Lyrics for Wake Me Up When September Ends as interpreted by animated456

Wake Me Up When September Ends 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

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gonletitslide
08-27-2005

Rated 0 
2 things about this song...

1. when billie joes father died, it was a loss of innocence for him (the innocent can never last)

2. his dad died right as the summer was ending (summer has come and passed) and a new school year was starting, and he wanted to go back to the spring time when things were alright and before his dad was diagonsed w/ cancer i believe....(ring out the bells again, like we did when spring began)

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stwjester
08-29-2005

Rated 0 
When I first heard this song, I thought it was about his father, which it probably is somewhat, but watching the Video it Fits into the Concept story really well. If you haven't seen the video take the 7 minutes to watch it on launch. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but if you know the concept of the entire album you will get the emotion in it so much more. A good song has a good beat and meaning. A great song Has a Serveral meanings, and What's this site for if not to discover what songs are truelly great.

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Peedy
08-31-2005

Rated 0 
Spirit of the street is a fool, you have to think

stwjester has an idea of it, it does go with the entire "theme" of the cd, american idiot, bobd. etc. every time i listen to this song, it makes me cry, the music video was so sad *wimper* so sad

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super_unknown_
08-31-2005

Rated 0 
I haven't seen the video, but going with the general theme of the Album, I thought he was singing about sep 11. Wasn't sure if he was saying he's bored with hearing about it all the time, but that's what it sounded like. On the other hand it could be that he wants to sleep through all the trouble going on, and wake up when there's finally peace. Whatever it is he sings it with passion, and it makes for a great tune :)

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daria7483
08-31-2005

Rated 0 
One question about the video: in the end, who's the guy who dies? Is that supposed to be the kid with the girlfriend, or did he shoot the guy who's dying?

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dimndz
09-01-2005

Rated 0 
Wow, its sort of scary how this song jus totally fits into my life rite now. Like taking the fun times spent with that special somebody during the spring and the summer for granted, and then suddenly things are not the same anymore; they are too painful to deal with, so you just want to sleep thru sept. until school begins, so you can get on with your life. Ne way very beautiful song, so heart rendering, video definately gives me chills...

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rainbowmonkey45
09-02-2005

Rated 0 
has anybody seen the music video for this song, its soo sad, he goes 2 war and leaves her.
i like this song

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savedbymusic
09-02-2005

Rated 0 
awww i absulutly love this song and the video is absulutly awsome. i almost cryed when i watched it. i do get the connection w/ his dads death and all but i guess it fits in w/ alot of things like war and stuff. the whole thing is just this swarm of emotions and i just love it!

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JustRockIt911
09-02-2005

Rated 0 
Okay, I know alot of people here are saying this song is about Billie's father's death and I agree with that but what's up with the video? Can anyone tell me how the lyrics fit that? I mean, I guess I can see the whole losing someone part. Are they just using the military issue because it's current?

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daria7483
09-02-2005

Rated 0 
Well, the part about "the innocent can never last" fits the video because when the kid was at home with his girlfriend, he was innocent and enjoying his summer. But having to go into a war situation and see people dying ended his innocence. And "summer has come and past" fits because the parts where they're together seem to be summertime, I would guess the summer after high school graduation, and probably September was when he had to report for training. All the "here comes the rain again" parts are just about how we have to go through all kinds of crap to mature and for this kid, that's joining the military.

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Nataliexo
09-04-2005

Rated 0 
i don't really know what this song means, but i love it.

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simpleplanfan09
09-06-2005

Rated 0 
I love this song, it's SOO great. It reminds me of my grandpa's death...except it's November for me. I can understand the pain he's feeling, and everytime i hear it i get a really strong urgde to cry and just let it out.

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ImTheLunatic
09-07-2005

Rated 0 
The song is about his fathers death. It also fits in with the storyline of the album. And it ties in with the video. Green Day is an amazing band and Billie Joe is a genius when it comes to lyrics. Always has been always will be.

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PublicEmily
09-09-2005

Rated 0 
I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH!!!!

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THEBIGBOSS
09-09-2005

Rated 0 
Its pretty good emily

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jwf
09-10-2005

Rated 0 
I know this song is about his father, and he is adding a bit of symbolism about September 11th in as well. And he is talking about how nothing can last forever. In the song he is referring to the sadness he feels about his father, something happened when he was 20...but he is talking about the lost time he could have had with his father and how his anger can NEVER last forever no matter how deep it was.....and he uses the metaphor of the War in Iraq to describe how he feels/felt about losing his father, almost as if he had lost so many years and now after the loss regrets it.. The song is pretty obvious if you listen to it...several times. Lyrics being used in another song does not always make it THAT SONG. "summer has come and past, the innocent can never last, wake me up, when september ends, like my fathers come to pass, 20 years has gone so fast"......he was definately making a reference to when he started Greenday and disapproval from his father...something they never reconciled over, his lifestyle. I believe and I hope that Billie finds peace..awesome music...listen to the "churchy" chord at the end of the song....what a beautiful manipulation. So I think it should be settled...this is for his father and how he feels and what he can relate to the loss...

