"Wake Me Up When September Ends" | ||||
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Single by Green Day | ||||
from the album American Idiot | ||||
Released | June 13, 2005 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Composer(s) | Green Day | |||
Lyricist(s) | Billie Joe Armstrong | |||
Producer(s) | Rob Cavallo | |||
Green Day singles chronology | ||||
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Music videos | ||||
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" on YouTube "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (short version) on YouTube |
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a song by the American rock band Green Day and the fourth single from their seventh studio album, American Idiot (2004). A rock ballad, the song was written by the band's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, and is about the death of his father in September 1982 and his life since then. The song's lyrics have also been interpreted as a song about the victims and survivors of the September 11 attacks. The song's composition consists of an acoustic guitar, later introducing an electric guitar and bells.
The song was released as a single on June 13, 2005. An accompanying music video was directed by Samuel Bayer and depicts a young couple (played by Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood) that is split up after the boyfriend joins the United States Marine Corps during the Iraq War, with the fate of him and his division being left unknown. The song charted in several countries, reaching number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one in countries such as the Czech Republic, while its music video became the most requested clip on Total Request Live and was voted as the second best music video of 2005 in a Rolling Stone readers poll.
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" was well received by critics, who highlighted the song's lyrics and composition. The song received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Song award at the 2006 Kids' Choice Awards. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the song became associated with it due to a viral video pairing the song with news coverage of the disaster; Green Day also performed the song at a benefit concert for the hurricane recovery efforts. The song has seen use as an internet meme in the years since its release, often experiencing annual spikes in popularity on streaming platforms during the final days of September.
After the low commercial performance of American punk-rock band Green Day's sixth studio album, Warning (2000),[1][2] the band began work on their seventh studio album, named Cigarettes and Valentines. During the production of the album, the demo recordings were stolen from the studio, which led Green Day to scrap the project and begin creating a new album from scratch.[3] The album, American Idiot, was released in 2004.[4] A punk rock concept album, American Idiot's narrative is focused on the story of a teenager (who refers to himself as the "Jesus of Suburbia") growing up in the United States under the presidency of George W. Bush during the Iraq War, criticizing both.[5]
One of the songs in American Idiot, "Wake Me Up When September Ends," is not entirely related to the album's central narrative.[6] The song was inspired by the death of lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's father in September 1982.[5] On the day of his father's funeral, Armstrong reportedly ran home, locked himself in his room, and when his mother came to check on him, he told her to wake him up when September ended,[7] and held onto the song title for several years before writing the song.[8] In an interview with the Howard Stern Show, Armstrong said that he initially avoided writing a song about his father for years, until he "[had] a breakthrough" and recorded "Wake Me Up When September Ends" in his honor.[7][8]
American Idiot was released on September 21, 2004; "Wake Me Up When September Ends" is the eleventh song on the standard track list.[9] The song was released a single on June 13, 2005[10] as album's fourth single.[11] A live recording of the song is included in the live album Bullet In A Bible, released in 2005.[12] The song was featured in American Idiot, the 2009 jukebox musical based on the album, and its 2010 cast recording.[13][14] The song was later included in Green Day's greatest hits album God's Favorite Band (2017).[15] The song will be included as part of the 20th anniversary reissue of American Idiot, alongside live and demo recordings of the song, set to release on October 25, 2024.[16] A demo recording of the song, set to be part of the reissue, was released early on September 6, 2024 alongside the B-side track "Governator" and a live recording of "St. Jimmy"[17]
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a slow-paced emo[6] rock ballad.[5][9] It begins with an acoustic guitar arpeggio, later introducing other instruments such as an electric guitar and bells that form into what Jordan Blum of PopMatters described as a "militarist rhythm."[9] Blum also wrote that every element of the song was "aching to express the same angst."[9] The last few seconds of the song are silence only broken by a few reverberated guitar notes, which Blum described to "embody the sad aftermath."[9] Several journalists found the song to be similar to "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)," another song created by Green Day for an earlier album,[9][18][19] with Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone considering "Wake Me Up When September Ends" to be the song's "sadder, more adult sequel."[18]
