Some songs just stick around for generations. It’s a concept that Green Day’s lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong is very familiar with when it comes to the band’s classic song “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” – even if people tend to assign their own meaning to the lyrics.
The bittersweet acoustic hit was first released in 1997 when it was featured on Green Day’s “Nimrod” album. According to Armstrong, who was interviewed on Thursday’s episode of the “Armchair Expert” podcast, the song was technically about “a bittersweet breakup and trying to have a level head about it.”
But nearly 30 years later, the song remains a staple on many wedding, graduation or life event playlists and still stands up as one of the band’s most defining songs.
“I think it just caused people to sort of associate it with memories,” Armstrong said.
The sentimental offering was a new sound at the time for Green Day, which includes members Armstrong, drummer Tré Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt. The risk of being labeled a “sell out” is something Armstrong said he acknowledged then, but he chose to step outside of his comfort zone and take the risk anyway.
“It was something I became so proud of,” Armstrong said.
He added “if you really want to test your merit… you have to go to a place that you’re afraid of going to.”
While it didn’t take long for any fears Armstrong may have had surrounding the song to dissolve, he recalled still feeling “scared to death” when he first performed the track in front of a live audience.
“The song was out and it was getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and so I was like, ‘I’ve got to play this live,’” Armstrong said.
In the end, he said, “people loved it.”
Green Day has released 13 studio albums in their three-decade career and are gearing up to release their latest, titled “Savior,” on January 19. They’re also kicking off a world tour in May, which sounds like a chance to have the time of their…you know.