Thought I ran into you down on the street
Then it turned out to only be a dream
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
She went away and then I took a different path
I remember the face
But I can't recall the name
Now I wonder how whatsername has been

Seems that she disappeared without a trace
Did she ever marry old what's his face
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
She went away and then I took a different path
I remember the face
But I can't recall the name
Now I wonder how whatsername has been

Remember, whatever
It seems like forever ago
Remember, whatever
It seems like forever ago
The regrets are useless in my mind
She's in my head
I must confess
The regrets are useless in my mind
She's in my head
So long ago

And in the darkest night
If my memory serves me right
I'll never turn back time

Forgetting you, but not the time


Lyrics submitted by animated456

Whatsername Lyrics as written by Frank E Wright Iii Michael Pritchard

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Whatsername song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

141 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +8
    General Comment

    I guess I'll analyze the entire album here...that is if I don't give up midway through. I'm gonna try to look at it only for the plot, not the symbolism... To start, the main character's name is JIMMY, and he has 2 aliases: Jesus of Suburbia and St. Jimmy. 1.) American Idiot: I'm not sure how this song fits into the plot. My guess is that Jimmy is sick of American society, and wants change. Everyone he knows is an American Idiot, and he wants to be different. 2.) Jesus of Suburbia: This track describes Jimmy's hometown persona, Jesus of Suburbia. He is basically an average teenager. He experiments with drugs, and has a little group that he is the head of. He starts to relize the ignorance of his town in "I Don't Care." In "Dearly Beloved," he talks to someone (possibly himself as St. Jimmy) about his problems, how everyone expects him to be perfect ("Nobody's perfect and I stand accused"). He decides to leave his town (called Jingletown, USA) in "Tales of Another Broken Home." 3.) Holiday: Jimmy finds himself in a city, and realizes that it, too, has problems of its own. He is in the middle of a protest against "President Gasman." He sees that the president is telling America lies, and wants to defy them. Included in the song is an excerpt of a hypothetical speech from the "Governator," starting with "Zeig heil to the President Gasman..." 4.) Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Jimmy leaves the protest, and finds himself walking through the crowded streets of the city, but somehow alone. He says it's "home to me" but also wishes "someone up here will find me." It shows the formation of St. Jimmy (I'm walking down the line/ That divides me somewhere in my mind.) 5.) Are We the Waiting: A continuation of BLVD of Broken Dreams, Jimmy is now truly alone on the streets suring the night. He is now between his town persona, Jesus of Suburbia, and his city ego, St. Jimmy. He decides that his town life was a lie, and becomes St. Jimmy. The track is supposed to be written on Easter Sunday, making it a reference to the Christians waiting for the Second Coming of the messiah, as Jimmy is waiting for his savior. 6.) St. Jimmy: This is the introduction of St. Jimmy, who is not a different person. He is the same person as Jesus of Suburbia. St. Jimmy iks more edgy and punk. He is arrogant, but a good, rebellious leader. He also does a lot of drugs. 7.) Give Me Novacaine: A song about drugs. Jimmy is trying to retain his St. Jimmy ego, and is taking more drugs to repress Jesus of Suburbia. Eventually, he is successful. 8.) She's a Rebel: Jimmy meets Whatsername, who is the rebellious spirit he craves. She is a pparently known "from Chicago, to Toronto" (which really isn't a long distance). She steals his heart and is now holding on to it "like a hand grenade." 9.) Extraordinary Girl: Jimmy and Whatsername start goind out. Jimmy really likes her, and finds out a lot about her. Even though she is tough on the outside, she really has a lot of problems, and cries when she's alone. This also might be due to relationship problems. 10.) Letterbomb: Whatsername dumps Jimmy in a letter. She tells him how the city is not rebellious enough for her. She also tell him he's lost his identy, and both his alteregos are false. In the end, she leaves the city to move elsewhere. 11.) Wake Me Up When September Ends: Jimmy is sad that Whatsername left. The summer months he spent with her are over, and now he is trying to move on. It also has to do with the fact that BJ Armstrong's dad died in September; hence the line "20 years have gone so fast." 12.) Homecoming: In the first part, Jimmy "kills" his St. Jimmy persona. He then gets a job, which he hates. He has no one at home, as everyone has moved on. He tries convincing everyone he is cool in "Rock and Roll Girlfriend." In the end, he basically says, "Screw it, I'll see you all in hell, I'm going home."

