Most honest Green Day lyrics

[Marlee]

Coming Clean is very honest, finally accepting yourself for who you are.

17 and coming clean for the first time

mom and dad will never understand what's happening to me.

[Heather.]

That's a metaphor.

Uh... can you explain how it's a metaphor? I mean, it sounds pretty literal, even if it wasn't 'true'....

[green day is]

Uh... can you explain how it's a metaphor? I mean, it sounds pretty literal, even if it wasn't 'true'....

Well, metaphor might not be the right word... I think he's trying to establish that "fucked" was not a sexual reference when he says "without a kiss". Like, if someone does you wrong, you'd say they "Fucked you".

Or, now that I think about it, it could be a metaphor to say the same thing as Redundant. Fucking without a kiss could be his way of saying that they're doing the passionate things, but there's no passion involved.

[Class.of.13]

Yeah... I don't think King for a Day is autobiographical.

Billie said everything he writes is autobiographical, with the exception of songs like J.A.R.

[LauraG]

My first thought is all of them! The total, uncompromising honesty of Green Day's lyrics is what made me fall in love with them. I was only listening to rap at the time so it took a lot for me to even think of listening to a rock band, and it really was the way their lyrics keep it real (so to speak ) that attracted me.

I agree. You can find honesty within any Green Day song. That's precisely what sets GD apart from any other band! That's what makes their songs so special and meaningful to so many people.

[Heather.]

Ah, yeah, I also saw how "fucked without a kiss" could be interpreted both ways, but I do think he means it literally in the same sense as Redundant.

And I agree that all songs are autobiographical, even if they are exaggerated or turned into something else.

[Gwen Stacy]

I can't believe I'm the first one to mention this, but the classic "fuck America!". To me those two words are incredibly bold, disruptive, and needed. At a time where America was going in to Iraq uninvited and without real cause, and nobody was questioning it, Billie took a mirror to our society and forced us to look at what we were doing, by simply saying what nobody else was willing to say.

Oh, and he called the president a Nazi too. That must have taken some guts.

[green day is]

Billie said everything he writes is autobiographical, with the exception of songs like J.A.R.

Where did he say that? Because I don't fucking believe it.

[Heather.]

I can't believe I'm the first one to mention this, but the classic "fuck America!". To me those two words are incredibly bold, disruptive, and needed. At a time where America was going in to Iraq uninvited and without real cause, and nobody was questioning it, Billie took a mirror to our society and forced us to look at what we were doing, by simply saying what nobody else was willing to say.

Oh, and he called the president a Nazi too. That must have taken some guts.

I totally agree that it's a courageous thing to do, but isn't the lyrics "mind fuck America" (like, this is all one big subliminal mindfuck)? Like, it's not a "fuck you America" it's a "we're being fucked, America"... I've always had a dual interpretation of that myself (kind of like "television dreams of tomorrow"... I go back and forth looking at the word "dreams" as a verb or as a noun, which gives different meanings to that sentence)

[Alan86]

I can't believe I'm the first one to mention this, but the classic "fuck America!". To me those two words are incredibly bold, disruptive, and needed. At a time where America was going in to Iraq uninvited and without real cause, and nobody was questioning it, Billie took a mirror to our society and forced us to look at what we were doing, by simply saying what nobody else was willing to say.

Oh, and he called the president a Nazi too. That must have taken some guts.

I'm not sure he was saying "Fuck America" exactly

That's just taking two words out of that line

It's "the subliminal mind fuck America"

I believe he means America is using subliminal techniques to fuck with your mind. (A subliminal mind-fuck)

[LauraG]

I'm not sure he was saying "Fuck America"

That's just taking two words out of that line

It's "the subliminal mind fuck America"

I believe he means America is using subliminal techniques to fuck with your mind. (A subliminal mind-fuck)

I think he's referring to the way America is seen from the outside (the rest of the world), and how it is different to the way some Americans see their country.

[Alan86]

I think he's referring to the way America is seen from the outside (the rest of the world), and how it is different to the way some Americans see their country.

