Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of your Life) Song Meanings
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Lyrics:
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ...
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Good Riddance Time Of Your Life Lyrics on KOvideo
 Top Rated Interpretation
anonymous
September 11th, 2006 09:53PM
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This song is really easy to figure out and no it isn't about suicide. I'll give it to you piece by piece.
-another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
a turning point is choices and a fork stuck in the road means that it is a dificult decision to make. Like his girl friend moving away
-time grabs you by the wrist directs you where to go
time passes by no matter what and you have to go along with it
-so make the best of this test and don't ask why
the test is your life. Don't ask why means just live your ife.
-it's not a question but a lesson learned in time
you learn from the things that happen in your life
-it's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right
you don't know whats going to happen, but things happen for a reason
-i hope you have the time of your life
means what it means
-so take the photographs a still frames in your mind
keep the memories
-hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
keep the memories safe untill you are able to look back at them when you are not hurting any more
-tatoos of memories and dead skin on trail
with tatoos you keep the memories with you and leave them behind
-for what it's worth it was worth all the wild
if it was worth anything at all it was worth doing
and it just repeads after that you know how it goes.
He is trying to look back at the times he had with his girl friend and be happy but it's still really hard.
username
July 10th, 2005 10:13AM
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Billie Armstrong wrote this for his ex-girlfriend who was moving out of the country. He titled it good riddance to show his anger. It's about just living life and not questioning it. "It's not a question but a lesson learnin' time...)
This song was featured on the Seinfeld series finale right before the cast took their final bow. (sob....)
anonymous
July 12th, 2005 11:44AM
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Billie Joe Armstrong wrote this song about a girlfriend who was moving away. He said "You try to be objective, but I couldn't completely, so that's why I named it Good Riddance" (not sure if that's the actual quote please don't all sue me).
anonymous
September 15th, 2005 02:01PM
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This song is about Billie Joe trying not to be bitter after his girlfriend decided to move to Ecuador...even thought it sorta came out that way anyway
He said that he didnt just name the song "Time of Your Life" because it would be "too level-headed" for him
This was actually the numer one wedding song of 1997 (the year it was released) eventhough it is a break up song. It did however, mark a step up in Billie's song writing...a step so big that it was not to be taken again until "Wake Me Up When September Ends" on American Idiot
Madrox_wicked_clown
October 14th, 2005 04:21PM
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See, the reason why I love this song so much is because it can have multiple meanings. Even though Billy Joe wrote this for a particular person, you can take these lyrics and apply them to just about any situation. "
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go."
" (breaking up due to moving...ETC)
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life." (Death, Breaking up, moving, dipression, or anything that you are going through when you listen to this song)
"I hope you had the time of your life."
Every time I listen to this song, I get a lump in my throat. Thats what I love about songs, it dosent have to mean what it was written about, only what YOU want it to be about.
anonymous
December 28th, 2005 05:42PM
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" At the time I wrote 'Good Riddance' I was breaking up with a girl who was moving to Equador, and I was trying to be as understanding about it as I could. I was trying not to be bitter, but I think it came out a little bitter anyway" That is an actual quote coming from him (Billie Joe)!
katie
March 5th, 2006 11:29PM
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Ok, person above me = dumbass. You are so dumb. It is not about suicide. Clearly you need help.
anonymous
March 24th, 2006 09:54PM
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Hey Firefreak - you are wrong. This is not about suicide. Katie is right! You need some help if you see suicide in this. I hope you get help.
Just because a part of your life ends, meaning a relationship, that does not equate to death - neither does the song.
I too get a lump in my throat whenever I hear this song. It goes hand in hand with In my Life by the Beatles.
anonymous
July 6th, 2006 09:49PM
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on vh1 driven bille Joe said that it means basiclly screw off
CoolFrost
September 19th, 2006 12:15AM
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The song could definitely have different meanings. It applies to just about everything else said, but I feel there's something left out.
After watching the music video, with all of the random people living out their lives, and trudging through their jobs, I figured that there must be some connection to growing up.
It's another turning point, a time of change. You have to decide what you're going to do next, because you'll soon be an adult, and get a job. "time grabs you by the wrist", you're almost forced into it.
It's like he's saying "I hope you had the time of your life" in high school, because you'll never get those years back. "take the photographs/ and still frames in your mind", keep your "tattoos of memories". Treasure your memories of childhood, the good times before adulthood.
I suppose "dead skin on trial" could be like the old scars you keep, both physical and emotional (piercings, too). The scars that you carry may sometime put you on trial, with people judging you based on the high school things like who you dated or how you lost your virginity.