    1. Whatsername: Jimmy reminises on the past, remembering the good times he has with his ex-girlfriend. He still likes her, but he is trying to forget. He ends up forgetting who she was, but not the times they spent together.

    That is the plot of American Idiot. Please leave any questions, comments, or rude remarks on this board. I will probably forget to ever look at them, but what the hell. Thank you, you've been great.

    amazinagain2005on March 29, 2005   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    This song gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear it. It's a brilliant closing to an amazing story.

    In the booklet that comes with the album, whenever it says "whatsername" in this song there's a big scribble and whatsername is squeezed above it. I have no idea what it's supposed to mean, but it intrigues me.

    dark ninjaon October 09, 2004   Link
  • +4
    Memory

    This song reminds me of a girl I dated way back. She was special. Meaning that she was a psychic. She was also incredibly beautiful. When we were dating, it was the best four years of my life. We were never harassed, we were never harmed. Everyone thought we were the cutest couple. I would get her flowers, whatever she wanted. We would text every morning before school, every afternoon after school, and then we would text into the night. On days when we didn't have school, I wouldn't do anything but talk to her. It was paradise. Absolute paradise. Then one day, she came to me. Her smile started to lose it's shimmer. I don't know what happened. She wouldn't tell me. She lost her friends. I was all she had left. She always told me to smile. She said don't let anything hold you back. She would ask me to smile for her. Then, a few months later..she disappeared. I never saw her again. She hasn't passed away, but she was gone. I don't know where she went. This destroyed me. Killed me slowly. Eventually, I had to move on. I could never forget her glistening eyes. Every now and then, I think back to when we were together. I think of how wonderful it was. And I ask myself where she has gone.

    TSharpieon February 15, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i just love this song, one of the many many great songs on this album

    PunkSkaSuckson September 21, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    What an awesome song, like everyone else said.

    Slow and very thoughtful, even though it is teaching you to be thoughtless.

    I think the motto of this song is don't live on regrets. Especially when chasing the unicorn. The unicorn being that person that you so sought your life after in fantasy, and at many cases, this doesn't make it through reality.

    It's funny because I'm not bragging at all, but in my past experience in relationships I've dated or at least almost met up with four strippers and a masseuse that worked at a strip club. I fell in love very hard with one, but she was too messed up to pursue a relationship.

    Sometimes I do think about them, whether I could've done like something different some way or another. But you just have to let go of the regrets. I liked them a lot because for some reason a lot of them were spiritual in nature (not all of them, but few), but the lifestyle and the baggage was immense.

    You just gotta let it go. Just remember the good times rolling out of the experience!

    chino69on December 15, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    (Continuing my review)

    This is the end. Jesus of Suburbia returned home. Who knows what he is going to do with the rest of his life. That's not important. This story is about him growing up (and seeing the problems with the world along the way).

    He is trying to forget Whatshername. He burned her photographs, he crossed out her name. But he can't really forget her. He still remembers her face, and even dreamed that he met her again. But in reality she is gone forever. All he has is his memories of her, and his memories of his journey.

    A good song. I pretty sad, especially combined with the album. The album doesn't have a happy ending, which makes it much more powerful. At the begining, the album looks political. It has a political-sounding title. It has politcal singles (with some political videos). But in reality, that's only a small part of the story. The story is Jesus of Suburbia growing up. It's a powerful story, that is something you would never expect from Green Day. Green Day may have created the pop-punk mold, but they're doing what they can to break it.

    PGMon June 17, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I cry when i hear this song, it reminds me of the last girl I loved, she cheated on me and i burned all her pictures and letters, i dont say her name anymore but i still cant forget her.... the song describes exacly how i feel

    berm8054on February 13, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Its about being obsessed with the idea of someone, but then you can't let them go, years later, when you know that it's really dumb to still have feelings for this person that turned out to not give a shit about you. You try as hard as you can to let them go, but every once in a while they pop back up in your head and you feel just as obsessed. I think it's bullshit that he doesn't remember her name, drugs make you forget a lot, but not someone you were obsessed with

    moore329on November 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    agreed

    TheFedman2002on September 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Awesome closing for the album.

    prayingmantis84on September 22, 2004   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!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.