The song's lyrics are primarily about the life of Armstrong after his father's death, and his life since that day.[7] Throughout the song, Armstrong emphasizes the time that had occurred since then, stating "Like my fathers come to pass / Seven years has gone so fast," which is repeated later in the song as "Twenty years has gone so fast," referring to how long it had been by the time he recorded the song.[7] While Armstrong's personal experiences were the primary basis for the song, many have considered the song to have multiple meanings, ranging from its role in the narrative of American Idiot to the song being interpreted as a homage to the victims of the September 11 attacks, with the former being supported by lyrics that reference an earlier song in the album (specifically "Holiday") and the friends and family that the Jesus of Suburbia left behind on his journey. After realizing what he had lost, he chooses to return home in the next song in the album, "Homecoming."[9]
In a retrospective article, Jordan Blum of PopMatters described "Wake Me Up When September Ends" as a song that could be considered "deceptively simple yet subtly brilliant" based on the possible different interpretations of its lyrics. He wrote that it was one of the "bravest and most revealing songs" as a personal song for Armstrong, as well as "overwhelmingly truthful and touching" as a song about the September 11 attacks. He additionally considered "Wake Me Up When September Ends" to be the best song that Green Day had ever written.[9] Matthew Leimkuehler of American Songwriter described the song as having a "memorable, powerful message" that discussed long-lasting grief and unexpected coming-of-age moments.[20]
Scott Waldman of Alternative Press and the staff of Consequence placed "Wake Me Up When September Ends" at numbers 8 and 20 respectively in their rankings of the band's songs. The former's Philip Cosores stated that the song "provided an emotional gut-punch," while the latter stated that the song reminded him of his own father, thanking Armstrong for writing the song.[21][22] Jon O'Brien ranked the song as the fourth best in American Idiot, describing Armstrong's performance as "one of his most powerful vocals" in a way that could "give the new emo generation a run for their money."[23]
In an initial review of American Idiot, Tim O'Neil of PopMatters expressed a mixed opinion on the song, writing that it was one of the most emotionally impactful songs on the album, but also felt that the song could have been a bit generic, describing it as "used at the end of an episode of Dawson’s Creek" or another popular show.[24] Johnny Luftus of Pitchfork criticized the song's shift in tone from the rest of the album, believing it to be slow and describing it as the "price of ambition" compared to the rest of American Idiot.[25] He later criticized the song again in a review of Bullet in a Bible, stating that the song made it "unclear what Idiot was supposed to mean in the first place."[12]
In the United States, the song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and spent twenty weeks on the chart.[26][27] It also reached number two on the Billboard Alternative Airplay,[28] and twelve on Mainstream Rock.[29] On the Billboard year-end charts for 2005, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" was number 46.[30] The song was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2008.[31] In Canada, the song entered the CHR/Pop Top 30 at number four,[32] the Hot AC Top 30 at number three,[33] and the Rock Top 30 at number 1.[34] It was certified Platinum in the country four times by Music Canada.[35] Outside of North America, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" reached number one on the charts in Croatia[36] and the Czech Republic,[37] as well as reaching number one on Germany Airplay.[38] It also reached number one on the UK Rock & Metal chart,[39] spending seven weeks at that spot and 619 non-consecutive weeks in the top 100.[40] The song won the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Song award at the 2006 Kids' Choice Awards, hosted by Nickelodeon. At the same ceremony, Green Day was the recipient of the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Music Group.[41]
The song's music video was directed by Samuel Bayer, previously known for directing music videos for Nirvana and Metallica.[42] Bayer envisioned the video as a mini-movie,[43] wanting to create something unlike other music videos that he felt were predictable.[42] Bayer brought the idea of an Iraq War-themed video to the band after interviewing soldiers who had signed up to fight after being persuaded by a television advertisement.[44] Bayer also stated that he wanted the music video to be more political than the album's other music videos, saying that he "wanted kids to talk about the war," and felt that MTV had not spread awareness of the conflict and it's consequences on soldiers.[11] Although it was not the song's original meaning, Armstrong felt it was appropriate.[45] Bayer and his crew spent a month casting actors for the roles and conducted rehearsals, which was uncommon for music videos.[42] The music video was filmed in Los Angeles.[43]
The video focuses on a couple in love, played by Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood.[42] The boyfriend promises never to leave his girlfriend but they later argue when the boyfriend enlists in the United States Marine Corps. The boyfriend interprets his actions as a way to show her that he loves her to the point that he would put his life on the line to keep her safe. However, the girlfriend is heartbroken, viewing this as him breaking his vow to never leave her. The video then shows the boyfriend in battle in Iraq being ambushed by insurgents. Despite the Marines fighting back, several of them fall to the ground wounded. Their fate—and the boyfriend's—is left unknown. This scene is intercut with scenes of the girlfriend tearfully mourning in a quiet field.[46]
