Green Day: Good Riddance (Time of your Life) Meaning

Song Released: 1997

Good Riddance (Time of your Life) 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 ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the...

1. anonymous

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   Feb 6th 2007 !⃝

   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).
2. anonymous

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   Nov 20th 2006 !⃝

   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

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
3. TheAdicts

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   Nov 13th 2006 !⃝

   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
4. anonymous

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   Nov 11th 2006 !⃝

   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
5. anonymous

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   Nov 11th 2006 !⃝

   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. :)
6. anonymous

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   Nov 9th 2006 !⃝

   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.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
7. anonymous

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   Jul 6th 2006 !⃝

   on vh1 driven bille Joe said that it means basiclly screw off
8. greenday_1987

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   May 11th 2006 !⃝

   basically no band is meant to make it big in punk, its a "make ends meet" kinda world. by the release of Nimrod green day was really starting to hit it big and the rest of punk were starting to see them as traitors to the genre. Billie was just on the brink of chucking the band in and giving up music. He wrote the song as a "good riddance" and f**k off them! to the rest of punk but made it mellow enough to end on a good note with the fans. They loved it and he ended up gritting his teeth and plowing on the way green day always do.
   it aint nuttin to do with leaving girl friends...
   green day don't give a f**k about anything except green day. look at the facts my friends...

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
9. anonymous

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   Mar 24th 2006 !⃝

   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.
10. katie

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    Mar 5th 2006 !⃝

    Ok, person above me = dumbass. You are so dumb. It is not about suicide. Clearly you need help.
11. firefreak

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    Feb 11th 2006 !⃝

    Suicide song completely. This is a suicide letter in song form. Maybe not anyone's in particular, but listen to the song.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
12. anonymous

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    Feb 10th 2006 !⃝

    for all you who think its telling you to live life to the fullest and to have a good time... your a dumbass. It's about sombody leaving you and your telling them to fuck off, and whatever they are going to do you are just telling them have a good time because you don't give a shit.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
13. punkrocker93

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    Jan 20th 2006 !⃝

    I read that this song was looking back on your life to see how you spent it. This is one of my favorite songs by them.
14. anonymous

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    Dec 28th 2005 !⃝

    " 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)!
15. Avid255

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    Nov 10th 2005 !⃝

    The girlfriend thing is wrong. This is about how everyone in Berkley turned there back on Green Day, so instead of putting it in angry words, he made an acoustic song. "Putting good riddance on the album was one of the most punk rock things we've ever done"-Mike Dirnt.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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