As the second month of school comes to an end, the coursework starts to heat up. Tests, quizzes, and projects begin to pop up and the excitement from the beginning of the school year begins to wear off. Now the hard work starts and students groggily try to keep up. For the week of September 23 to 27, here is a song many students can agree with at the moment: “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”
Green Day released this song as their fourth single from their album “American Idiot.” It was created as a result of great grief, when Billie Joe Armstrong, the lyricist of the song, lost his father. In this moment of sadness, he told his mother “Wake me up when September ends,” and thus the idea of this classic rock ballad was created.
[Verse 1]
Like my fathers come to pass
Seven years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
This is another nod toward the backstory of the song. The raw emotion of these lyrics, confessing a deep, personal event in their live’s and hoping it will connect with listeners is beautiful to listen to. The deeper meaning to the song adds depth to the listening experience, truly making it an art.
The ending phrase of this verse, which doubles as the title of the song, “Wake me Up When September Ends” is repeated throughout the entire song. This utilization of this repetition from the songwriters adds a catchy rhythm to the song along with adding another dimension to the ballad.
[Verse 2]
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
In the sweltering heat of September, here the writer waves goodbye to summer, innocence, and September. Notable about this verse is the use of “innocent” as opposed to innocence”. Instead of saying that people’s pureness will not stay with them, Armstrong references innocent people as a whole who are shielded and ignorant cannot last in the real world.
[Chorus]
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
This may be the most impactful part of the whole song. Perhaps Armstrong is justifying the cycle of hurt that everyone must overcome, or maybe he is stating that pain is a crucial part of people as much as love is. No matter, ending the chorus with the open ended “becoming who we are” summarizes what it means to be alive and grieving.
This song has been around for decades, yet it somewhat has remained underrated. Known for its memorable tune, the actual meaning and context of the song is forgotten. However, the more it is listened to and a quick look at its lyrics reveals the layers of the song, which is a beautiful testimony to humanity.
Though the original meaning of the song should be kept in mind, another interpretation can also be found. Just as Armstrong was facing depression from his loss, some students are facing mental health challenges as the school year progresses. This is a reminder that no one is perfect and that no ditch is too deep to dig out of.
