[CHEERING]
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
Now!
Now, now!
[PHONE] Hey! What's going on,
this is Billy Joe.
I'm at home, it's Friday, gonna
be in Los Angeles tomorrow
to start the album, so I'll see
you there!
Anyways John, gimme a call.
Here we go!
Well, we wrote a big chunk of
songs, and even throughout the
process of that we kinda knew
that we needed to raise the bar,
and it was just a matter of it
happening,
and when Billy wrote American
Idiot, it was like
"Wow, this far supersedes
everything we've been doing,
"this is the level we should be
writing towards."
And when we hit that, we
decided to not push ourselves
to write this thing too fast,
or anything like that,
kinda let it go, and it kinda
ended up getting
this serious arc to it, and
have all the energy,
and creativity and inspiration
that something like
either Dookie or Nimrod had for
us and so really, it was kinda
obvious
that this was what we needed to
be doing.
And that was the first day of
our recordings.
-On American Idiot, day one
-Day one!
-Is it time yet? Is it 12?
No not yet, it's only fuckin'
like 11 o'clock.
-It's almost papi's birthday.
-Oh, oh!
-No way! It's my birthday?!
-Almost, not yet.
32..
32, a virgin, never been kissed!
Man, I can't even believe that
you missed the fire.
-Thanks -Me and Trey sat there
and we looked at each other
like ready to record, I looked
at him, he looked at me,
I looked over and there was
like a tube of smoke
and it was just starting to
come up.
Billow, billow, billow, billow.
-Oh, so you guys set the fire?
No, no, no, no, we never set a
fire.
-Oh shit! Dude, electrical!
-Fire, fire!
-Fire extinguisher!
-It's in the wall, right here!
-Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!
It's our first day of recording.
It's the one that goes down in
the books!
Well, see you guys later, I'm
going back to the pool.
Nope, not today, not today.
-Print something before the
place burns down!
-Billy, what are they doing?
They are um.. testing out
different cabinet combinations.
-Why? -So we can get the very
best sound we possibly can out
of the guitar.
You know, it starts out with
American Idiot
and sort of broken off into 3
different sections.
And it follows this Jesus of
Suburbia character,
he gets pretty disenfranchised
with where he comes from
and you know, hates his town,
hates his family,
hates his friends, and he
leaves.
And then he ends up going to
the city.
Where he then starts dealing
with what true rebellion means.
Like these are just so beefy,
and then it goes into here
and somehow it kind of like
loses balls.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Fear Factor, who could take my
xylophone playing the longest?
-Oh, could you do a Sonic Youth
xylophone song?
Hold on, let me get the 2 notes
that don't go together the most.
# Everyone's so full of shit #
# Born and raised by hypocrites #
# Hearts recycled but never
saved #
# From the cradle to the grave #
# We are the kids of war and
peace #
# From Anaheim to the middle
east #
# We are the stories and
disciples #
# Of the Jesus of suburbia #
# Land of make believe #
Oh keep going.
Let's do I Don't Care If You
Don't Care real fast.
It's funny because we say
"opera"
"punk rock opera" people think
Pavarotti and they think
strings,
you know a lot of melodies, a
lot of singing,
all this other stuff, but
really it's just like playing..
it's almost like playing a
Ramones set. No breaks.
It's like shifting gears like 5
times,
and playing 5 different punk
rock songs.
-This is a rock opera, a rock
opera is..
-Why can't it be a punk rock
opera?
Punk rock.. well like.. punk
ropera, punk ro..
Punk ropera.. punk opera.
I just think when people hear
it,
and they're not.. don't really
know it
and they sit there expecting
like a Green Day record
they're gonna be like...
"What did I just hear?"
"Did I just hear what I think I
just heard?"
"Was that song.. How long was
that fuckin' song?"
-Or like "Does my stereo go any
louder?"
I hope so. I hope they fuckin'
love it.
Alright, from the top, ready!
