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



Lyrics submitted by animated456

Track duration: 04:46

"Wake Me Up When September Ends" as written by Billie Joe/wright Iii Armstrong

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Wake Me Up When September Ends song meanings
Add your thoughts

379 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:If this song is about Billie losing his dad to cancer, how come in some versions, the not radio ones, its him and a girl talking and saying how much they love each other and not leaving each other, then in the middle of the song she says how could you and she is crying and he says i did this for us i thought you would understand
    Flagged brooke1012on March 01, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:All good things must come to an end, and there is always a period of mourning when it does... like a gray september after a seemingly endless summer.
    I think the summer-->september theme is a metaphor for that.
    Flagged Tig45on February 10, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song makes me remember my late grandfather. He passed away on Sept. 28, 2008...the day before my 28 th birthday. I just remember getting the news that morning...I was hungover from the night before, and it just kinda hit me hard. To this day...I really can't listen to the song....its just too painful.
    Flag CKF929on December 29, 2012   Link
  • +2
    Memory:This song makes me think of my mom. She passed last year. On the 27th of September. She had cancer. The chemotherapy took out all her white blood cells and the blood cancer cells. In the end, she passed because of infection. This song is so sad. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
    Flag LilRedheadon August 19, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:this song makes me cry because it reminds me of my best friend who died in 9\11 i was there in the hospital with him he had burns all over him then a minute later he went to heaven at 9:00
    Flag kitkat95on August 01, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:My personal twist on the song is that it is about 9/11, or atleast inspired to be about 9/11. Of course, it isn't exactly about 9/11, it is about the Billie Joe and his life as a kid and losing his dad, but considering a few terms and some of the beats of the songs, they're somewhat 9/11 connected and military connected. Like here comes the rain again. It rained a few days after 9/11 and kind of set the mood for America. Falling from the stars is like people jumping from the twin towers. The innocent can never last is the idea that innocent people died, and people lost their innocence. The beats in one of the instrumentals is kind of similar to the 3 Round Volley, used to signify military honor at a military funeral. Also, the same instrumental kind of is like gunshots.

    In all honesty I believe this song is geniously designed to have two meanings, and is open for interpretation.
    Flag MajorAirmanon May 03, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song!!! <3 so sad though...
    Flag monkeylyricson January 11, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this songs really touching
    Flag upsett6on October 25, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong wrote this about his father, who died of cancer on September 1st, 1982. At his father's funeral, Billie cried, ran home and locked himself in his room. When his mother got home and knocked on the door to Billie's room, Billie simply said, "Wake me up when September ends," hence the title.
    Flagged StormyArmstrongon May 24, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:So if his father died in september what does he mean with waking him up when september ends??
    Flagged kwahion April 22, 2011   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain