Story/Meaning Behind "Stray Heart"

[Clean Cut Asshole]

Yea, sure.

Meaning is: One time, Billie and Tre had really bad sex. And Adrienne said to Billlie; Billie, no more sex with Tre. Hold your penis and never let it go.

And that's how stray heart was written.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

You realize it was a joke, right?

[idc]

We all know Billie wrote the song about Sven

Better love story than twilight <3

The one that got away

omg Sven I'm so sorry....not sorry.

OMFG FRAN I just ... WTF <3 XDDD

[Hermione]

Well, speculating that he did is a pretty fair assumption considering the lyrics of this song. You cannot deny that. Though, it's none of our business, he made it public by releasing a song about it.

Not really. Songs are songs, not essays about real life. Just because someone writes a song about something it doesn't mean they're inviting people to assume that everything in it is literal and really happened to them. Writing Baby Eyes wasn't an invitation for fans to speculate that he's a murderer, writing Having A Blast wasn't an invitation to speculate that he's a wannabe suicide bomber. Stray Heart is no different, just because a songwriter bases a song on real thoughts and feelings it doesn't mean they're basing it on something that really happened. Interpreting what the lyrics of a song might mean, and just taking them literally and making assumptions about the writer's life based on them, are two different things. Just because Billie says they're truthful it doesn't mean they're literal, truth in songs can be true feelings/ideas/imagination not just writing down facts. Billie himself has stated that the lyrics about having flings on the albums are just fantasy...I don't think he could've made it any clearer really!

The way I see it looking for the meaning in songs is great, it can make the song even more enjoyable or meaningful or interesting. But trying to guess whether what's described in the song is something that really happened in the writer's private life is something else. It doesn't bring any more meaning to the song lyrics, it's just nosy. And pointless too, since there's no way of knowing whether any of the guesses are correct or not. I don't see any point in speculating about that.

[Heather.]

Not really. Songs are songs, not essays about real life. Just because someone writes a song about something it doesn't mean they're inviting people to assume that everything in it is literal and really happened to them. Writing Baby Eyes wasn't an invitation for fans to speculate that he's a murderer, writing Having A Blast wasn't an invitation to speculate that he's a wannabe suicide bomber. Stray Heart is no different, just because a songwriter bases a song on real thoughts and feelings it doesn't mean they're basing it on something that really happened. Interpreting what the lyrics of a song might mean, and just taking them literally and making assumptions about the writer's life based on them, are two different things. Just because Billie says they're truthful it doesn't mean they're literal, truth in songs can be true feelings/ideas/imagination not just writing down facts. Billie himself has stated that the lyrics about having flings on the albums are just fantasy...I don't think he could've made it any clearer really!

The way I see it looking for the meaning in songs is great, it can make the song even more enjoyable or meaningful or interesting. But trying to guess whether what's described in the song is something that really happened in the writer's private life is something else. It doesn't bring any more meaning to the song lyrics, it's just nosy. And pointless too, since there's no way of knowing whether any of the guesses are correct or not. I don't see any point in speculating about that.

Do you have his exact quote about the fling songs being fantasy? I think that could help this discussion a lot

[Hermione]

Do you have his exact quote about the fling songs being fantasy? I think that could help this discussion a lot

This is all I can find at this moment (have to get off the computer in like 2 minutes), it was translated from a German interview by someone on here so it's obviously not his exact words, but you can get the idea:

Billie, what does your wife say about songs like "Nightlife"? I mean, you describe

in that songs your fantasie about getting seduced from a stranger.

She thinks it cool. She says, I'm sounding young and fresh..just like how I am.

And "Nightlife" doesn't only describe the thing with girls, it's about stuff like

drugs, alcohol and bad influence.

Is it easy to seduce you?

In this song, I just show my fantasies. My home, my family is a safe place for me.

I would never risk to lose it. I live in a beatiful realationship with my wife

and that since 18 years. But as a musican, you need to think different. There

are things I wanna drink, thinks I wanna take and people I wanna look at. And my

wife bans stuff like that. Beeing a healthy person, a good husband, a good father

and to have fun in your job. That's the challenge I accepted.

I'm sure there was another interview where he said something else along those lines as well though, can anyone help?

[Heather.]

This is all I can find at this moment (have to get off the computer in like 2 minutes), it was translated from a German interview by someone on here so it's obviously not his exact words, but you can get the idea:

Billie, what does your wife say about songs like "Nightlife"? I mean, you describe

in that songs your fantasie about getting seduced from a stranger.

She thinks it cool. She says, I'm sounding young and fresh..just like how I am.

And "Nightlife" doesn't only describe the thing with girls, it's about stuff like

drugs, alcohol and bad influence.

Is it easy to seduce you?

In this song, I just show my fantasies. My home, my family is a safe place for me.

I would never risk to lose it. I live in a beatiful realationship with my wife

and that since 18 years. But as a musican, you need to think different. There

are things I wanna drink, thinks I wanna take and people I wanna look at. And my

wife bans stuff like that. Beeing a healthy person, a good husband, a good father

and to have fun in your job. That's the challenge I accepted.

I'm sure there was another interview where he said something else along those lines as well though, can anyone help?

Thanks, I remember this! http://www.greendaycommunity.org/topic/90975-green-day-in-german-magazin-piranha/

Perhaps someone can do a better translation.

Obviously he was only talking about Nightlife in the first question, and one would assume he wouldn't just freely admit in an interview that Stray Heart is a true story, but the second response clears that up. It makes it seem like if Stray Heart WERE a true story, it happened a long time ago, ya know?

[Sarcasm]

I think it's silly to assume the Billie/Adie/Cobra threesome drama because she performed with him Hayley Williams didn't fuck her entire band

[Guest]

Hayley Williams didn't fuck her entire band

PROVE IT

[Sarcasm]

PROVE IT

Well this is her tattoo....

Also listen to her song writing.

[Guest]

Well this is her tattoo....

Also listen to her song writing.

Just coz someone has a cross tattoo doesn't make them some sort of sexually repressed bible basher

[musso_kn]

Well this is her tattoo....

Being religious never stopped anyone from having 'sinful' relations. Just ask the Pope.

[Heather.]

LOL Billie Joe has a cross tattooed on his hand and that man is sexual expression incarnate.

[laurie_black]

Thanks, I remember this! http://www.greendaycommunity.org/topic/90975-green-day-in-german-magazin-piranha/

Perhaps someone can do a better translation.

Obviously he was only talking about Nightlife in the first question, and one would assume he wouldn't just freely admit in an interview that Stray Heart is a true story, but the second response clears that up. It makes it seem like if Stray Heart WERE a true story, it happened a long time ago, ya know?

I thought that was actually a pretty good translation. I gave it a try as well:

Billie, what does your wife say about a song like „Nightlife“, in which you fantasize about being seduced by a stranger?

Billie: She likes the song. She says I sound young and fresh, just how I am. Contentwise it goes beyond the thing with women, it’s about seduction, no matter whether it’s drugs, alcohol or other bad influences.

Are you immune against such seductions?

Billie: In this song I live out my wild fantasies. My home, my family is a very secure, stable place for me. I would never jeopardize that. I have a wonderful relationship with my wife, we are as firmly together as is possible. And that since 18 years.

But as an artist, I have to look beyond that. There are things I like to drink, things I like to take or would like to take and people I like to look at. And there are things and people that my wife doesn't allow me to touch (laughs). Staying a healthy person, having a good relationship, being a good father and having fun in your job and life, that’s the challenge I have to face.

The interview can also be found online: http://piranha.tv/green-day-uno-dos-tre/2012/12/03/ (in German, of course, but it's easier to read for anyone who wants to read the original). They also remark how they didn't notice anything was wrong with him (regarding his substance abuse problems) and that he was very eloquent and composed during the interview, which is nice to hear.

[Hero_Of_The_Hour]

I thought that was actually a pretty good translation. I gave it a try as well:

Billie, what does your wife say about a song like Nightlife, in which you fantasize about being seduced by a stranger?

Billie: She likes the song. She says I sound young and fresh, just how I am. Contentwise it goes beyond the thing with women, its about seduction, no matter whether its drugs, alcohol or other bad influences.

Are you immune against such seductions?

Billie: In this song I live out my wild fantasies. My home, my family is a very secure, stable place for me. I would never jeopardize that. I have a wonderful relationship with my wife, we are as firmly together as is possible. And that since 18 years.

But as an artist, I have to look beyond that. There are things I like to drink, things I like to take or would like to take and people I like to look at. And there are things and people that my wife doesn't allow me to touch (laughs). Staying a healthy person, having a good relationship, being a good father and having fun in your job and life, thats the challenge I have to face.

The interview can also be found online: http://piranha.tv/green-day-uno-dos-tre/2012/12/03/ (in German, of course, but it's easier to read for anyone who wants to read the original). They also remark how they didn't notice anything was wrong with him (regarding his substance abuse problems) and that he was very eloquent and composed during the interview, which is nice to hear.