# I'm the son of rage and love #
# The Jesus of Suburbia #
# From the bible of none of the
above #
# On a steady diet of #
# Soda pop and Ritalin #
# No one ever died for my sins
in hell #
# As far as I can tell #
# At least the ones I got away
with #
# And there's nothing wrong
with me #
# This is how I'm supposed to
be #
# In a land of make believe #
# That don't believe in me #
# Get my television fix #
# Sitting on my crucifix #
# The living room or my private
womb #
# While the Mom's and Brad's
are away #
# To fall in love and fall in
debt #
# To alcohol and cigarettes #
# And Mary Jane #
# To keep me insane #
# Doing someone else's cocaine #
# And there's nothing wrong
with me #
# This is how I'm supposed to
be #
# In a land of make believe #
# That don't believe in me #
# At the center of the Earth #
# In the parking lot #
# Of the 7-11 where I was
taught #
# The motto was just a lie #
# It says home is where your
heart is #
# But what a shame #
# 'Cause everyone's heart #
# Doesn't beat the same #
# It's beating out of time #
# City of the dead #
# At the end of another lost
highway #
# Signs misleading to nowhere #
# City of the damned #
# Lost children with dirty
faces today #
# No one really seems to care #
# I read the graffiti in the
bathroom stall #
# Like the holy scriptures of a
shopping mall #
# And so it seemed to confess #
# It didn't say much #
# But it only confirmed that #
# The center of the earth #
# Is the end of the world #
# And I could really care less #
# City of the dead #
# At the end of another lost
highway #
# Signs misleading to nowhere #
# City of the damned #
# Lost children with dirty
faces today #
# No one really seems to care #
# I don't care if you don't,
I don't care if you don't #
# I don't care
if you don't care #
# I don't care if you don't,
I don't care if you don't #
# I don't care
if you don't care #
# I don't care if you don't,
I don't care if you don't #
# I don't care
if you don't care #
# I don't care if you don't,
I don't care if you don't #
# I don't care
if you don't care #
# I don't care #
# Everyone is so full of shit #
# Born and raised by hypocrites #
# Hearts recycled but never
saved #
# From the cradle to the grave #
# We are the kids of war and
peace #
# From Anaheim to the middle
east #
# We are the stories and
disciples #
# Of the Jesus of Suburbia #
# Land of make believe #
# And it don't believe in me #
# Land of make believe #
# And it don't believe #
# And I don't care #
# I don't care #
# I don't care #
# I don't care #
# I don't care #
# Dearly beloved are you
listening? #
# I can't remember a word that
you were saying #
# Are we demented or am I
disturbed? #
# The space that's in between
insane and insecure #
# Oh, therapy, can you please
fill the void? #
# Am I retarded or am I just
overjoyed? #
# Nobody's perfect and I stand
accused #
# For lack of a better word,
and that's my best excuse #
# To live and not to breathe #
# Is to die in tragedy #
# To run, to run away #
# To find what you believe #
# And I leave behind #
# This hurricane of fucking
lies #
# I lost my faith to this #
# This town that don't exist #
# So I run, I run away #
# To the lights of masochists #
# And I leave behind #
# This hurricane of fucking
lies #
# And I walked this line #
# A million and one fucking
times #
# But not this time #
# I don't feel any shame,
I won't apologize #
# When there ain't nowhere
you can go #
# Running away from pain when
you've been victimized #
# Tales from another broken
home #
# You're leaving,
You're leaving #
# You're leaving #
# Ah you're leaving home #
Well that's one song. [LAUGHTER]
Tre's got the mallets out.
-It's week one, can you give me
a whole recap of what happened
this week?
In song?
# First we had a fire #
# Then ghosts knocked the
speaker down #
# Then I got a muffin for
breakfast #
# And I couldn't choke it down #
# Down, down #
# Then I woke up #
# And Kenny's nuts were in my
mouth #
# T-baggin' a dude #
# Who went to sleep with his
shoes on ain't right #
Look fellas, I broke my first
pedal.
Today.
Found a design flaw in the old
DW equipment.
..like if you're a kid and you
want to drink
it shouldn't be "Don't drink"
-Oh I know. -It should be
"Don't drink MY SHIT!"
-Yeah
-This is how they do it to kids,
they got to teach kids how to
drink responsibly.
Cause that's what they do in
Europe, you know?
They should do like "Ok, alright
"You need to drink water in
between if you're gonna drink
"Enjoy your buzz, don't get
just fuckin' shitfaced."
Right now I'm gonna teach kids
how to drink responsibly.
This goes to everyone from the..
what's the average age
where kids start to drink,
about 14?
-4th grade [LAUGHTER]
No, I mean like.. I'm gonna say
8th grade.
-7th -7th and 8th graders,
since you are gonna drink..
-Drink Guinness!
-This is what you do.
Ok, for those of you who want
to start with beer,
it's probably gonna taste a bit
nasty.
So, and don't worry about all
the kids
that are the jocks that are
sayin'
"Oh you pussy, you can't
fuckin' drink that much, haha"
You gotta drink one beer,
nurse it for a long time, enjoy
the flavor,
then drink some water,
make sure you buy
a 6 pack of water every time you
buy a 6 pack of beer, so water
per beverage.
-Or be near a sink so you can
drink the water out of it.
-It is, isn't it? -I wish I was
doing that, because
the first time I got wasted I
drank
18 cans of Stroh's. [LAUGHTER]
-I'll never forget it.
-Oh yeah you puke for a good 3
or 4 hours.
-Sroh's will make you puke
black!
-Oh yeah I was puking then I
started drinking again
and puking and I left a full
one..
here's my advice, before you
pass out
open one up and leave it in the
refrigerator
and the next morning it'll be
flat and really cold
so that'll get rid of your
hangover immediately
just.. gone. Oh yeah, it's
great.
-Thanks dad.
-So kids, when you get really
hungover
drink some more.
It gives Billy that medieval
look.
-Or that network look, stop it!
People are gonna figure it out.
What? My evil look?
-No, medieval -Medieval?
In the days of yore.
Ok, you wanna see my fuckin'
"I'm psycho" look?
Ok, you wanna see my "I wanna
fuckin' fuck you"
How about "It's a happy day
today"
-All your looks are the same!
Welcome back to part 5 of the
history of Green Day.
The year was 2004, the year of
the American Idiot, a
masterpiece.
Let's wake the boys up and ask
them a few questions, shall we?
Billy is it fair to say that
American Idiot was a concept
record?
Well, when Led Zeppelin did Dark
Side of the Moon,
I was just thinking, "We have
to be able to get
"on that level, something more
monumental"
-Tre, why don't you tell us
about the song Holiday?
