Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in … Read Full Bio ↴Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career they have been a power trio with drummer Tré Cool, who replaced John Kiffmeyer in 1990 before the recording of the band's second studio album, Kerplunk (1991). Before taking its current name in 1989, Green Day was called Blood Rage, then Sweet Children and they were part of the late 1980s/early 1990s Bay Area punk scene that emerged from the 924 Gilman Street club in Berkeley, California. The band's early releases were with the independent record label Lookout! Records. In 1994, their major-label debut Dookie, released through Reprise Records, became a breakout success and eventually shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S. Alongside fellow California punk bands Bad Religion, the Offspring, Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise and Social Distortion, Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S.

Though the albums Insomniac (1995), Nimrod (1997) and Warning (2000) did not match the success of Dookie, they were still successful, with the first two reaching double platinum status, while the last achieved gold. Green Day's seventh album, a rock opera called American Idiot (2004), found popularity with a younger generation, selling six million copies in the U.S. Their next album, 21st Century Breakdown, was released in 2009 and achieved the band's best chart performance. It was followed by a trilogy of albums, ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, released in September, November, and December 2012, respectively. The trilogy did not perform as well as expected commercially, in comparison to their previous albums, largely due to a lack of promotion and Armstrong entering rehab. Their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio, was released in October 2016 and became their third to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The band's thirteenth studio album, Father of All Motherfuckers, was released on February 7, 2020, and was their final album released by Reprise. On October 24, 2023, the band announced that their fourteenth studio album, 'Saviors', will come out January 19, 2024.

In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway. The musical was nominated for three Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design, winning the latter two. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, their first year of eligibility. Members of the band have collaborated on the side projects Pinhead Gunpowder, The Network, Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Longshot and The Coverups. They have also worked on solo careers.

Green Day has sold roughly 90 million records worldwide, them one of the world's best-selling artists. The group has been nominated for 20 Grammy awards and has won five of them with Best Alternative Album for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and Best Musical Show Album for American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording.

Let Yourself Go
Green Day Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Shut your mouth 'cause you're talking too much 
And I don't give a damn anyway
You always seem to be stepping in shit 
And all you really do is complain  
Hitch a ride, tell 'em all you like 
Small minds tend to think a like 

Shut your mouth 'cause you're talking too much 

And I don't give a fuck anyway  

Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go

Cut the crap 'cause you're screaming in my ear 
And you're taking up all of the space 
You're really testing my patience again
And I'd rather get punched in the face  
You're getting on my every last nerve  
Everything you've said I've already heard 

I'm sick to death of your every last breath 
And I don't give a fuck anyway

Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go

Always fuck fuckin' with my head now
Always fuck fuckin' with my head now
Always fuck fuckin' with my head now
Always fucking with my head and I gotta let it go!

Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go

Gotta let me go, gotta let it go
Gotta let me go, gotta let it go

Overall Meaning

Green Day’s “Let Yourself Go” features lyrics that convey a sense of frustration with someone who won’t stop talking and complaining. The opening line, “Shut your mouth ‘cause you’re talking too much,” indicates the singer’s annoyance with this person. The chorus, which repeats several times throughout the song, encourages the listener to “let yourself go.” This could be interpreted as a message to the complaining person to stop holding themselves back with their constant complaining and just enjoy life, or it could be seen as a call to the listener to let go of their own frustrations and live in the moment.

Throughout the song, the singer expresses a desire to be free from this irritating person and the constant negativity they bring. They tell the person to “cut the crap” and even say they’d “rather get punched in the face” than listen to them anymore. The repeated line “always fucking with my head” further emphasizes the singer’s agitation with this person. The song is a high-energy punk rock anthem that encourages the listener to release their frustrations and let go of whatever is holding them back.

Line by Line Meaning

Shut your mouth 'cause you're talking too much
Stop talking excessively

And I don't give a damn anyway
I don't care about what you say

You always seem to be stepping in shit
You constantly find yourself in bad situations

And all you really do is complain
You only focus on the negative and complain

Hitch a ride, tell 'em all you like
Continue talking to whoever will listen to you

Small minds tend to think a like
People who are narrow-minded share similar opinions

Let yourself go, let yourself go, let yourself go
Release your inhibitions and be yourself

Cut the crap 'cause you're screaming in my ear
Stop talking nonsense and being loud

And you're taking up all of the space
You're dominating the conversation

You're really testing my patience again
You're frustrating me once more

And I'd rather get punched in the face
I'd rather endure physical pain than listen to you

You're getting on my every last nerve
You're irritating me to my core

Everything you've said I've already heard
I'm tired of hearing the same things from you

I'm sick to death of your every last breath
I'm completely fed up with everything you say and do

And I don't give a fuck anyway
I really don't care

Always fuck fuckin' with my head now
You're always messing with my mind

Always fucking with my head and I gotta let it go!
You're constantly manipulating me and I need to free myself from it

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JASON BULL, ROBERT STAPLETON, GARETH GREENALL, LORNE WRIGHT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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