Like the video may imply with the images of people living out their daily lives, you're entering a world apart from your fun-filled adolescence. It's time to grow up, so "I hope you had the time of your life".
Peace.
anonymous
November 9th, 2006 03:26PM
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It's about life in general."I hope you have the time of your life" living each day as if it's your last. "something unpredictable but in the end is right" how stuff you worry about now will work out in the end. "keep the photographs and still frames in your mind" having good memories. "for what it's worth it was worth all the while" if it seems something was a waste of your time, it isn't really, your suppose to be there.
anonymous
November 11th, 2006 08:11AM
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Suicide song, funny, I like that idea hahaha, I didn't even think of that, intriguing
anyway, my view is, looking at music in general, the true underlying meaning of most good songs are only known to the writer himself. You wouldn't really know what's going through his mind when he writes a song, and even if you know that person well, you could not possible fully understand him. For those song writers that are reading this you'd probably know what I mean.
So my point being, there are no interpretation of this song that could be claimed the true meaning, as most of the time it is the best interest of the writer to keep it's meaning known only to himself. This keeps the listeners thinking and makes it much easier for them to relate to the song.
Therefore, you can only state your interpretations of it here, and not claim the true meaning of the song. :)
itchaboi
November 11th, 2006 02:57PM
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I basically agree with coldfrost
have fun while you can still can
cause when you get older evreything is more serious
sleep around and make the best of things :p
TheAdicts
November 13th, 2006 08:11PM
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This song is about Billie joes ex gf... It says in all their biographies. Just read. Oh ya it was supose to come out on a different cd, an earlier one but it wasnt
anonymous
November 20th, 2006 11:05PM
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i completley agree with Madrox_wicked_clown
a song is what you make it
the song writer may have written it
for a paticualr person
but you could pretty much apply it to anything
death, break up, living life to the fullest etc.
people like to apply lyrics to their own life
like the person who wrote it knows how they feel or something
anonymous
February 6th, 2007 11:24PM
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On the VH1 show "Driven", it is explained that this song is in fact a big "F*** You" to the place where Green Day got started. Once they signed with their record label, they were viewed as sell-outs. The people from where they played, some underground grunge/punk place, hated anyone, who would "sell-out" by getting a record deal. The guys didn't think it would happened as it did ("it's something unpredictable, but in the end, it's right"); they were pissed that all these people who got them started, and who were supposed to be their friends would turn their shoulders the other way. This song is meant as a good bye to all those people(good riddance).
anonymous
March 5th, 2007 07:08PM
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and do you know what's really sad? they play this on graduation days and funerals. If they play this at my graduation I'm going to smash the speakers. Seriously.
because it's not written to say 'i hope you had the time of your life, omgggg I love you good luck' its actually 'good riddance mofo'
so yeah.
stupid people.
anonymous
June 18th, 2007 12:45PM
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Just stumbled across this. What I have to say applies to every song on this site:
Bruce Springsteen once said (about Born in the USA) that songs have a life of their own. They are like your children, you create them and then you put them out into the world. At that point, they become what they become.
So, if you want the song to be about Billie Jo's girlfriend, it can be.
If you want the song to be about Berkeley, it can be.
If you want the song to be inspiring (a la a graduation-type use), it can be.
Whatever Billie Jo meant when he wrote it is not what the song may mean today. It can change over time.
anonymous
July 3rd, 2007 04:57PM
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"For what it's worth, it was worth all the while"
This song isn't about life or death. He is speaking to his girlfriend. This is a reflection on a relationship at the point where you are experiencing the feelings that come with the realization that this person, who has been such a big part of your life, will no longer be.
Good Riddance (Time of your Life) -- the contradicting feelings of a broken relationship. Even if you're angry and want this person out of your life, you can't erase people and memories of them will evoke longing and emotional pain.
"It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right...I hope you had the time of your life" -- The end of a relationship isn't something you plan on but a lot of times the couple will be better off without each other. Also, he hopes that her time with him will always remain close to her heart and that those memories are to be cherished now that they can no longer be re-lived.
anonymous
October 4th, 2007 03:09AM
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I always felt that this song was about messing up and how a simple mistake or just a radical change in your life can change your life. but how it is all meant to be and it may not always make since to you but in the end it will all work out....So don't stress about the little things.... Just enjoy life.... Also enjoy your life while you can because when the mistake or whatever happens things will change.
anonymous
October 19th, 2007 03:32PM
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"Tattoos of memories, and Dead Skin on trial"
I Believe that Tattos symbolize good memories and good times and the dead skin means skin that is untatooed that is on trial for tatooing
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