Um..
Uh.. I dunno.
-Want another one? [LAUGHTER]
a different song? [LAUGHTER]
Shush!
Mike can you tell us about the
song Holiday?
Well.. [LAUGHTER]
-You're fired.
-It's a tough question.
-Do you guys have an aversion to
talking about the song Holiday
for some reason?
-No -No, not at all
-Well, why don't one of you
tell us about
September Song, it's a very
moving, very sad song.
Um, well Holiday.. [LAUGHTER]
That didn't work did it?
[LAUGHTER]
The Italian version. [LAUGHTER]
Triplets Rob, triplets!
Alright, let's go.
It's hard to go into new places,
just because you're so familiar
with
what you know in anything, if
you
get into what you don't know
then that's when things get
scary,
but exciting at the same time,
so I think any time you write a
song that's like..
You're nervous about, and
excited about at the same time,
I think you're on to something
new, pretty much.
Like the sound of Boulevard of
Broken Dreams.
# I walk a.. #
-It's too fast!
What's that?
-There's no way that changed,
unless that's digital..
-Yeah yeah.. -But he starts it
to it, it'll be ok.
Alright, turn it off.
# I walk a lonely road #
# The only one that I have ever
known #
# I walk this empty street #
# On the Boulevard of Broken
Dreams #
# Where the city sleeps #
# And I'm the only one and I
walk alone #
Turn the tremolo down a little
bit still, Bill.
# Walk alone #
# I walk alone, I walk a #
# My shadow's the only one that
walks beside me #
# My shallow heart's the only
thing that's beating #
# Sometimes I wish someone out
there will find me #
# 'Til then I walk alone #
# I'm walking down the line #
# That divides me somewhere in
my mind #
# On the border line #
# Of the edge and where I walk
alone #
# Read between the lines #
# Of what's fucked up and
everything's alright #
# Check my vital signs #
# To know I'm still alive and I
walk alone #
# I walk alone, I walk alone #
# I walk alone, I walk a #
# My shadow's the only one that
walks beside me #
# My shallow heart's the only
thing that's beating #
# Sometimes I wish someone out
there will find me #
# 'Til then I walk alone #
# I walk alone, I walk a #
[CHEERING]
We got it.
# I walk a #
# My shadow's the only one that
walks beside me #
# My shallow heart's the only
thing that's beating #
# Sometimes I wish someone out
there will find me #
# 'Til then I walk alone #
[CHEERING]
Alright.
The weather in the bay area
and every where up here is nice,
but once you get past June..
[FARTS]
it's a little bit rainy, up til
like
-maybe August, September
and then the rest, but basically
it hardly ever rains there.
[FARTS] And the weather's
almost perfect the whole year
round.
-Geez, I'm a little close, I
gotta climb outta this.
-Now that I did it again.. I
think it crashed your computer.
-The computer farted.
-I was swimming on the beach at
8 o'clock at night.
-You were swimming?
-Totally warm water.
-Wow, that's not a good look.
-Not a good smell, either.
-That actually smells pretty
good.
-I'll catch you on the rebound
on that one, man.
So guys, we need art.
That's what the world needs.
We're creating art, but we
can't do the kinda art we need.
But what are you.. ok what do
you want?
What are you looking for, what
are you seeing?
Well..
we got some books, I wanted
something that's
-gonna really fit. -Go nuts.
We need somebody who's as good
at art as we are at music.
To be working with us and
coordinating all of it.
And that doesn't sound like
that crazy of a thing to ask
for,
but it's pretty impossible,
because we're that good at
music!
[LAUGHTER] And modesty.
I mean when you think of
something like a concept record,
a punk rock concept record,
umm..
or like, you know, a rock opera
kinda stuff
you know what I mean..
You know I like certain bold
symbols,
like everybody.. I mean if you
know Jesus Christ Superstar
you know that's the symbol for
it.
-So iconic? -Iconic, yeah!
But what is.. ok do you have
the final title of the album?
-American Idiot -You could do a
picture of George Bush
and people would get pissed off
about the controversy..
-No, we.. nah -We like the fun
aspect of it, too
You don't wanna lose sense of
the humor in it too.
-And it's also self effacing to
a certain extent.
-Well it's a personal thing,
it's like, I know..
it's like I'm not just exposing
other people,
I'm exposing myself.
-Yeah, you're saying "I'm an
American Idiot
"we're all American Idiots" to
a certain extent, yes?
When do you think this album's
coming out?
Silence!
# Starry nights city lights
coming down over me #
# Skyscrapers and stargazers
in my head #
Well I think when it comes to
writing melody
we really like to write a
certain way.
But when it comes to uh.. we
like to write
what's fun to play for us.
But we really wanted to expand
on the structure,
just make each song maximum..
I dunno maximum Green Day,
maximum emotion.
Yeah that's wicked.
I think that politically in
this record
we don't really have an agenda,
we're just not saying, you know
"This politician's wrong, this
is wrong"
blah blah blah, it's saying
"You know, amongst all the
different medias
"and in today's society, right
now
"with all the media being
swayed one direction or the
other
"and all the information being
thrown at you
"and throw this war on top of
it..
"We've had enough" and we're
ready to say
"You know what, I feel confused
"and disenfranchised and you
know,
"as individuals we're losing
our individuality."
