Kayfabe Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 It was already widely believed to be about Tim Yohannan. Billie had never actually said it before, but he had said the person it was about died and it was just kind of obvious. It was always assumed to be about him. But I agree it definitely makes sense. At the time Billie wrote the song he had cancer and he died of it a few months after it was released, so the lyrics of the song are pretty much literal. I didn't know who Tim Yohannan was
Hermione Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 I didn't know who Tim Yohannan was Oh neither did I until I heard about that haha. OK so to be more accurate, it was thought to be about him by people who knew who he was and knew the stuff he and Billie had said about each other over the years. And Billie didn't do much to hide the fact it was about him.
oda Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 Oh neither did I until I heard about that haha. OK so to be more accurate, it was thought to be about him by people who knew who he was and knew the stuff he and Billie had said about each other over the years. And Billie didn't do much to hide the fact it was about him. Slightly off topic but i wonder what Tim did to piss Billie off like that. I've heard about the bad reviews he gave them, but it doesn't seem to be the full story to me. Bille doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would want somebody dead because they didn't like his music. (Not that i believe i know how Billie thinks or anything, but several people has written shit about green day throughout the years without it bothering them that much)
green day is Posted February 17, 2011 Author Posted February 17, 2011 Slightly off topic but i wonder what Tim did to piss Billie off like that. I've heard about the bad reviews he gave them, but it doesn't seem to be the full story to me. Bille doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would want somebody dead because they didn't like his music. (Not that i believe i know how Billie thinks or anything, but several people has written shit about green day throughout the years without it bothering them that much) It was talked about in Nobody Likes You but I don't remember.
sid_wolf Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone. Seriously, what the fuck? I always thought it was from a star.....
Hermione Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 Slightly off topic but i wonder what Tim did to piss Billie off like that. I've heard about the bad reviews he gave them, but it doesn't seem to be the full story to me. Bille doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would want somebody dead because they didn't like his music. (Not that i believe i know how Billie thinks or anything, but several people has written shit about green day throughout the years without it bothering them that much) I think it was more than him just not liking his music, he criticized Green Day and called them sellouts in his magazine right from the moment they made it big. It wasn't so much their music he attacked but their integrity as a band. Seems like Billie took it very much to heart and had an intense personal dislike for him. They must've spoken in person over the years as well, so we'll probably never know the whole story behind it.
Ellenkc Posted February 18, 2011 Posted February 18, 2011 Wasn't he the one who wouldn't let them play Gilman earlier on because they were too pop? The guys probably knew him fairly well and once MMR started writing crap about them, well I'm guessing they didn't take that well. NOFX did a song about him as well You better watch out you better not cry You better put out records D.I.Y. Cause it's not what you've done it's what you've been If you fuck up I'm telling Tim Take you out of book your own life part six You won't play again at abc You're gonna get ostracized like Lawrence When I tell Tim, I'm telling Tim I'm telling Tim, I'm telling Tim
green day is Posted February 18, 2011 Author Posted February 18, 2011 Wasn't he the one who wouldn't let them play Gilman earlier on because they were too pop? The guys probably knew him fairly well and once MMR started writing crap about them, well I'm guessing they didn't take that well. NOFX did a song about him as well You better watch out you better not cry You better put out records D.I.Y. Cause it's not what you've done it's what you've been If you fuck up I'm telling Tim Take you out of book your own life part six You won't play again at abc You're gonna get ostracized like Lawrence When I tell Tim, I'm telling Tim I'm telling Tim, I'm telling Tim No, Gilman wasn't run by him until after they were already allowed to play, I think.
Ellenkc Posted February 18, 2011 Posted February 18, 2011 No, Gilman wasn't run by him until after they were already allowed to play, I think. I'm pretty sure it's the other way around. Tim founded the club, it was a collective but I guess he had veto on who played.
Hermione Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 I was listening to When I Come Around the other day and was reminded for some lyrics that confuse me. I'm just roaming for the moment, Sleazin' my back yard so don't get, so uptight you've been thinking about ditching me Is that a phrase or something? I get the overall meaning of the verse I've just never understood that part. I used to assume sleazing was a word they'd made up but while discussing it on here ages ago American people told me that isn't the case. Apparently it's US/West Coast slang, sleazing around would be like slumming around. So he's just hanging around/slumming around the place he lives or his local area. The way he puts it makes it sound like a gardening term or something though
franci175 Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 anybody that could explain Too Much Too Soon lyrics? ** everytime I think to a meaning,the line afther make me change my mind XD
Fiona? Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 "FERMENTED SALMONELLA POISON OAK" - Hitchin' A Ride WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!
Storer Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 As much as I love Billie, sometimes he does write nonsense. I'm sure a lot of the lyrics have deeper meanings than I think, but a lot of them are really weird.
Hermione Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 ^ Just because you can't understand the meaning it doesn't mean it's nonsense. Just means you haven't worked it out yet! And trying is fun "FERMENTED SALMONELLA POISON OAK" - Hitchin' A Ride WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! I think he's talking about the fact that alcohol is a poison. Alcohol is made by fermenting things, and wine is fermented in oak barrels. He makes it "poison oak" which sounds like a plant like poison ivy or something, to mean alcohol is poison. As for salmonella, the previous line is "Cold turkey's getting stale, tonight I'm eating crow". You can catch salmonella from eating undercooked turkey (or any other poultry), so he's continuing the bird references from that line. Salmonella goes along with poison as a nasty thing. So basically fermented and oak = alcohol, salmonella and poison = bad/poison. But he's using a lot of interesting wordplay to say it.
