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

Wake Me up When September Ends Lyrics as written by Frank E Wright Iii Michael Pritchard

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Wake Me Up When September Ends song meanings
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384 Comments

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  • +24
    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.

    StormyArmstrongon May 24, 2011   Link
  • +12
    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

    kitkat95on August 01, 2012   Link
  • +8
    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.

    LilRedheadon August 20, 2012   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    This was the first song that Billie Joe has ever written about the death of his dad, which happened when he was...10? I'm not sure. And I think his dad died in september and so mabye he just hates that time of year because it reminds him of it...and every year he wishes he could just sleep all the way through september to avoid thinking about it. I don't know really, just and opinion.

    terrafireinsideon September 27, 2004   Link
  • +7
    My Interpretation

    It makes sense that it is about his father. Billy is 37, and his dad died when he was 10, which was on september 10. Billy wrote the song seven years after his dad died hence the line " seven years has gone so fast". Later in the song, he says "twenty years has gone so fast". 10 plus 7 plus 20 is thirty-seven, wich I will remind you, is Billy's current age. It would also make sense that he wishes he could sleep through September, because perhaps he is reminded of his father in september, wich would probably be kinda depressing. PS September is at the end of Summer "Summer has come and passed", so at the end of summer, he is "drenched in his pain again". -Julie,age 12

    JulieJoyfullon June 20, 2009   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Good interpretation on the date, September 10th: the last day of innocence. I like it. I like it a lot.

    Billie-Joe said himself this song was the first he wrote about his father's death, but I think it's that and a whole lot more. To me it's about the realization of inevitably losing everything you care about, and so in that way it also is the heartache over Whatsername (who breaks up with him in Letterbomb).

    It's a realization that can depress you enough to make you want to sleep for an entire month.

    davidecoyoteon September 28, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This songs about his dad dying...there was somethin on tv about the cd, and it said that.

    fuckfarton September 24, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's about Billie's father's death, but I'm sure that he wrote it so that it tries in with the story of St. Jimmy.

    freewebs.com/thejakesite

    Jakeberton September 25, 2004   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    When I saw the video, my first impression was that the main character killed his father so that he and his girlfriend could be together, thats why she was so upset. He was then shipped off to the military

    elementofdreamson September 19, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    well I must have been the only one here to see the music video. It shows him joining the military and being in probably his first part of combat. and in the beginning of the video he gets into a fight with his girlfriend for joining.

    noitigamon June 07, 2007   Link

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