What do you think of this order,
it goes St. Jimmy..
[HUMMING MELODY]
-That's cool.
[MOUTHING DRUM SOUNDS]
-That works.
-It's either this one goes here,
or this one goes here.
I keep on hearing it coming out
of..
hearing Extraordinary Girl
coming out of Novocaine.
-Yeah -It sounds good.
Just makes a lot of sense to me,
you know?
Writing this record, it's like..
I kind of, the whole thing is
like
trying to get myself in a head
space of like
rocking out in front of the
mirror when I was like 14.
I like that pattern I play with
the drum..
[MIMICS DRUMS]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah..
Very Bonham.
We're gonna do St. Jimmy first,
we're just gonna.. it's..
he's gonna do St. Jimmy and then
I'm just gonna keep on going
after that.
# St. Jimmy's comin' down
across the alleyway #
# Up on the boulevard like a
zip gun on parade #
# Lights of a silhouette #
# He's insubordinate #
# Coming at you on the count of
1, 2 #
1, 2, 3, 4!
# My name is Jimmy and you
better not wear it out #
# Suicide commando that your
momma talked about #
# King of the forty thieves I'm
here to represent #
# That needle in the vein of
the establishment #
# I'm the patron saint of the
denial #
# With an angel face and a
taste for suicidal #
# Cigarettes and ramen and a
little bag of dope #
# I am the son of a bitch and
Edgar Allan Poe #
# Raised in the city in a halo
of lights #
# Product of war and fear that
we've been victimized #
# I'm the patron saint of the
denial #
# With an angel face and a
taste for suicidal #
# Are you talking to me? #
# I'll give you something to
cry about #
# St. Jimmy #
# My name is St. Jimmy, I'm a
son of a gun #
# I'm the one that's from the
way outside #
# I'm a teenage assassin
executing some fun #
# In the cult of the life of
crime #
# I really hate to say it but I
told you so #
# So shut your mouth before I
shoot you down ol' boy #
# Welcome to the club and give
me some blood #
# I'm the resident leader of
the lost and found #
# It's comedy and tragedy #
# It's St. Jimmy #
# And that's my name #
And don't wear it out!
[LAUGHTER]
It's like a little fuckin'
Broadway at the end there.
-Have you thought at all about
turning this
into some sort of theatrical
event or movie?
-No.
Is there such a thing as great
Broadway?
I don't think so! God I hope
not!
There was one journalist that
mentioned that
we were taking it to Broadway,
and it would be so
off-Broadway it would be like on
Serrano Avenue or something
like that.
I'd eventually like to see this
thing done on ice.
I'm ready to take that fuckin'
message board.
-Why, what're they saying now?
They're like "Oh I guess. Oh
God bongos!
"Maybe this.. can they actually
make a record worse than
Warning?"
"Why does Billy Joe play all
the nice guitars now..
"Professional guitars now" it's
like..
-Yeah and you're holding that
guitar.
I know, it's like "Fuck you"
"Dude, Kerplunk is the only
good record they ever made"
-Did you read that one too?
No they just say shit like that
all the time, you know
it's like "Their fuckin' new
stuff sucks
"I don't even know why I'm here
right now
-"And writing this"
-"And writing this"
-"And looking at all the
pictures.."
"By the way Draco rules!"
Seriously!
"Oh God fuckin' Warning fuckin'
sucked, man
"that record was fuckin'
terrible,
"but fuckin' Billy Joe is so
hot!"
-"Check out his ass" -Seriously!
It's like then you're like..
"What did I just read?"
"When they stay home they just
sit around and get fat"
"It's only when they're on tour
do they get skinny"
-That's classic
"They need to make a record
like Dookie again"
Sorry, I didn't mean to bring
the room down.
-No, no, that's funny.
"What's with Mike's mohawk?"
"He looks like an idiot"
[LAUGHTER]
-Yeah they said that.
-Oh that's funny!
"God, loose the bangs!"
"Mike looks like a stripper
now" [LAUGHTER]
See now you're paranoid, aren't
ya?
They get ya, don't they!? -Yeah!
Little pricks, they're like
gremlins.
The only thing I'd ever heard
was like a
slide guitar with lots reverb
on it.
It's like a Doors-ey, you know..
# Let's swim through the
moonlight #
Because it's got more of a woop-
woo, you know
it just kinda glides and spaces
out, you know.
Not like a.. let's not turn into
Robert Johnson or something.
-Right, right.
I gotta learn how to play slide.
-You know! -I'll figure it out.
OH YEAH! [LAUGHTER]
-It's good!
Do I smell something?..
Oh it's the fretboard.. smokey!
Alright, now what?
Let's listen to Novacaine.
Maybe we should have Mike stay
for one second,
grab Mike, tell him to stay, I
wanna listen to Novacaine.
# Take away the sensation
inside #
# Bittersweet migraine
in my head #
# It's like a throbbing
toothache of the mind #
# I can't take this feeling
anymore #
# Drain the pressure from the
swelling #
# This sensation's overwhelming #
# Give me a long kiss goodnight #
# And everything will be
alright #
# Tell me that I won't feel a
thing #
# So give me Novacaine #
-Hmm.. -What do you think?
-I love it.
Listen to it one more time.
