i find interesting is that the first half of this song was written in '92 then finished in '96. best song off nimrod period. I did not know that. Makes a lot of sense though, with everything that was going on with Adrienne at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cath Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 My favorite song after Jesus of Suburbia I would say. Nimrod is probably my favorite album because of that song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyHandGrenade Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Although that live version is great, the studio version is still way more powerful for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cob Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 The first deep cut on Nimrod that really grabbed me. Amazing song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
! Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I agree with the Irving Plaza performance being one of the best live versions. I really wasn't into the song that much until I saw it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I only recently got more into songs, I was never really a fan of it but its grown on me a lot. They actually tried to play this at the show I was at back in 2009 but Billie stopped when no one else knew the lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyHandGrenade Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I only recently got more into songs, I was never really a fan of it but its grown on me a lot. They actually tried to play this at the show I was at back in 2009 but Billie stopped when no one else knew the lyrics. I'm so ashamed of all the fans who talk about being with Green Day since Christie Road, then forget the lyrics to an epic song like Scattered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Christian Of Suburbia Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is definitely a favorite of mine. One thing that I can't help but notice every time I hear the song is the odd lyrics. Back in the day Billie Joe wrote a lot of fantastic wordplay into his lyrics, but the chorus of Scattered seems like it goes beyond simple wordplay and ends up almost nonsensical, or it at least ignores the rules of grammar. Not that I'm complaining of course, I just find it very interesting and it always stands out to me. Am I the only one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is definitely a favorite of mine. One thing that I can't help but notice every time I hear the song is the odd lyrics. Back in the day Billie Joe wrote a lot of fantastic wordplay into his lyrics, but the chorus of Scattered seems like it goes beyond simple wordplay and ends up almost nonsensical, or it at least ignores the rules of grammar. Not that I'm complaining of course, I just find it very interesting and it always stands out to me. Am I the only one? It makes sense, so long as you don't care too much about grammar Open the past and present. Now and we are there. Obviously thinking about the times they've shared. Story to tell and I am listening. Can be interpretated a couple of ways, either the person is telling a story and he's lending an ear to listen, or it's just a continuation of the above interpretation. Open the past and present. And the future too. Showing that they want to be with the other person again. It's all I've got and I'm giving it up to you. Pretty obvious, really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Christian Of Suburbia Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 It makes sense, so long as you don't care too much about grammar Open the past and present. Now and we are there. Obviously thinking about the times they've shared. Story to tell and I am listening. Can be interpretated a couple of ways, either the person is telling a story and he's lending an ear to listen, or it's just a continuation of the above interpretation. Open the past and present. And the future too. Showing that they want to be with the other person again. It's all I've got and I'm giving it up to you. Pretty obvious, really Oh, of course, I didn't mean that the lyrics have no meaning, I just meant that they're very odd structurally. The message that BJ is trying to get across with that chorus is pretty clear, it just seems like he crafted it in a very peculiar way, much more so than in other songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Oh, of course, I didn't mean that the lyrics have no meaning, I just meant that they're very odd structurally. The message that BJ is trying to get across with that chorus is pretty clear, it just seems like he crafted it in a very peculiar way, much more so than in other songs. Oh right, haha. Yeah, I kinda like it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIGD13 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Well done Ceadog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary711 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I just love this song to dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayish Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Saw them play this one live once, just a great, heartfelt track. Harmonies are so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iScottie Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Great review and definitely one of the best songs from Nimrod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritz Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I got into this song recently and I find myself humming to this tune almost everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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