Responses to the music video have interpreted it differently. While its original message of the clip was meant to be anti-war, some believed it could also be interpreted as pro-war.[47] While recognizing the music videos original message, Kelefa Sanneh of the New York Times stated that the music video also served as a good "support-our-troops" statement; according to Sarah Boxer, also of the New York Times, the video has been reposted by online bloggers with a caption describing it as a "great recruitment video".[47] Contrarily, Michael Moore of Rolling Stone stated that the music video "dared to show an authentic depiction of how the Iraq war costs young soldiers their limbs and lives."[11] It became one of the most requested music videos to be played on MTV,[48] reaching number one on Total Request Live[45] and remaining one of the most popular clips as late as September 2005.[47] In a 2005 reader poll by Rolling Stone for the best music videos of the year, the clip came in second place, losing to the music video for Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl."[49]
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" has been included on the set lists of numerous Green Day concert tours.[51][52] Among these was the set list for the 2010 21st Century Breakdown World Tour,[53] the 2021 Hella Mega Tour,[54] and the 2024 Saviors Tour.[55][50] Some of these concerts and tours, including the Saviors Tour, played the song alongside every other track from American Idiot.[51][52][50] The song was also included on the set list for the band's performance at the When We Were Young festival in 2023.[56] The band performed the song live for the Howard Stern Show in October 2019, alongside an interview with Armstrong discussing the songs origin.[57] Armstrong again performed the song for One World: Together At Home, a charity livestream dedicated to COVID-19 relief efforts, in April 2020.[58]
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" became closely associated with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States three days before the start of September in 2005.[47] The association began after a blogger (known as Karmagrrrl) created a video pairing the song with recordings of television coverage of the disaster, which went viral.[7][47] Boxer stated that, while the songs actual music video had an ambiguous meaning, the edit created by Karmagrrrl sent a "clear message", though believed that some of the songs lyrics didn't make sense within the context of the clip.[47] Green Day performed the song for ReAct Now: Music & Relief, a benefit concert dedicated to the victims of the hurricane. A live recording of the song, also dedicated to the hurricane's victims, was performed at Gillette Stadium and released on September 3.[7] They performed the song again during the pre-game show for a Monday Night Football game played between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons at the New Orleans Superdome, which was the first game played at the stadium after the hurricane.[7]
In the years since release, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" has seen popularity spikes on streaming platforms during the first and last days of September, as well as the first day of October.[59][60] According to Loudwire, its viewership on YouTube increased by 135 percent on the last day of September 2019 compared to the rest of that year's daily average.[61] Consequentially, the band sees increased profits during those days.[60] The resurgence in popularity around the end of the month also leads to numerous social media posts and internet memes being created, most asking to wake Armstrong up. These memes have been criticized by many as insensitive due to the song's context;[7] in response to the memes, Armstrong jokingly stated in a 2016 interview with Vulture that he would create a new song titled "Shut The Fuck Up When October Comes."[62][63] He later referenced the memes in a promotional video released on October 1, 2023 for an upcoming song.[64]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" | 4:45 |
2. | "Give Me Novacaine" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 3:38 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" | 4:45 |
2. | "Homecoming" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 9:24 |
3. | "Hitchin' a Ride" | 2:52 |
UK 7-inch picture disc[67]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" | 4:45 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Give Me Novacaine" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 3:38 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" | 4:45 |
2. | "Give Me Novacaine" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 3:38 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" | 4:45 |
2. | "Give Me Novacaine" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 3:38 |
3. | "Homecoming" (live at VH1 Storytellers, Culver City, California on February 15, 2005) | 9:24 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (live at Foxboro, Massachusetts on September 3, 2005) | 5:40 |
Personnel are adapted from the UK CD1 liner notes.[65]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[35] | 4× Platinum | 320,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[111] | Gold | 4,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[112] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[113] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[114] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[31] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | June 13, 2005 | Alternative radio | Reprise | [10] |
United Kingdom | CD | [115] | ||
Australia | July 11, 2005 | [116] | ||
United States | [117] | |||
August 29, 2005 | [118] |
...the musical and the cast recording include every song from "American Idiot"...
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Studio albums | |
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EPs | |
Tours | |
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Related articles |
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