Longview
Green Day Lyrics
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I change the channels for an hour or two
Twiddle my thumbs just for a bit
I'm sick of all the same old shit
In a house with unlocked doors
And I'm fucking lazy
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind
And I smell like shit
Peel me off this Velcro seat and get me moving
I sure as hell can't do it by myself
I'm feeling like a dog in heat
Barred indoors from the summer street
I locked the door to my own cell
And I lost the key
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind
And I smell like shit
I got no motivation
Where is my motivation?
No time for motivation
Smoking my inspiration
I sit around and watch the phone, but no one's calling
Call me pathetic, call me what you will (we will)
My mother says to get a job
But she don't like the one she's got
When masturbation's lost its fun
You're fucking lonely
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind
And loneliness has to suffice
Bite my lip and close my eyes
I'm slipping away to paradise
Some say quit or I'll go blind
But it's just a myth
The song "Longview" by Green Day deals with themes of boredom, lethargy, and frustration. The lyrics describe the singer's aimless, unfulfilling existence spent watching television and masturbating. He longs for a more exciting life and resents his own lack of motivation to change it. The line "in a house with unlocked doors" highlights the singer's sense of being trapped and his own complicity in his situation. Despite his desire for change, he seems unable or unwilling to take action, instead relying on smoking and sexual release to pass the time.
The chorus of the song, "Take me away to paradise, I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind," creates a sense of desperation and longing for escape. The repetitious nature of the lyrics parallels the monotony of the singer's day-to-day life. The line "And loneliness has to suffice" hints at the isolation and disconnection the singer feels, despite being surrounded by others.
Overall, "Longview" is a stark portrayal of the disaffected youth and the aimlessness that can come with it. The song is emblematic of Green Day's early work and helped establish their voice in the punk rock scene.
Line by Line Meaning
I sit around and watch the tube, but nothing's on
I am sitting idly in front of the television, but there is nothing good to watch.
I change the channels for an hour or two
I am trying to find something interesting to watch for a couple of hours.
Twiddle my thumbs just for a bit
I am bored and have nothing to do.
I'm sick of all the same old shit
I am tired of the monotony of life.
In a house with unlocked doors
I am living in a place where security is not a concern.
And I'm fucking lazy
I am very lazy and unmotivated.
Bite my lip and close my eyes
I am trying to hold back my emotions and escape from reality.
Take me away to paradise
I wish to be in a perfect, fantasy-like world.
I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind
I am extremely bored to the point where it is affecting my vision.
And I smell like shit
I smell terrible because I have been neglecting my hygiene.
Peel me off this Velcro seat and get me moving
Someone needs to motivate me to get out of my current state.
I sure as hell can't do it by myself
I am unable to motivate myself on my own.
I'm feeling like a dog in heat
I have strong desires but no outlet for them.
Barred indoors from the summer street
I am unable to enjoy the outdoors because of my situation.
I locked the door to my own cell
I have put myself in a position where I am trapped.
And I lost the key
I have lost the ability to escape from my current situation.
I got no motivation
I lack any desire or drive to do anything.
Where is my motivation?
I am asking for someone to provide me with a reason to do something.
No time for motivation
I am too busy and don't have time to be motivated.
Smoking my inspiration
I am using smoking as a way to try and inspire myself.
I sit around and watch the phone, but no one's calling
I am waiting for someone to call me, but no one is contacting me.
Call me pathetic, call me what you will (we will)
Others can call me whatever they want because I am in a vulnerable state.
My mother says to get a job
My mother is telling me to find work.
But she don't like the one she's got
My mother doesn't even like her own job.
When masturbation's lost its fun
When I can no longer even find pleasure in my own sexual fantasies.
You're fucking lonely
I am incredibly lonely.
And loneliness has to suffice
Being lonely is all I have.
I'm slipping away to paradise
I am slowly losing myself in my own fantasy world.
Some say quit or I'll go blind
Others believe that excessive masturbation will cause me to go blind.
But it's just a myth
This belief is not true.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank E. III Wright, Mike Ryan Pritchard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@herranton
@@kazooplayer3People said they sold out when they left Lookout and signed with Warner. That was a big deal at the time. They were leaving a label that basically help build the 90s punk scene. It was almost like they were telling everyone that they were now too good for them.
I get it. I don't know if I agree with it, but I get it. Green Day had bigger goals than just being a punk band. They wanted to be the best band of any kind. And Lookout wasn't going to be able to get them there so they had to cut ties. But in doing so, they hurt a lot of feelings.
However, they did have support. Screeching weasel wrote I wrote Holden Coulfield as a sign of support for them and Dirnt played bass on the song. Some people got it. Some felt abandoned.
It's all been patched up though. I think as people have grown older and more mature, they understand the choices Green Day made and why they made them. The hard feelings are mostly gone.
But it didn't just come out of nowhere. They were part of a community. And then they chose to leave that community for something bigger. You're gunna take some heat for that.
Edit: but if they hadn't left Lookout, I doubt very much we would have seen the same level of pop/punk bands in the late 90s. Sum41, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Fountains of Wayne, even Blink and fallout boy probably wouldn't have been a thing without Dookie getting a major label release. Green Day primed the populace for the more traditional punk sound. Offspring was around, but they were more southern California sounding pop punk. They were damn near a different genre completely. They've always sorta been punk adjacent and didn't bring punk mainstream like greenday did even if they had success as a band. Kinda like how Metallica's success hasn't brought metal mainstream. Greenday managed to bring a whole genre into the billboard top 40.
Edit 2: Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. Lol.
@GreenDay
Listen up motherf🦄🦄🦄ers Father Of All... is out now! Play it loud and play it on repeat🤘https://GreenDay.lnk.to/fatherofall
@dpincay5375
Cool man
@bowlmrbowl5503
Okey dokey eggs on toasty
@MrEvan-xw6nn
Okey dorky moasty loasty poasty
@oisinmcshane
I know it is, thats why I'm here.
@danbam3411
Green Day no thanks. Album sucks fucking balls. Get back to your REAL shit.
Thank you.
@craiglove
I actually worked on this video on the very small lighting crew. I think there were 2-3 of us. So many years ago. We shot it in their little apartment which was more like a basement under a house in Oakland. And they played Woodstock the same year. There was no way at the time to know how huge they would become. Big fan ever since that day!
@joesr31
thats crazy dude, did u ever meet them again?
@thetruth1024
This video is what made me notice my favourite band of all time.
@potato_wedge0_060
Did you talk to them