# Drain the pressure from the
swelling #
# This sensation's overwhelming #
Rest on your laurels, you'll
never go anywhere,
like I always wanna.. I always
wanna be doing something.
I feel like I would be wasting
my time otherwise,
I find interest in what I do.
If you're fortunate in life
you'll enjoy what you do
and hopefully it's what you do
best.
And whether that's band
practice, or studio,
or soundcheck or whatever it is,
my life basically revolves
around music.
Everyone else? Well, you come
next.
You come second, and I'm sorry
about that,
but the people in our lives,
they understand that we run an
alternative lifestyle,
we have for a long time, and
we're
blessed to have them with us.
Again.
That's how you get your fuckin..
your fuckin' mojo in your
fuckin' bass.
When it cuts you, you fuckin'
rub it into the fretboard.
Trinkets, one of the other
benefits of fatherhood.
Trinkets, then you get art and
all this stuff,
kids give you art and you're
like
"It's not very good, but I'll
hang it up anyway I guess"
"Oh yeah, that's right, you're
fuckin' 4"
# Oh I come from Alabama with a
banjo on my knee #
Oh, wrong culture.
-Dude, open this fucker!
-There it is, ok?
Here, why don't we put it here.
-For inspiration. -Best
traditional gospel album 2003
Go Tell It on the Mountain!
The Blind Boys of Alabama, hey
that's cool!
I want this to.. Best Rock
Album of the year.
When I signed Green Day, there
were 10 people on the A&R staff,
ok?
10 fuckin' people. How many
people..
and I was low man on the totem
pole,
how many of those people wanted
me to sign Green Day?
-Probably 9 -4.
-Only 4? -So that's pretty high
actually, so..
-Only half -That's what you're
saying, right?
No, what I'm saying is that
nobody really knows, it's hard.
It seems obvious to sign Green
Day now, but back then..
-Well if 40% of the whole A&R
staff said
a band should be signed, isn't
that a good sign?
Cause everybody's guessing,
right? You know?
I'm just trying to tell you how
fuckin' hard..
like, it's not obvious who to
sign, and what to do,
and where to put your money if
you're a record company.
-Like for you to sign Green Day
would it have to be
a democracy? Did you have to
have votes?
No, thank God. But I'm telling
you
that's how it works though,
sometimes.
The great thing is this band
that
I was just trying to sign..
Here's how cuts work both ways.
I had support from my bosses
when I was trying to
sign Green Day and the Goo Goo
Dolls,
the Goo Goo Dolls by the way
only had 2 people
that wanted me to sign them, me
and my direct boss,
Michael Austin, everybody else
thought I was signing
"The poor man's Replacements"
that's was the quote!
"Why do you wanna sign the poor
man's Replacements?"
How about the quote for Green
Day.
"Um punk music was never really
that big,
"it didn't sell that many
records,
"why do you wanna sign a punk
band?"
How about that fuckin..
-So what'd you say?
I said "This is fuckin' cool"
That's what I said.
I said "This is cool" and you
know what,
I also said this, I said "I
think there's probably
"about 100,000 kids that'll get
this it'll be worth it."
"It's a small business deal,
but it'll be worth it."
# In olden days a glimpse of
stocking #
# Was looked on as something
shocking #
# Now everyone knows,
anything goes #
# Good authors too who once
knew better words #
# Now only use four letter
words #
# Writing prose, anything goes #
# The world has gone mad today #
# And good's bad today #
# And black's white today #
# And day's night today #
# And most guys today #
# That women prize today #
# Are just silly gigolos #
# So though I'm not a great
romancer #
# I know that you're bound to
answer #
# When I propose #
# Anything goes #
# If driving fast cars you like #
# If low bars you like #
# If old hymns you like #
# If bare limbs you like #
# If Mae West you like #
# Or me undressed you like #
# Well, nobody will oppose #
Adrian tried to get me a
college degree
because of my travels and
everything.
And they said "Hell no"
[LAUGHTER]
They tried to get me a, what do
you call it?
Like a doctorate in like music,
or I have no idea.
-Did you graduate from high
school? -Me?
-Yeah.. me neither.
That's probably why you didn't
get the college doctorate.
I guess there's some
stipulation.
We left for tour the day after
Mike graduated from high school.
-Really? -Yep, talk about a
waste of 6 months
We should've left 6 months
earlier.
Whassup!?
[PLAYS MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC]
[PERSIAN ACCENT]
# My fair lady #
You all know the words!
I wrote it, goddammit in the
public domain.
That's my name is Public Domain,
don't you understand?!
It really fucked me.
-What's that? -Let's try it
again from the same spot.
1,2,3!
# She's an Extraordinary girl #
# In an ordinary world #
# And she can't seem to get
away #
# He lacks the courage in his
mind #
# Like a child left behind #
# Like a pet left in the rain #
# She's all alone again #
# Wiping the tears from her
eyes #
# Some days he feels like dying #
# She gets so sick of crying #
[WIND NOISES]
You know I think for a lot of
people
when they're younger, you know,
it's like people are so driven
on these
certain Freudian impulses or
whatever.
So especially young males,
where they lash out
and it becomes something that's
about
their parents, or their fathers,
or something like that.
