Wake up, The house is on fire
And the cat's caught in the dryer
Philosophy's a liar when your home is your headstone
"Icon" is the last chance for hope
When there's no such thing as heroes
Your faith lies in the ditch that you dug yourself in

Last chance to piss it all away
Nothing but hell to pay
When the lights are going down

Deadbeat holiday celebrate your own decay
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
On a noose over your home

Deadbeat holiday get on your knees and pray
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
But at least you're not alone

Christmas lights in the middle of August
Grudges come back to haunt us
Your oldest allies are your long lost enemies
Grounded in a duplex to find that you're living on a landmine
Vacation hot spots is a cemetery drive

Last chance to piss it all away
Nothing but hell to pay
When the lights are going down

Deadbeat holiday celebrate your own decay
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
On a noose over your home

Deadbeat holiday get on your knees and pray
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
But at least you're not alone

Last chance to piss it all away
Nothing but hell to pay when all you want to do is not give up

Deadbeat holiday celebrate your own decay
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
On a noose over your home

Deadbeat holiday get on your knees and pray
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
But at least you're not alone

Deadbeat holiday celebrate your own decay
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
On a noose over your home

Deadbeat holiday get on your knees and pray
There's a vacant sign that's hanging high
But at least you're not alone



Lyrics submitted by kevin

Track duration: 03:35

"Deadbeat Holiday" as written by Billie Joe/wright Iii Armstrong

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Deadbeat Holiday song meanings
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42 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I love Green Day!:D

    I think that this song's message is that there is no point spending our time thinking about religion or philosophising about other things because it doesn't help us deal with our present problems, we are all dying as soon as we born and 'our homes are our headstones.' The only consolation we have when we are faced with terrible events in our lives or when we are faced with the darker aspects of humanity is that there might be some greater being out there beyond our understanding ("icon is the last chance for hope when there's no such thing as heroes").But the character seems seems to have got themselves stuck in a rut and is unhappy with the decisions they have made and where they are in life and have lost both their religious faith and faith in themselves (your faith lies in the ditch that you dug yourself in).

    The bridge may mean that you only have one chance at life, whether you want to live it to the full or 'piss it all away', either way you are going to "have hell to pay" whether a literal hell if there is such a place or the consequences which will come with the decisions we make. Whatever choices we make chances are they will probably have shit consequences so you may as well "celebrate your own decay" (this could mean living to the max by partying hard and being ultimately self-destructive "noose over your home")

    "christmas lights in the middle of august" could be refering to the commercialism we are surrounded with and could be implying that religion is hypocritical. People can't forgive and forget like good christians("grudges come back to haunt us"), our oldest friends can be our worst enemies. Even if we live by the rules of society (grounded in a duplex) we are still going to die (living on a landmine), mundane 'vacations' we take are just a way of passing time until we die.

    The last line "nothing but hell to pay when all you want to do is not to give up" The character seems to think that suicide would be an easy option to escape their problems but they do not want to give up on life even if it means having to deal with all of he problems they are faced with.

    Props to anyone who actually read all of that!
    Flag Missy9205on June 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is actually quite sad if you really listen to it... Also if you listen closely towards the end of the song (at around 2:07 on the song to be exact) you'll notice he says "holiday.......... suicide........."

    Also the part where he says "Nothing but hell to pay when all you want to do... not to... give up. Oh, deadbeat Holiday celebrate your own decay, there's a vacant sign that's hanging high
    On a noose over your home"

    Pretty sad song.. Still a great song, but still the lyrics are pretty depressing.
    Flag ColoradoBoy19on November 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:is it me but when he says christmas lights in the middle of august
    does it sound like christmas music on the back ground?
    Flag davogorson April 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of the best songs on warning. I aagree, it's about everything going wrong, which leads to the person's suicide
    Flag Ganonx321on April 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Makes me think of poverty and shitty lives.
    Flag MSI672on November 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:sure this song can have as many meanings as people have different views on it, we get our opinions in life from our past experiences etc. So i don't realy think it matters what songs actually mean it's all just about the music. But i just enjoy seeing some people come up with completely random menaings
    Flag Aus-Jackasson June 20, 2006   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:green day are shite shite shite you fuckers have no taste
    Flagged heathy92on April 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Forgot to mention the last time I posted..

    Obviously I'm not saying only I can relate. Everyone's had to go threw something bad but anyone can stop and look on the brightside and realize that it'll be ok in the end. ^_^
    Flag hoping_alwayson March 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i can fuckin relate to this song that song is my chrstmas
    Flag Marc123on March 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Wake up the house is on fire
    And the cat's caught in the dryer"

    The moment I heard those words i nearly fell over. I adore this song for it's catchy beat and important meaning. I recently had a house fire that started in the same room as our dryer (same corner of the room even), and it took the life of our pet cat, Ripley. I'm still living in the temporary house while they rebuild my old place. But dude, i bought this CD for the song Warning, then i realized it was probably their best CD ever. and just to add on, I can relate! Life can hand you a load of crap, and nothing may work out the way you want, but life is still good, and still something to celebrate!
    Flag hoping_alwayson March 06, 2006   Link

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