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. She

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   Oct 28th 2005 !⃝

   Basically a break up song. Its saying we had a great time and although its a shame we've broken up we shouldnt be bitter about it and its the right thing even though it hurts.
2. GerardLover123

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   Sep 21st 2005 !⃝

   This song is about living life to the fullest. "hope you had the time of your life," it's telling you to have the time of your life.

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

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   Sep 21st 2005 !⃝

   This song is about when Green Day was rejected from the punk scene at Gilman Street (where they began) following the release of Dookie. The song looks back on the band's past there and all their memories (Hence "Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial / For what it's worth, it was worth all the while") but ultimately submitting that they had to leave and were all the better for it. The song's title "Good Riddance" reflects the true attitude of the song (that cannot be gathered on lyrics alone).
4. GreenDayRules!1215

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   Sep 18th 2005 !⃝

   I heard that the song was about Billie Joe saying goodbye to his friends who lived with him at the warehouse when his band became famous.
5. anonymous

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   Sep 18th 2005 !⃝

   Duh! It's about dying. ("It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right, I hope you HAD THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.")
   In other words, enjoy life while you have it, because it doesn't last long.

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

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   Sep 15th 2005 !⃝

   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
7. anonymous

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   Jul 12th 2005 !⃝

   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).
8. username

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   Jul 10th 2005 !⃝

   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....)

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