Marlee Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Christian's lessons what he's been sold We are normal and self-controlled is this a stab at Christianity or referring to the character Christian? I never knew because it could mean that religion is controlling, or it could be talking about the figurative person your thoughts? (and sorry if someone already asked this)
green day is Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 Christian's lessons what he's been sold We are normal and self-controlled is this a stab at Christianity or referring to the character Christian? I never knew because it could mean that religion is controlling, or it could be talking about the figurative person your thoughts? (and sorry if someone already asked this) Both. It's a double meaning. I think Billie chose the name Christian because of all the opportunities for double meanings.
Bastard of 1967 Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Christian's lessons what he's been sold We are normal and self-controlled is this a stab at Christianity or referring to the character Christian? I never knew because it could mean that religion is controlling, or it could be talking about the figurative person your thoughts? (and sorry if someone already asked this) The theme recurs throughout 21CB; the instance you quoted from Before the Lobotomy is just one place where "he" appears. Throughout the album, Christian is the nihlist, the explosive, destructive force. Violent revolution, "burn the whole fucking place down and start over again" is the solution to the world's problems, in his view. In this context I think you're correct in your observation that the character himself is a huge stab at Christianity in particular and I think most Judeo-Christian (western) faiths in general. And there are several different ways to interpret this verse that probably all coexist with each other and both draw from and feed you off to different threads and concepts in the album. Here's one I can think of quickly: "Christian's lesson is what he's been sold" (this is the correct lyric according to the official 21CB CD insert) might be describing the values that he's not only been taught by society but the values that in turn he passes on down the line to friends, family, his own kids, etc. I suppose this can be read to encompass *everything* one learns over time, both positive and negative. But in the next verse the lyric turns clearly negative: "we are normal and self controlled". When read against "what he's been sold", this equals not just scholastic-like learning and teaching, but something more like tortured, cultish brainwashing. Drawing this theme out further in songs like Christian's Inferno, East Jesus Nowhere, Peacemaker, and Horseshoes and Handgrenades, the labeling of all of this negativity (ok, pure shit!) as "Christian" points some sharply-worded blame at the religious roots of Western civilization -- the political and religious leaders of the centuries have been selling us a bill of goods, a big lie. They teach us one vision of justice and righteousness by the one hand, while waging wars against nonbelievers and leaving an endless trail of death and destruction by the other. It's not possible for any sane person to reconcile the two -- thus "I'm not in love 'cause I'm a mess", and the best lyric of all in BTL: "the brutality of reality is the freedom that keeps me from dreaming."
-Billiejoezee- Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 i never understood what "F.L.A." stood for....
green day is Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 i never understood what "F.L.A." stood for.... The most sensible one I can find is Florida. So Virginia is a prostitute from Florida.
-Billiejoezee- Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 The most sensible one I can find is Florida. So Virginia is a prostitute from Florida. it stands for florida? oh okay!
oda Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 ^ Just because you can't understand the meaning it doesn't mean it's nonsense. Just means you haven't worked it out yet! And trying is fun That is exactly why i think this thread should be renamed to "lyric interpretations" or something. Because it's not like any of the lyrics "don't make sense", we just need to put our heads together sometimes and figure out possible meanings. Not that the name of the thread matters to me at all i just think it's more fitting.
Hermione Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 That is exactly why i think this thread should be renamed to "lyric interpretations" or something. Because it's not like any of the lyrics "don't make sense", we just need to put our heads together sometimes and figure out possible meanings. Not that the name of the thread matters to me at all i just think it's more fitting. I agree it'd be much more accurate. Maybe the current name makes people more likely to post though. If it was changed to that people might think they have to construct complex lyric interpretations and be put off, whereas now they can just post "I don't get this" and someone might shed some light on it for them and a discussion can develop from there. Seems to work this way anyway. Not that I'm thinking too deeply about the name of the thread or anything
GreenRanger Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 I agree it'd be much more accurate. Maybe the current name makes people more likely to post though. If it was changed to that people might think they have to construct complex lyric interpretations and be put off, whereas now they can just post "I don't get this" and someone might shed some light on it for them and a discussion can develop from there. Seems to work this way anyway. Not that I'm thinking too deeply about the name of the thread or anything It's true, I feel like the original point of the thread was to find some Green Day lyrics and say "Hey, aren't these really kinda wacky?" like, for their literal meanings. That was the impression I got from the thread title, but it did indeed turn into more of an interpretation thing...which is cool, just not what I was expecting. Lyric interpretation is something I've always found funny because in some cases the fans really do write the song for the artist, yknow? Like in some cases I feel like it really is "well this sounds catchy so I'll put it in the song"...which, when you think about it, is a form of brilliance in itself. Hence interpretations...I'd just love to see the writer come along and point at a fan (or in this case, post) and say "Yup, that sounds awesome," to one of their interpretations. It reminded me of a quote from Bob Dylan: "Dont interpret me. My songs don't have any meaning. They're just words." Always found it funny. But I'm really impressed by the amount of thought all of you have put into these songs. Being a man of simple entertainment, I never thought about them so much lol
green day is Posted March 6, 2011 Author Posted March 6, 2011 it stands for florida? oh okay! It might. It's plausible.
Hermione Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 it stands for florida? oh okay! Yeah it's a postal abbreviation for Florida: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations#Traditional_abbreviations For some reason I've heard F.L.A. used to refer to Florida quite a few times before, much more than I've ever heard any other state referred to like that. I think it must be more well known and used more often, almost like a nickname maybe? So yeah I'm pretty certain he means Florida in the song.
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