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sing*your*heart*out
09-12-2005

Rated 0 
Well I cant remember where I heard it but I heard a recording of Billie Joe explaining this song and he said that the true meaning was about his father deing in a war.It is trully a sad song.I trithfully cried when I first heard it but hey at the same time I`m very emotional.His father died on September 11th but he didnt find out till the end of september and the whole month brings him pain and memories.It says at first 7 years have gone by so fast then it says 20 years have gone by so fast which you can obviously tell it must have happened when he was younger.It is definetely a sad song, in my opinion, and my opinion is very strong!!!!

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rock_chick87
09-16-2005

Rated 0 
in my opinion its about september 11th as the songs says ' here comes the rain again falling form the stars drenched in my pain again becoming who we are' the stars in the american flag represent people this would be syaing the people of america would be crying because of the tradgedy plus the song mentions as my memory rests never forget what i lost in the tradgedy. also mentions innocent can never last innocent people dided that day for no reason at all.

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hollaback_dad
09-17-2005

Rated 0 
no. he's talking about his mascara running.

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angeleyes07
09-17-2005

Rated 0 
I love this song, Billie Joe rocks so hard. Its kinda sad, since its about losing his dad, but then again its like a song that you have in your head after summer when you have to go back to school, its seems like the worst month, just the whole going back to school, waking up early, going through the schedule....its just when you want and need sleep the most, so thats when I'm like, wake me up when its over, when september ends. Awesome song.

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ForeverandAlways
09-19-2005

Rated 0 
Does anyone know the dialogue for the first part of the music video? I never seem to cathc it but I would like to know what they say to each other.

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themiddleone
09-24-2005

Rated 0 
wow, this song makes me all sad. i think that it does have like a million different meanings. it makes sense that its about how he has to live with the fact that his dad is gone. cuz it really sucks, i lost my uncle, he was almost like a second father, and it really sucks. its also about september 11. thats probally why its the 11 song, idk. and how everybosy looses someone, and its all about how we have to deal with the fact that nothing good will last forever, this is one of my favorite songs. i love how real it is.

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Laz_Fallen_Angel
09-25-2005

Rated 0 
Ok fistly, American Idiot (the album not the single) is a Rock Opera, at the beginning the character, named Jesus of Suburbia, lives with his negligent divorcee mother in a suburb called "Jingletown, USA". His younger years were spent "on a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin", watching television, experimenting with drugs, and loitering in front of convenience stores. He feels trapped and bored in his town and longs for escape.
Subsquently he moves to 'the city' becomes his new alter-ego St.Jimmy, taking drugs (give me novocaine) and becoming rebellious and unpredictable.
Jesus meets Whatsername, a girl who fascinates him - she is a real rebel, not someone pretending to be one like he is.
They begin dating. As he slowly metamorphosizes into St. Jimmy, he falls thoroughly in love with her, but he is unable to give her what she deserves due to his personal insecurities.

Letterbomb: In a letter to Jesus/Jimmy, Whatsername expresses her frustration towards him, and tells him she's leaving both him and The City.
Wake me up is about BJA's dad who died of cancer when BJA was 10, he sed in an interview with VH1 that this is the onlly track that veers from the plot of the album.
Homecoming: Eventually Jesus decides to abandon his St. Jimmy identity, which he had been using as a crutch. In order to abandon his title, Jesus symbolically "kills" St. Jimmy in a personal kind of suicide.
Jesus then gets arrested on East 12th Street and the last track on the album is reflecting on what he could of had with whatsername.
In the VH1 "Storytellers", it is stated that the ending is open to interpretation, as Mike Dirnt stated. He could end up in Jingletown, in a mental institution, or in jail.

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-xx-ImAFake-xx-
09-25-2005

Rated 0 
Billie Joe was only 10 when his dad died so it must of been a hard time with the funeral and things at such a young age if he went to the funeral and if im getting this right.

So basically this song is in loving memory of his dad.'Like my father's come to pass
twenty years has gone so fast' This shows that his dad died when he was quiet young. He can't believe that it was 20 years ago because it seemed like yesterday.

'The inoccent can never last' this shows that maybe his dad was in the army fighting for his country or maybe he was in jail and got excecuted for something he never did. I'll leave your thoughts that.

I love the way the drums kick in after the 2nd chorus is it? Well ...that bit is awsome! Great song!

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ULlilLady
09-28-2005

Rated 0 
i like green day and i just saw them on saturday, but i dont like their new album much, especially this song. nine minutes is way too long if its not metal or classical.

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