I think ultimately when you
become a man
you sort of have to face those
dangers
a little bit more, I mean you
don't
have to get rid of the danger,
but I think
what the exciting thing about
getting older
is that for the first time,
you're confronting that danger
and that's kind what the album's
really kinda turning into.
Alright, ready?
# Words get trapped in my mind #
# Sorry I don't take the time
to feel the way I do #
# 'Cause the first day you came
into my life #
# My time ticks around you #
# But then I need your voice #
# As the key to unlock #
# All the love that's trapped
in me #
# So tell me when it's time #
# To say I love you #
# All I want is you to
understand #
# That when I take your hand #
# It's 'cause I want to #
# We are all born in a world of
doubt #
# But there's no doubt #
# I figured out #
# I love you #
# And I feel lonely for #
# All the losers that will
never take the time to say #
# What was really on
their mind instead #
# They just hide away #
# Yet they'll never have #
# Someone like you
to guard them #
# And help along the way #
# Or tell them when it's time #
# To say "I love you" #
# So tell me when it's time #
# To say "I love you" #
Wow, that's great.
-You like it?
-Yeah, it's awesome.
Yeah
I'm glad that we have it 'cause
it might just push something
over the edge
in a place. It might fit, it
might not fit,
but that emotion's so good.
And I like how it's so directed.
Um I don't know how important
it is for people, cause some
people
just seriously like to listen to
the music.
But good lyrics have always
been important to me.
You know, especially when, you
know
it's like when somebody gets it
and you're like
"Ahh, that's cool"
Should I just go in and record
this real fast?
-Yeah, you could, then we could
just place it
wherever you want it to start.
-Yeah, I could just play it
over, and over, and over again.
-Yeah, we'll just place it..
Hey can you hear me?
-Yes! -Hi!
-Oh my God, the magic of
technology!
-It sounds really, really good.
-Ok, let me try it a couple
times
then you can tell me what to do.
What to change.
-Ok, do it as many times as you
want.
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
# They're all out without you #
# Having fun #
It's really good.
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
# They're all out without you #
# Having fun #
I'm bored now, can you comp it?
[LAUGHING] Yeah, no problem.
-Well good luck with your
record.
[CHEERING]
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
# They're all out without you #
# Having fun #
[CHEERING]
# Where have all the
bastards gone? #
# The underbelly stacks
up ten high #
# The dummy failed the crash
test #
# Collecting unemployment
checks #
# Like a flunkie along for the
ride #
# Where have all the riots gone #
# As the city's motto gets
pulverized? #
# What's in love is now in debt #
# On your birth certificate #
# So strike the fucking match
to light this fuse #
# The town bishop is an
extortionist #
# And he don't even know that
you exist #
# Standing still when it's do
or die #
# You better run for your
fucking life #
# It's not over 'till you're
underground #
# It's not over before
it's too late #
# This city's burnin' #
# It's not my burden #
# It's not over before
it's too late #
# There's nothing left to
analyze #
# Where will all the martyrs go #
# When the virus cures itself? #
# And where will we all go when
it's too late? #
# Don't look back #
# You're not the Jesus of
Suburbia #
# The St. Jimmy is a figment of #
# Your father's rage and your
mother's love #
# Made me the idiot America #
# It's not over 'till you're
underground #
# It's not over before
it's too late #
# This city's burnin' #
# It's not my burden #
# It's not over before
it's too late #
# She said I can't take
this place #
# I'm leaving it behind #
# Well she said I can't take
this town #
# I'm leaving you tonight #
[CHEERING]
Yeah baby!
Tune it up real quick,
make it sweet.
Ah this is fun.
This guitar's gonna come in.
-Sounds good. -Nice.
Is this a power ballad?
[LAUGHTER]
You know I can ruin a good time
real fast
anytime you want me to.
I'm just checking the sound,
just play a little real quick.
[GERMAN ACCENT] I'm from
Germany and I live here
in United States, I'm
tambourine artist
in Hollywood Studios as you can
see
they call me Captain Hey..
on account of I'm also brought
in the studio
to say "Hey" on records.
And to hit the tambourine in a
certain way
-What records have you done
"Hey" on?
Perhaps you've heard the
Outkast "Hey Ya"
every time is says "Hey" it's
Captain Hey
that's me..
unsung hero.
But I don't really like to..
It's part of my gig, is to not
to..
-Hey is the only thing you do?
No it's not to be appreciated,
it's like giving to charity,
you know?
You don't do it for the credit.
You do it for the satisfaction
of fixing people's records.
Mix em'!
Play! Play!
Like I play my harem, a little
bit of caucasian,
a little bit of black, a little
bit of persian.
Can you send a runner, Jimmy,
to get a 50 pound bag of
magnesium sulfite?
[LAUGHTER]
YEAH!
Hey can you please mute that?
YEAH!
-Hey could you please mute that?
YEAH!
[LAUGHTER]
-Hey can we get Zach to bring
his percussion box down?
[LISPY VOICE]-Bring his box
down.. tell Zach to bring his
perc box.
[LAUGHTER]
His big UUUNNGHH!
Oooh oooh!
YEAH MAN!
Oh no, wait a minute I don't
this this is such a good idea
OOOooooh!
[LAUGHTER]
-I don't think this is such a
good idea, is that what you
said?
I don't think this is such a
good OOOooooh!
-Do the second block, start
with the second block
-Starting with the second block.
