November 15, 2021

1994 - February: Green Day “Dookie”

38 minutes

Although Dookie is the third studio album by Green Day, it is their first release on a major label. This may explain some of their seemingly overnight stardom. The trio consisted of Billie Joe Armstrong on vocals and lead, Mike Dirnt on bass and backing vocals, and Tre Cool on percussion, and they had been in the underground scene in the San Francisco Bay area since before 1988 (Tre Cool replaced original drummer John Kiffmeyer in 1990). The band changed their original name from Sweet Baby to Green Day, a slang phrase for spending the day smoking cannabis.

Dookie was recorded in three weeks, and was a major commercial success, helped along by extensive airplay of the band's videos on MTV. It was also a critical success, and the group won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 1995. Dookie remains Green Day's best selling album.

The music is considered punk revivalist or "power punk", and you can see the influence of early punk groups like the Ramones and the Clash. However, the band has also cited bands like the Who and Cheap Trick as influences as well. Green Day is considered one of the groups that made punk go mainstream in the 1990's.

Billie Joe Armstrong wrote most of the tracks on the album, following themes from his personal history including anxiety, sex, and even boredom. Consistent with the punk genre, most songs are quite short and very fast.

Longview

The first single off the album is about boredom and lack of motivation. It is about a day spent sitting around the house, doing nothing of importance. "I sit around and watch the tube, but nothing's on."

She

A deeper cut, this track was released as the fifth and final single. The song is about Armstrong's former girlfriend who showed him a feminist poem with an identical title. Armstrong then wrote the lyrics of "She" and showed them to her, though she dumped him later on. The song is notorious for a concert where Armstrong performed the song nude.

Welcome to Paradise

The song was originally on their second album, but re-recorded for this album. The song is about a runaway who is living on the streets. Armstrong temporarily moved into a rat-infested warehouse in a bad neighborhood, but the rent was a low $50 per month. Much of his experience in that dump was the inspiration for this track.

When I Come Around

This was the fourth and biggest-selling single from the album, though more mellow than most. It is about Armstrong knowing a girlfriend is mad and wants to break up, and Armstrong deciding to just staying away from the drama until it blows over. He would go on to marry her in real life.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

All For Love by Bryan Adams, featuring Sting and Rod Stewart (from the motion picture "The Three Musketeers")

Three musical stars team up to provide this theme for the motion picture "The Three Musketeers."

STAFF PICKS:

Spinning Around Over You by Lenny Kravitz

Rob starts us with a groovy staff pick from Lenny Kravitz' third studio album. Kravitz was born in New York City to a TV producer dad and actress mom. His home was a mixture of black and white, Christian and Jewish. The family moved to L.A. when his Roxie Roker (his mom) landed a role in "The Jeffersons"

Rock 'N' Roll Dreams Come Through by Meat Loaf

Bruce's staff pick is the third single from the album "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell." Jim Steinman wrote it and released it on his album "Bad for Good" in 1981. Both the Steinman version and the Meat Loaf version were top 40-hits, with Steinman's version going to number 32 and the Meat Loaf version going to number 13. It is a rock anthem about how rock and roll gets you through tough times.

Having a Party by Rod Stewart

Brian brings us an unplugged cover from Sam Cook. Ronnie Wood (the Rolling Stones, Faces, the Jeff Beck group) is playing guitar on this track. Stewart sticks quite faithfully to the original, and he would continue to focus on a crooner style in his later days.

Laid by James

Wayne finishes us off with the Manchester sound. The song is about a ruinous relationship that the guy just can't give up. "My therapist said not to see you no more. She said you're like a disease without any cure. She said I'm so obsessed that I'm becoming a bore, oh no!"

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Sabrosa by Beastie Boys

We finish off with a tasty, jazzy instrumental from the Beastie Boys. "Sabrosa" means "tasty" in Spanish.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

4747 ratings