SoTW: Longview

[HerpDerp44]

The SotW this week is the legendary, Longview. Longview was the first major-label single by Green Day and it is the fourth track on their third album, Dookie, which was released in 1994. This song was heavily aired on MTV and is one of the bands well-known songs. Longview did alright in the charts too, it came #33 in the Australian ARIA charts, #30 in the UK singles chart and #1 in the US alternative songs chart (Billboard). This was Green Day’s first single to top the
Modern Rock Chart in America. In 1995, Green Day received four Grammy Award nominations, including Best Hard Rock Performance for "Longview". The band won Best Alternative Music Performance for Dookie. Rolling Stones ranked it #3 on the list of Best Singles of 1994.

The song describes extreme boredom. Lyrically, the song is about a day spent sitting around the house, doing absolutely nothing, masturbating, and smoking marijuana until you become bored again. The song captured the attention of many youth at the time with its references to masturbation.
Mike Dirnt has revealed that the famous bass line intro to this song was written one night while he was high on LSD; “When Billie gave me a shuffle beat for Longview, I was frying on acid so hard. I was lying up against the wall with my bass lying on my lap. It just came to me.”

In an interview with Guitar Legends magazine 2005, Billie Joe states; "It's about boredom, and smoking dope."

Teenage years are supposedly the most reckless years of your life but at the same time, it can be quite dangerous if you fall into the clutches of boredom; believe me as a teenager I can relate to that. Longview, to me, represents how boredom can make even stupid things seem pretty sensible at the time and even if they’re not, you’re bored so you don’t give a shit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3Dsk2YGwE.

This is a live performance
of Green Day’s Longview from Bullet In A Bible and it has some Green Day moments
at the end

Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored I'm going blind
And I smell like shit

Peel me off this velcro seat and get me moving
I sure as hell can't do it by myself
I'm feeling like a dog in heat
Barred indoors from the summer street
I locked the door to my own cell
And I lost the key

I got no motiviation
Where is my motiviation?
No time for motiviation
Smoking my inspiration

Sit around and watch the phone, but no one's calling
Call me pathetic, call me what you will
My mother says to get a job
But she don't like the one she's got
When masturbation's lost its fun
You're fucking breaking

Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored
I'm going blind
And loneliness has to suffice
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Slipping away to Paradise
Some say, "Quit or I'll go blind"
But It's just a myth

[LazyPhil]

This is an anthem for every teen out there, how can you not relate to this?

[She is Amanda]

I missed these thanks for starting them up again

[Todd]

The music video was recorded January 1994

[musso_kn]

I love the contrast between the chilled out verse and the more energtic, rockier chorus.

I found the feelings of lethargy and boredom highly relatable a couple of years back when I was off school for three months following my exam and didn't know what to do with myself.

Plus it's kinda hilarious. The swearing and the wanking reference made me giggle with delight when I was a diddy little twelve year old. I haven't really grown up since

[moonflower93]

i love mike's bassline. and the story behind it. heheh but i simply adore the music video, and i can certainly relate to this song on some levels.

[LazyPhil]

That song is basically what happens when Mike does acid

[LisaBJA]

This is my favorite Green Day song ever

I love it so much

[HolidayContradiction]

Great OP Katie!

and for everyone else: the applications for American Eulogy is due by today. For info on how to apply, check out this post

[HerpDerp44]

Great OP Katie!

Thnx Marte

and for everyone else: the applications for American Eulogy is due by today. For info on how to apply, check out this post

[Cob]

Fuck I love this song. The energy, the musician ship, the lyrics/melody; it's all absolutely top notch. I love that last chorus especially

Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored
I'm going blind
And loneliness has to suffice
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Slipping away to Paradise
Some say, "Quit or I'll go blind"
But It's just a myth

[November's Storms]

*Green Day

[MaraGreenDay]

I love this song!!!!

[The Grohl]

I love this song, it's one of the first old school Green Day songs that heard when I got into them. Plus, I love the video with a young, cutie Billie. But I think the reason this song does so well is because it's so relatable. We've all been there at one point when we're just bored out of our skull with parents getting on our backs about being lazy. I say it's one of their best songs even.

[LazyPhil]

I love this song, it's one of the first old school Green Day songs that heard when I got into them. Plus, I love the video with a young, cutie Billie. But I think the reason this song does so well is because it's so relatable. We've all been there at one point when we're just bored out of our skull with parents getting on our backs about being lazy. I say it's one of their best songs even.

Yeah and most of all, we have ALL MASTURBATED

[The Grohl]

Yeah and most of all, we have ALL MASTURBATED

Indeed we have, sir.

[ThibautDookie]

The music video was recorded January 1994

Nice !

How do you know this ?

I wished that we knew the exact dates for each music video.

Awesome song, first song that got the attention of the whole planet.

Nice song and awesome video !

[Annie, get your gun]

I'm not so into this song like others, but I do relate to the part of being so fucking bored to the point you want to attack your couch with a knife.

[YoYoFantaFanta]

This is one of my top 10 favorite Green Day songs at #8. The only songs I like more from Dookie are Basket Case and Welcome to Paradise. The shuffle beat and the bass-only verses make this song already stand out on Dookie and that guitar part is so distorted and so awesome. Great song.

[JIGD13]

Green Day's first single should be one of their greatest songs

[Slave To The Network]

Don't think it was mentioned before, so I'll say that Longview was first performed in Longview, Washington and that's how they came up with the name! That's my state!

I've never been to Longview, though...

[Cath]

Don't think it was mentioned before, so I'll say that Longview was first performed in Longview, Washington and that's how they came up with the name! That's my state!

I've never been to Longview, though...

I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing.

Longview isn't part of my favorites songs from them but the bass is epic obviously.

[Mandy_PunkRock]

Great choice! Longview is such a great song! I love it because is a song that a lot of teenagers can relate too. I've been bored and lazy a lot of times. Also, it has one of my favourite basslines ever.

[may10]

Funny I was listening to Dookie as I was typing my essay and in the middle of longview Im like damn I havnt seen the music video in a loooong time so I took a break and watched it !!Now back to typiiiinnnggg

[Sarahnade]

I don't think there's a song out there that sums up boredom quite like Longview.