-So you want me to use the
whole.. -Use all that.
From in the chorus, from the
chorus
to where you stopped, right?
I didn't realize how little I
play in this song.
-But you got a great moment.
-Oh yeah!
Oh no, it's key, it's probably
the best moment in the song,
actually.
[LAUGHTER]
Don't think I don't think that
about every song anyway.
No, it's badass.
It's just structurally..
-That song's kicking my ass.
-I like it a lot.
-Me too, I love it.
Yeah.. it's about time you
wrote this one.
# Summer has come and passed #
# The innocent can never last #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Like my fathers come to pass #
# Seven years has gone so fast #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Here comes the rain again #
# Falling from the stars #
# Drenched in my pain again #
# Becoming who we are #
# As my memory rests #
# But never forgets what I lost #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
[CHEERING]
# Summer has come and passed #
# The innocent can never last #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Ring out the bells again #
# Like we did when spring began #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Here comes the rain again #
# Falling from the stars #
# Drenched in my pain again #
# Becoming who we are #
# As my memory rests #
# But never forgets what I lost #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
[CHEERING]
# Summer has come and passed #
# The innocent can never last #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Like my fathers come to pass #
# Twenty years has gone so fast #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
# Wake me up when September
ends #
Take him to the corner!
[COMMOTION AND LAUGHTER]
I love every minute of it!
[LAUGHTER]
I never purposely write the sad
songs,
or anything like that, I think
it's more..
It's just more natural it comes
out
and you know, but at the same
time
I think there's something, like
when you write something that's
a sad song
I think we have, the way our
music is,
it becomes uplifting sometimes.
[LAUGHTER]
I gotcha.
No problem! YEAH!
-Wait, where's that sampling
keyboard?
YEAH!
Yeah, there you go!
[REPLAYS YEAH IN
DIFFERENT TONALITIES]
Sounds like a cow.
[YEAH, YEAH, YEAH]
[LAUGHTER]
See, I don't even have to do it
anymore
I could just say something, and
Just be like.. [YEEEAAAAAHHHH]
[YEEAAAH]
[LAUGHTER]
Mmhmm..
You know what's good about
being, like
remember when I told you about
doing
some kind of acapella intro to
um..
to right before the Death of St.
Jimmy?
-Oh yeah.
I have this one song that I
only like
the beginning part of it.
It's that one that
# My heart is beat.. #
# My heart is beating from me #
# I'm standing all alone #
# Please call me only if you
are coming home #
# Waste another year flies by #
# Waste a night or two #
# You taught me how to live #
I came into the studio one day,
nobody was around so I decided
to write this 30 second song.
And everyone came back to the
studio
and Billy heard it and was like
"Oh that sounds great, I wanna
do one!"
so then he connected one to it.
Threw the ball to Tre, Tre
connected one,
and through the course of like
a week
it ended up being this 10 and a
half minute thing
which most of it ended up
becoming Homecoming on the
record.
# ..seeds of the last of the
dope #
# There's a glow of light #
# The St. Jimmy is the spark in
the night #
# Bearing gifts and trust #
# The fixture in the city of
lust #
# What the hells your name #
# What's your pleasure and
what's your pain? #
# Do you dream too much? #
# Do you think what you need is
a crutch? #
# In the crowd of pain #
# St. Jimmy comes without any
shame #
# He says "We're fucked up",
but we're not the same #
# And mom and dad are the ones
you can blame #
" Jimmy died today #
# He blew his brains out into
the bay #
# In the state of mind #
# That's my own private suicide #
# And nobody cares,
and nobody cares #
# Does anyone care if
nobody cares? #
# And nobody cares,
and nobody cares #
# Does anyone care if
nobody cares? #
# Jesus is filling out
paperwork now #
# At the facility on
east 12th street #
# He's not listening
to a word now #
# He's in his own world #
# And he's daydreaming #
# He'd rather be doing
something else now #
# Like cigarettes and coffee
with the underbelly #
# His life's on the line with
anxiety now #
# And she had enough, and he
had plenty #
# Somebody get me out of here #
# Anybody get me out of here #
# Somebody get me out of here #
# Get me the fuck
right out of here #
# So far away #
# I don't want to stay #
# Get me outta here right now #
# I just wanna be free #
# Is there a possibility #
# Get me out of here right now #
# This life like dream
ain't for me #
# 3,4! #
# I fell asleep while
watching Spike TV #
# After 10 cups of coffee #
# And you're still not here #
# Dreaming of a song #
# When something went wrong #
# But I can't tell anyone #
# 'Cause no one's here #
# Left me here alone #
# When I should have stayed
home #
# After 10 cups of coffee #
# I'm thinking #
# Where'd you go? #
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
# They're all out without you #
# Havin' fun #
# Everyone left you #
# Nobody likes you #
# They're all out without you #
# Havin' fun #
# Where'd you go? #
# I got a rock and roll band #
# I got a rock and roll life #
# I got a rock and roll
girlfriend #
# And another ex-wife #
# I got a rock and roll house #
# I got a rock and roll car #
# I play the shit out the drums #
# And I can play the guitar #
# I got a kid in New York #
# I got a kid in the Bay #
# I haven't drank or smoked
nothin' #
# In over 22 days #
# So get off of my case #
# Off of my case #
# Hey! #
# Here they come marching down
the street #
# Like a desperation murmur of
a heart beat #
# Coming back from the edge of
town #
# Underneath their feet #
# The time has come and it's
going nowhere #
# Nobody ever said that life
was fair now #
# Go-carts and guns are
treasures they will bear #
# In the summer heat #
# The world is spinning around
and around #
# Out of control again #
# From the 7-11 to the fear of
breaking down #
# So send my love a letterbomb #
# And visit me in hell #
# We're the ones going #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# I started fuckin' running #
# As soon as my feet touch
ground #
# We're back in the barrio #
# But to you and me, it's
Hollywoodtown #
# It's home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Home #
# We're coming home again #
# Nobody likes you #
# Everyone left you #
# They're all out without you #
# Having fun #
Yeah!
