In 1987, 14 year old friends Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt formed a band called Sweet Children. The first Sweet Children show took place on October 17, 1987, at Rod’s Hickory Pit in Vallejo, California where Armstrong’s mother was working. In 1988, Armstrong and Dirnt began working with former Isocracy drummer, John Kiffmeyer (also known as Al Sobrante). Kiffmeyer served as both the bands drummer and business manager, handling the booking of shows and helping the band establish a fan base.
Larry Livermore, owner of Lookout! Records, saw the band play an early show and signed them to his label. In 1989 they recorded their first EP, 1,000 Hours. Before 1,000 Hours was released, the band dropped the name Sweet Children, according to Livermore this was done in order to avoid confusion with another local band Sweet Baby. The band adopted the name Green Day, allegedly due to their fondness of marijuana.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
The song speaks from the point of view of American Idiot‘s main character, Jesus of Suburbia, and is a moderate midtempo song characterized by sombre and bleak lyrics. This is in contrast to the previous track on the album, “Holiday”, which illustrates Jesus of Suburbia’s high of being in The City.
http://djallyn.org/media/boulevard_of_broken_dreams.flvI walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don’t know where it goes
But it’s home to me and I walk aloneI walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I’m the only one and I walk aloneI walk alone
I walk aloneI walk alone
I walk a…My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk aloneAh-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ahI’m walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk aloneRead between the lines
What’s fucked up and everything’s alright
Check my vital signs
To know I’m still alive and I walk aloneI walk alone
I walk aloneI walk alone
I walk a…My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk aloneAh-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ahI walk alone
I walk a…I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I’m the only one and I walk a…My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk alone…
- Audio from the 2004 album, American Idiot:
(107)