American Idiot
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Song Meaning
There's a story that makes the rounds every September: when Billie Joe got back from his father's funeral, he said "wake me up when September ends" and slammed his bedroom door... but that story actually came from a fanfiction. Whilst the song is about his father's death, that event did not happen.
Billie Joe Armstrong (GREEN DAY - Anatomy Of A Punk Opera): "It's the first time I've written about my father dying when I was 10 years old. But so there is continuity, I wrote it so it seems like the character is sort of crushed about something, a part where you're looking on your past and you're coming of age at the same time."
Michael Esper, actor who played Will in the American Idiot musical: “There have certainly been times in my life when I wished I could just wake up when it’s all over. A lot of people have had that experience. I think that makes this song really, immediately relatable.”
Billie Joe Armstrong (MTV Special, 2009): “I like the sort of old television vibe while we’re playing [in the Wake Me Up When September Ends video], sort of like a 60s station or something like that. It’s very melodramatic, if not completely over the top and irritating at times. Anyway, this is a wonderful song. I love this song!”
Billie Joe Armstrong (Vulture, 2016): “When Jesus was born on December 25th, people go hey, it’s Christmas time! When the Easter bunny comes, it’s like hey, it’s Easter! Or when September comes, people go hey, it’s that guy in Green Day ... Have fun. Get a life at the same time.”
Billie Joe Armstrong (GREEN DAY - Anatomy Of A Punk Opera): "It's the first time I've written about my father dying when I was 10 years old. But so there is continuity, I wrote it so it seems like the character is sort of crushed about something, a part where you're looking on your past and you're coming of age at the same time."
Michael Esper, actor who played Will in the American Idiot musical: “There have certainly been times in my life when I wished I could just wake up when it’s all over. A lot of people have had that experience. I think that makes this song really, immediately relatable.”
Billie Joe Armstrong (MTV Special, 2009): “I like the sort of old television vibe while we’re playing [in the Wake Me Up When September Ends video], sort of like a 60s station or something like that. It’s very melodramatic, if not completely over the top and irritating at times. Anyway, this is a wonderful song. I love this song!”
Billie Joe Armstrong (Vulture, 2016): “When Jesus was born on December 25th, people go hey, it’s Christmas time! When the Easter bunny comes, it’s like hey, it’s Easter! Or when September comes, people go hey, it’s that guy in Green Day ... Have fun. Get a life at the same time.”
Have your own interpretation of "Wake Me Up When September Ends"? Leave a comment below.
Lyrics
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Like my fathers come to pass
Seven years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when September ends
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Like my father's come to pass
Twenty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Like my fathers come to pass
Seven years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when September ends
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Like my father's come to pass
Twenty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends
2 videos
Videos
Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends [Official Music Video] [4K Upgrade]
Live History
Live History
- Total Plays
- 441 times / #21 most played
- Most Recent
- February 6, 2026 San Francisco, CA
- Earliest Known
- January 1, 2004 London, Canada
13 tracks
Comments
Song Comments