-It might work.
-Yeah, let's do it.
-Mkay -You wanna do it acapella?
No, I think with one guitar,
or just one electric, just
something like ratty.
-Wanna record it?
-Don't have to do it now
we can do it next week.
Well I think the world is a
teeter-totter
and in some places things get
better
and in some places things get
worse
but I think politically in this
record
we don't really have an agenda
we're just trying to.. the song
American Idiot
isn't saying, you know "This
politician's wrong
"This is wrong, blah blah blah"
it's saying, as far as this
record's going
it's an agenda.. it's not a
personal agenda
it's like "I wanna think for
myself"
and that's all it's saying,
it's raising a discussion.
What the hell am I gonna do
with myself when I go home?
I can't do it now, so..
[COMMOTION]
you gotta do it 3 times..
[COMMOTION]
break a speaker, man.
I got drunk, I didn't mean to.
[LAUGHTER]
-It's Margie's fault.
-Yeah, she was just fuckin..
-Free booze! -Who's fault?
The hostess, she just kept
fillin' our drinks up all night.
Hearing it a little outta tune
makes me wanna go to other
notes.
-Turn the monitors off then
-Maybe Tre needs to walk around
the building?
No, I just need to have you
guys all shut up and let me
play.
So the very first part where I
come in
I wanna try and get one more
without it..
# Thought I ran into you down
on the street #
# Then it turned out to only be
a dream #
# I made a point to burn all of
the photographs #
# She went away and then I took
a different path #
# I remember the face but I
can't recall the name #
# Now I wonder how whatsername
has been #
# Seems that she disappeared
without a trace #
# Did she ever marry old what's
his face? #
# I made a point to burn all of
the photographs #
# She went away and then I took
a different path #
# I remember the face but I
can't recall the name #
# Now I wonder how whatsername
has been #
# Remember, whatever #
# It seems like forever ago #
# Remember, whatever #
# It seems like forever ago #
# The regrets are useless #
# In my mind #
# She's in my head #
# I must confess #
# The regrets are useless #
# In my mind #
# She's in my head #
# From so long ago #
# Go, go, go, go #
# And in the darkest night #
# If my memory serves me right #
# I'll never turn back time #
# Forgetting you, but not the
time #
That's fuckin' good.
I don't even know how to judge
this fuckin' record.
I don't even know, I have no
clue.
People that.. like that lady
was like
"So, do think of this as your
comeback record?"
I dunno, I think it was like,
as far as making a record,
I think it was the best time
we've ever had.
In lots of ways because I just
felt like
with all the people that were
around,
our friends that were around
it's the first time in a long
time we felt
like we were making a record
that sort of
felt like a scene of people,
you know?
It was just.. so there's that
great thing
that you feel, but there's also
that sadness
where you're like, "Wow, I'm
never gonna
"make this record again," you
know,
so it's, you know you kinda
look back
and you kinda remember, like
there's certain scenes
here and there from looking at
the footage
and you're going "Oh I remember
what we did that night"
after, you know "Oh that was a
great day!"
you know, and you kinda just go
"Awe"
so it kinda makes to feel uh..
sad.
Bye John! Alright?
See you later.
# Don't wanna be an American
idiot #
# Don't want a nation under the
new mania #
# And can you hear the sound of
hysteria? #
# The subliminal mind fuck
America #
# Welcome to a new kind of
tension #
# All across the alienation #
# Where everything isn't meant
to be okay #
# Television dreams of tomorrow #
# We're not the ones who're
meant to follow #
# For that's enough to argue #
# Well maybe I'm the faggot
America #
# I'm not a part of a redneck
agenda #
# Now everybody do the
propaganda #
# And sing along to the
age of paranoia #
# Welcome to a new kind of
tension #
# All across the alienation #
# Where everything isn't meant
to be okay #
# Television dreams of tomorrow #
# We're not the ones who're
meant to follow #
# For that's enough to argue #
Welcome to Green Day presents
American Idiot!
# Don't want to be an American
idiot #
# One nation controlled by the
media #
# Information age of hysteria #
# It's calling out to idiot
America #
# Welcome to a new kind of
tension #
# All across the alienation #
# Where everything isn't meant
to be okay #
# Television dreams of tomorrow #
# We're not the ones who're
meant to follow #
# For that's enough to argue #
[CHEERING]
I'm a good lookin' hand.
Mmhmm.
Yeaaah.
Hey John, run the fuckin'
credits.
Oh I know him.
Oh he's cool, he's cool.
You caught me messin' with my
hair.