Well not to sound like a dick but since Billie was in fact doing pills and drinking during the time this interview was actually done & later told Rolling Stone Adrienne considered leaving him then he actually was jeopardizing his family with his behaviour and therefore the above interview isn't really truthfull is it? As much as we may wish it to be it really wasn't all perfect...obviously. So who knows what other aspects of his life he slightly whitewashed in interviews...just saying.

[Sarcasm]

Being religious never stopped anyone from having 'sinful' relations. Just ask the Pope.

she just didn't strike me as the type that's all. Nora is Christian, I know it doesn't matter.

[lizziebix]

Maybe Billie was "cheating" on Adrienne with drugs and alcohol instead of another person?

[MaraGreenDay]

Maybe Billie was "cheating" on Adrienne with drugs and alcohol instead of another person?

I thought about that too...

[JIGD13]

Maybe it was a flashback song, maybe when Billie and Adrienne just met

[Sarcasm]

Maybe Billie was "cheating" on Adrienne with drugs and alcohol instead of another person?

mind blown

[Dirty Rotten Bastard]

OMFG FRAN I just ... WTF <3 XDDD

It's a true story <3

[laurie_black]

Well not to sound like a dick but since Billie was in fact doing pills and drinking during the time this interview was actually done & later told Rolling Stone Adrienne considered leaving him then he actually was jeopardizing

his family with his behaviour and therefore the above interview isn't really truthfull is it? As much as we may wish it to be it really wasn't all perfect...obviously. So who knows what other aspects of his life he slightly whitewashed in interviews...just saying.

Seriously, if we start questioning what he says in interviews, we have nothing to go by any more. By the way, he wasn't exactly lying or whitewashing anything because he wasn't aware he had a serious problem. If he couldn't admit it to himself, he couldn't confess it in an interview. He didn't exactly want to jeopardize his family, in the very same interview you mention he says himself that he didn't realise how destructive he was and that it might even have crossed Adrienne's mind to leave him. So apparently, that was not discussed between them, he just assumed it because he recognised how destructive he was - in retrospect, though. So there wasn't any real dishonesty there.

[Fuzz]

Well not to sound like a dick but since Billie was in fact doing pills and drinking during the time this interview was actually done & later told Rolling Stone Adrienne considered leaving him then he actually was jeopardizing his family with his behaviour and therefore the above interview isn't really truthfull is it? As much as we may wish it to be it really wasn't all perfect...obviously. So who knows what other aspects of his life he slightly whitewashed in interviews...just saying.

Well, I disagree. I mean he flat out says he likes to drink and take drugs.

"There are things I like to drink, things I like to take or would like to take and people I like to look at. "

To me, that doesn't mean "there are things I would like to do, but I don't", bur rather "there are things I do already, and more things I would like to do that I don't".

Maybe Billie was "cheating" on Adrienne with drugs and alcohol instead of another person?

I've thought about that before, and that's been part of my own interpretation. It makes a lot of sense.

[Jollyroger118]

While obviously I'm not sure if Billie cheated on Adrienne I don't think it's far fetched. But before DOS was released when they would play Stray Heart the lines were "Were not alone oh oh and I'm where I belong, *Without A Home* oh oh..." I think that line shows it's a song to Adie and the reason he changed it is because he didn't want her to feel like she wasn't his home and family. Being on tour for half his life I'm sure he gets lonely and god knows there's a million girls ready to sleep with him. I have no idea if he does but I think this song explores those themes and how lonely it can be always being away from home.

[Hermione]

Thanks, I remember this! http://www.greendaycommunity.org/topic/90975-green-day-in-german-magazin-piranha/

Perhaps someone can do a better translation.

Obviously he was only talking about Nightlife in the first question, and one would assume he wouldn't just freely admit in an interview that Stray Heart is a true story, but the second response clears that up. It makes it seem like if Stray Heart WERE a true story, it happened a long time ago, ya know?

Yeah I agree. He must've had a fair few girlfriends in the past so he may well have had a memory of cheating when he was younger on his mind while writing the song. No way of knowing if that's the case or not of course but it certainly seems more plausible. Could even just be about thinking about cheating (either now or in the past) though. The topic of temptation comes up a lot on the album, from the lyrics and his comments in that interview it seems like maybe since he was writing about temptation he went ahead with it and wrote about what happens when you give into it. Kind of the underlying theme of Dos I think, feeling temptation, giving into it, and the consequences and regrets afterwards.

[Sanity Loan]

Maybe Billie was "cheating" on Adrienne with drugs and alcohol instead of another person?

Ohhh nice thought. Falls in the same vein as Restless Heart Syndrome. And, with the storyline of the musical, Last Night on Earth.