Good Riddance Time Of Your Life

Appears on: nimrod. [1997], International Superhits! [2001], Bullet In A Bible [2005]
Music by: Green Day
Lyrics by: Billie Joe Armstrong
Length: 3:24


Information

Although written by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong just after the release of their 1994 hit album Dookie, the song was not released until their third major-label album Nimrod in 1997 although an alternate version did appear as a B-side to the 1995 single for "Brain Stew/Jaded".

At the end of the 2007-2008 Barclays English Premiership Season, Skysports used it as a soundtrack to preview the whole season.

In Season 4 of the television show ER, PA Jeanie Boulet - played by actress Gloria Reuben, sang this song as a farewell to a young boy (Scott Anspaugh, son of Dr. Anspaugh) who had died in her care.

The song was featured in the retirement ceremony held for hockey player Wendel Clark before the season opener between the hockey clubs the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at the Air Canada Centre. The crowd proceeded to give Clark a 5 minute standing ovation as he walked out to the ice.

When Tony Stewart fulfilled his life's dream by winning the Brickyard 400, the song played in the background.

The song was played at the end of the Seinfeld episode "The Clip Show, Part 2" which along with Part 1 was the second to last episode of the series.

The song was played in Madison Square Garden after Wayne Gretzky played his final game. Pittsburgh Penguins won the game in overtime while Gretzky was on the bench. The crowd gave a long standing ovation for Gretzky while he strode around on the ice - Good Riddance repeatedly playing in the background.

After Diana, Princess of Wales died, many TV stations played this song while showing clips of her throughout her life.

The "best bits" of the British reality television programme Big Brother 2004 (UK) played on the finale night were set to the song.

At the Boston Celtics' first home game at the TD Banknorth Garden on February 28, 2007 since former guard Dennis Johnson died six days previously, this song was played alongside the tribute video on the TitanTron for the late Celtics guard.

At the final home game Mark Brunell played at ALLTEL Stadium, while a tribute video was playing on the scoreboard.

In an episode of the CBS series How I Met Your Mother, when the cast was deciding what clichés not to include in their friends' wedding, one suggested to play clips of their time together with "Green Day's Time of Your Life" as background music.

In a season 1 episode of 24, David Palmer's son Keith mentions, in passing, Green Day performing the song at a political rally from which he has just returned.

The song features on the Jim Cronin memorial DVD.

In Do Over, the main character Joel passes the song off as his own original composition

The song was played after Richard Hill's last game for Saracens F.C. in 2008 at MK Dons stadium.

In the episode of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law entitled "Guitar Control", Harvey claims that it is illegal to play this song over and over again on the guitar.

This song was used in the farewell video that was put together for the National Rugby League Melbourne Storm player, Robbie Kearns.

The song was played after the December 21, 2008 game between the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets as Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, after coaching the team to a 13-3 victory in his last home game in his 10 seasons as Seattle's coach, walked around the field waving to the fans.

The song is very known to be played at many High School and College Graduations.

There have been many covers of this track too, by the likes of Colin Murray, Raymond och Maria, Glen Campbell and Tartan Army.

A live version recorded at Milton Keynes National Bowl on June 19th 2005 appears on Bullet In A Bible.


Chart

#2 - Australian Singles Chart [1998]
#2 - Billboard Modern Rock Tracks [1998]
#7 - Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks [1998]
#11 - UK Singles Chart [1998]
#30 - Irish Singles Chart [1998]


Video

Director: Mark Kohr

In 1998 Green Day won their first MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video for "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" and they were also nominated for Viewer's Choice.

The video appears on the 2001 DVD 'International Supervideos!'.


Commercial Release

Tracks released with these singles:

* Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
* Desensitized
* Rotting
* Suffocate
* You Lied
* Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) (Clean Album Remix)

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