She had a compound fracture in the trunk
It started when she ran away
Thumbs out on the interstate
She hitched a ride to misery
He fell into a city by the bay
He liquidated his estate
Now he sleeps upon the Height
Panhandling misery
When he's low, low, low
The fire burns from better days
And she screams why, oh, why
I said I don't know
The catastrophic hymns from yesterday
Of misery
He ran the drug cartel in Tinseltown
They found him in a Cadillac
Bludgeoned with a baseball bat
in the name
Of misery
Mysteriously the night Vinnie croaked
She stopped in Vegas to elope
With Virgina and the dope
And kissed the bride eternally
When they're low, low, low
The fire burns from better days
And she screams why, oh, why
I said I don't know
The catastrophic hymns from yesterday
Of misery
Its groping on your leg until it sleeps
The emptiness will fill your soul with sorrow
Because its not what you make, its what you leave
When we're low, low, low
The fire burns from better days
And she screams why, oh, why
I said I don't know
The catastrophic hymns from yesterday
Of misery

This is a good song, but it is not about " how things should be forgotten and laughed at because they will get better" and it seems wierd to say that it's "fun" unless you ignore all of the lyrics, which doesn't seem to be the purpose of a web site dedicated to song meanings.
This is a song about the consequences of bad decisions and, more specifically, lives ruined by drug adictions and involvement in drug dealing.
Everyone in the song is getting high wehn they're low, or using drugs to deal with their depression/failures.
Virginia was a truck stop whore whose problems started when she ran away and later suffered a compound fracture (broken bone protruding through the skin) in the trunk (presumably of a car, not in that part of her body). Mr. Whirly "liquidated" his estate in San Francisco and ended up a panhandler on the Haight, which means that he spent all of his money and ended up begging in a neighborhood known for its hippies, readily available drugs and not coincidentally beggars. His drug of choice may have been alcohol though b/c his estate was "liquidated" which suggests spending it on alcohol. Vinnie was a hustler (male prostitute or petty criminal) who was running a drug cartel until he was beaten to death. Gina left New York the night Vinnie was killed and "eloped" with Virginia and the drugs (probably Vinnie's) in Las Vegas. She then kissed the bride "eternally" which may suggest death.
The song is musically and lyrically interesting, but it is not about happy endings, it is about ruined lives and death.
This song honestly reminds me of "Goodfellas" and "The Godfather" because of the mandolin.
This song honestly reminds me of "Goodfellas" and "The Godfather" because of the mandolin.
"Vinnie was a hustler our of Amsterdam He ran the drug cartel in Tinseltown They found him n a Cadillac Bludgeoned with a baseball bat in the name Of misery"
"Vinnie was a hustler our of Amsterdam He ran the drug cartel in Tinseltown They found him n a Cadillac Bludgeoned with a baseball bat in the name Of misery"
Reminds me so much of the mafia because Vinnie possibly was a rat and squealed, and thus was taken out by being bludgeoned in the head with a baseball bat and then left in an abandoned Cadillac.
Reminds me so much of the mafia because Vinnie possibly was a rat and squealed, and thus was taken out by being bludgeoned in the head with a baseball bat and then left in an abandoned Cadillac.
Honestly, my favorite Green Day song ever I think next to Jesus of...
Honestly, my favorite Green Day song ever I think next to Jesus of Suburbia and Basket Case.
Lol, finally someone who understands! xD
Lol, finally someone who understands! xD
Well put, couldn't say it better myself.
Well put, couldn't say it better myself.
I agree, but it also seems to be implied that Gina killed Vinnie for the drugs, which I don't think you mentioned. Well said though =]
I agree, but it also seems to be implied that Gina killed Vinnie for the drugs, which I don't think you mentioned. Well said though =]

Apart from being a fun, strange song. I think it is about how different decisions affect peoples lives etc. and how things should be forgotten and laughed at because they will get better.

This is one of my favorite Green Day songs, actually. I like how they said "fuck all the hardcore punks" and just did something different.
that's not what they did. they got signed to warner bros and the "hardcore punks" saw them as the bands that they hated and put up a sign on the club green day played at saying "no major bands allowed"
that's not what they did. they got signed to warner bros and the "hardcore punks" saw them as the bands that they hated and put up a sign on the club green day played at saying "no major bands allowed"

crazy song. I loved this entire album. I agree with lostmyconcentr. I def feel jewish wen i listen to this. I also agree with fuckyouall. I hate that whole "were hardcore punks" bullshit attitude. U dont call urself punk, u just are. GD knows that and they truly are punk. Now, someone is gonna attack me and call GD a sellout. U know what, all those "sellout" people, w/ ur lame excuses, fuck ya'll.

i agree with willow, and it also shows you how diff people are all linked together, in the choices they make, like when it says they met up, it shows you that it is a small world

I luv this song... remind sme of a piece from nightmare before christamass crossed with a mafia song ;) .. luv it!!!

this song is amazing.... i luv it... it puts a smile on me face.. lol... it reminds me of a teen movie for sum weird reason... like i know what you did last summer... i ave noooo idea why tho... ;)

This song is sooo fun. It makes you want to bounce and sing along with it. Also Green Day is the BEST band and will always be!!

I agree this song is great, but really it makes me want to act Jewish... haha... I think this song isn't necessarily about how things will get better. I think it leans more towards the life is a shit hole you should really just learn to deal with that kind of stuff.

For some strange reason this song reminds me of The Godfather (maybe coz I was listening to it after watching the film). I think it's a song about a bunch of people and the mess they made of their lives so now their living in misery...
Luv, Louise xxx