I agree completely

I just ment in that particular line that i think he used the term "subliminal mind fuck" to describe the America he was living in at the time. I don't think he was bluntly just saying "Fuck America"

[Gwen Stacy]

I totally agree that it's a courageous thing to do, but isn't the lyrics "mind fuck America" (like, this is all one big subliminal mindfuck)? Like, it's not a "fuck you America" it's a "we're being fucked, America"... I've always had a dual interpretation of that myself (kind of like "television dreams of tomorrow"... I go back and forth looking at the word "dreams" as a verb or as a noun, which gives different meanings to that sentence)

I completely agree that there is room for ambiguity in the lyirc, but a mindfuck would have to be one word or use a dash. I always heard it as him saying, The subliminal mind, fuck America. Punctuation; it's the difference between "Let's eat Grandma" and "Let's eat, Grandma!". It saves lives. I always saw the fuck America part as the most important part in the lyric, but I could be wrong. Only Bille knows for sure

[Heather.]

Punctuation; it's the difference between "Let's eat Grandma" and "Let's eat, Grandma!". It saves lives.

:lol: Totally

Well, FWIW, I'm pretty sure the lyrics in the booklet have no comma in that phrase. But I'd have to walk to my car to check as that's where the CD case is

Back on topic, there is also the classic "The world owes me, so fuck you"

I have been looking at 21CB songs and I really don't see the kind of blatant honesty... probably because the songwriting style has evolved into very character-driven, buzzwords... I mean, those songs are just as honest in their message, but when you start writing with more poetic elements, you lose that kind of direct hard-punch punk statement.

[Class.of.13]

Where did he say that? Because I don't fucking believe it.

5:32 - 5:40

Just quoting, I'm not gonna argue about anything.

[pasalaska]

5:32 - 5:40

Just quoting, I'm not gonna argue about anything.

Don't worry about him, he always speaks like that.

Thanks for posting that though, I've never seen that interview before.

[Daniel King]

i think Last Night on Earth has a strong and honest lyrics about Billie's love for Adrienne, and thats one hell of a song, i heard it so many times, that can feel related about what you feel about a person, that big love you feel and you want to express and this song is the best example if you want to dedicate to that special girl or boy depends on the case

A true love song

[green day is]

5:32 - 5:40

Just quoting, I'm not gonna argue about anything.

I still don't believe it, mainly cause of the way he said it and stuff.

I know that right now I sound as if I'm just trying to make myself right, but I'm really not. It just doesn't make any fucking sense that everything would be autobiographical.

[Heather.]

OK, I think if you define the term 'autobiographical' very loosely, as I'm sure BJ was doing, it's very possible. Let's say a song tells a story about something that didn't happen ever in his life, it's still based on some emotion or other issue that he wants to address, and then he reworks it into a song that may be totally about something else, but it originated from a place of truth within his soul. How's that for autobiographical?

In other words, he's not bullshitting emotions to make songs. Goes back to the honesty thing we're all here to admire

[green day is]

OK, I think if you define the term 'autobiographical' very loosely, as I'm sure BJ was doing, it's very possible. Let's say a song tells a story about something that didn't happen ever in his life, it's still based on some emotion or other issue that he wants to address, and then he reworks it into a song that may be totally about something else, but it originated from a place of truth within his soul. How's that for autobiographical?

In other words, he's not bullshitting emotions to make songs. Goes back to the honesty thing we're all here to admire

That's not autobiographical, though.

[WestboundSign!]

I can't believe I'm the first one to mention this, but the classic "fuck America!". To me those two words are incredibly bold, disruptive, and needed. At a time where America was going in to Iraq uninvited and without real cause, and nobody was questioning it, Billie took a mirror to our society and forced us to look at what we were doing, by simply saying what nobody else was willing to say.

Oh, and he called the president a Nazi too. That must have taken some guts.

I agree so much. I always thought it was damn needed. Somebody had to say those things. And he did it.

[Heather.]

That's not autobiographical, though.

Well then, I don't know what to tell you

[JDookie]

Uhm... Another song that comes in my mind is Why Do You Want Him? I mean, it shouldn't be easy to write a song in that situation and about that situation. I admit that I probably would lack the courage, he's been very honest.

However, I don't think that all songs are autobiographical. (for ex. Brat)

[se7en]

I agree completely

I just ment in that particular line that i think he used the term "subliminal mind fuck" to describe the America he was living in at the time. I don't think he was bluntly just saying "Fuck America"

Love the avatar! KARL!

The most honest one for me is a bit controversial... from JOS.

"Oh therapy can you please fill the void.. am I retarded or am I just overjoyed"

Always makes me think twice when I hear it.. I can also understand why he changes it to unemployed when they sing it live..

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

That's not autobiographical, though.

I'd say that if he writes about an experience he's had (whether that's a literal experience or the experience of having/feeling an emotion), that's autobiographical.