Nobody likes you
Everyone left you
They're all out without you
Having fun

Where have all the bastards gone?
The underbelly stacks up ten high
The dummy failed the crash test
Collecting unemployment checks
Like a flunkie along for the ride

Where have all the riots gone?
As your city's motto gets pulverized
"What's in love is now in debt"
On your birth certificate
So strike the fucking match to light this fuse

The town bishop is an extortionist
And he don't even know that you exist
Standing still when it's do or die
You better run for your fucking life

It's not over 'till you're underground
It's not over before it's too late
This city's burnin'
"It's not my burden"
It's not over before it's too late

There's nothing left to analyze

Where will all the martyrs go when the virus cures itself?
And where will we all go when it's too late?

And don't look back

You're not the Jesus of Suburbia
The St. Jimmy is a figment of
Your father's rage and your mother's love
Made me the idiot America

It's not over 'till you're underground
It's not over before it's too late
This city's burnin'
"It's not my burden"
It's not over before it's too late

She said "I can't take this place,
I'm leaving it behind"

Well she said "I can't take this town,
I'm leaving you tonight"



Lyrics submitted by prayingmantis84

Track duration: 07:40

"Letterbomb" as written by Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank E. Wright, Michael Pritchard

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Letterbomb song meanings
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86 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Lets look at this song on a general scale, rather than it's correlation to the albums story line.
    I think we can all find closure knowing this song really defines the meaning of the acceptance of what is inevitable in our lives. I think this song preaches the idea that everything and every power in the midst of our society is merely pseudo, and has no definition or any say on what our lives mean on a profound scale. We're all going to die alone, and one small ending or one small closed door in this life is so obsolete in a universe so vast. We can do whatever we want with no consequences, and this song embodies that.

    Tl;dr? Fuck your problems, because nobody cares.
    Flag japscatratpackon May 04, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:When I listen to the song, "Letterbomb," I think of a boyfriend and a girlfriend, who break up, because they are fighting, and the boyfriend is cheating on his gf. The line, "I can't take this town, I'm leaving you tonight," is the girlfriend telling the boyfriend, that I had enough of your lies, and you cheat on me, and I wanted an honest relationship, and you went and cheated on me after how nicely I treated you. Its a break up letter, and a harsh one, because the boyfriend needs to learn how to stay loyal and not go after women, when he has this girl, who loves him very much, and who wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
    Flag Coach45on November 22, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:When I listen to the song, "Letterbomb," I think of a boyfriend and a girlfriend, who break up, because they are fighting, and the boyfriend is cheating on his gf. The line, "I can't take this town, I'm leaving you tonight," is the girlfriend telling the boyfriend, that I had enough of your lies, and you cheat on me, and I wanted an honest relationship, and you went and cheated on me after how nicely I treated you. Its a break up letter, and a harsh one, because the boyfriend needs to learn how to stay loyal and not go after women, when he has this girl, who loves him very much, and who wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
    Flag Coach45on November 22, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:AWESOME SONG!!!!!!!! KINDA REMINDA ME OF WARNING XD
    BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE OF GREEN DAY'S BEST SONGS!!!!!! XD
    Flag AutumnXDon December 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:From what I can tell, Whatsername is trying to tell JOS that he is too melodramatic in thinking he is two people and refering to himself as the "Jesus of Suburbia". As stated before, there is a sense of Dookie in this song. This makes perfect sense in that it has many textual connections to Basket Case. The mind playing tricks on him, her putting up with his issues and obviously being stoned.
    Flag GoodBadBoyon December 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:in the cd's booklet it's "THIS city's burnin'"
    Flag nymrawdon July 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song tells that st jimmy is a personality and not an actually person, however JOS IS
    Flag shredderboi14on April 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is narrated by Whatshername from Extraordinary Girl and She's A Rebel. As many of you seem to be catching onto, his alter-ego IS St. Jimmy, this is his change. This is her way of breaking up with Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia.
    Flag billielover79on April 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My ex? gf, a self-proclaimed rebel and proud of it, and I were in a co-dependant relationship, I was like Jesus to her, to save her from herself.

    Make a long story short she got back into doing drugs (behind my back, for over a month now, we don't live in the same town so it was easy for her to hide it from me) I confronted her and offered to help her through the crap

    She sent me a letter bomb of her own...I'm not her savior, I should just get over myself...yada yada...since I'm stupid enough to stay with her, she'll do me the favor of leaving me.

    I've listening to AI all week, it so fits my life right now.

    Everyone sees what they want to see, be it religious, politically etc... to me it's about realizing that the world, a country, a person is sometimes beyond help and those of us who try to are really just acting out our own psychological hangups (mother's love, father's rage) and unsolved issues under the guise of heroism.

    That realization is a tough pill to swallow.
    Nothing so hard as letting go.
    Flag Yellmynameon November 16, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is about Whatsername breaking up with St. Jimmy. I am of the opinion that St.Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia are one and the same. Whatsername doesn't like Jimmy's attitude, and prefered the Jesus of Suburbia "fight ofr the city" attitude. Whereas St. Jimmy says "It's not my burden".

    Letterbomb could not have opened the album, or the chronology wouldn't add up.

    And Whatsername is a kind of "looking back/what if" song, wrapping up the loose ends (in this case Jesus' feelings for Whatsername).

    The albums a rock-opera. American Idiot set the scene, Jesus of Suburbia introduced the main character, and two songs after Boulevard of Broken Dreams St. Jimmy comes on the scene, stating early on "up on the Boulevard...". The Blvd of Broken Dreams is a problem, Jimmy being the solution, his tougher, in-the-city alter-ego.

    Novacaine is Whatsername's perception of Jimmy/Jesus (or as is on that songs board: Jesus asking Jimmy for help)... and She's a Rebel is his perception of her.

    Extraordinary Girl is both of their views (and I think the song could be reworked as a kick-ass duet). Letterbomb fits in after that.

    September may be put there for you to think it's Jesus coping without her, and maybe it is, but more cprrecly (with the "seven years" and "twenty years" lines) is about Billie Joe's father's death.

    Homecoming is Jesus gathering the Underbelly (the gang to come home with him, and their various responses (as sung by Tré and Mike). They return and Whatsername sums up the ending, as a kind of afterthought.
    Flag Sig V.2on August 29, 2007   Link

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