Nice Guys Finish Last
Encyclopedia
"Nice Guys Finish Last" is a song by American punk rock
band Green Day
. It was released as the fourth and final single from their fifth album, Nimrod. The use of the song in the movie Varsity Blues
helped propel it to hit status and earned it a nomination for an MTV movie award
for best song from a movie in 1999.
Tracks 2-4 were recorded live at the Electric Factory
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
team (parodying the Green Bay Packers
with Green Day). The stage set up for them is portrayed as analagous to a football playing field, and in the video, a number of concert scenes are shown in ways that simulate football game action; lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong
is tackled by a fan, Mike Dirnt
sprains his ankle when jumping, and a coach motivates them in a locker room midway during the song. The video itself, directed by Evan Bernard
, humorously extends the analogy with a voice-over emulating that of legendary NFL Films
narrator John Facenda
.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. It was released as the fourth and final single from their fifth album, Nimrod. The use of the song in the movie Varsity Blues
Varsity Blues (film)
Varsity Blues is a 1999 American drama/sport film directed by Brian Robbins that follows a small-town high school football team and their overbearing coach through a tumultuous season. The players must deal with the pressures of adolescence and their football obsessed community while having their...
helped propel it to hit status and earned it a nomination for an MTV movie award
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
for best song from a movie in 1999.
Track list
AU single/Japanese EP:- "Nice Guys Finish Last"
- "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)-Charts:-Covers:* Rancid have covered the song in some acoustic performances, Matt Freeman is the lead vocalist in the cover.* Comedian Tim Hawkins plays a parody of the song entitled "These Are Things You Don't Say to Your Wife"...
" (live) - "The Grouch" (live)
- "She" (live)
Tracks 2-4 were recorded live at the Electric Factory
Electric Factory
The Electric Factory is a concert venue in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe original "Electric Factory" venue was a converted tire warehouse at 22nd and Arch Streets, which opened in 1968. The first performers, on February 2, 1968, were the Chambers Brothers...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | US Modern Rock Tracks | 31 |
Music video
The music video features the band as a mock footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team (parodying the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
with Green Day). The stage set up for them is portrayed as analagous to a football playing field, and in the video, a number of concert scenes are shown in ways that simulate football game action; lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
is tackled by a fan, Mike Dirnt
Mike Dirnt
Michael Ryan Pritchard is an American musician, best known as the bassist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the American Rock band Green Day. While at school, he would play "air-bass." While pretending to pluck the strings, he made the noise, "dirnt, dirnt, dirnt"...
sprains his ankle when jumping, and a coach motivates them in a locker room midway during the song. The video itself, directed by Evan Bernard
Evan Bernard
Evan Bernard is an American director of commercials and music videos who has directed videos for artists such as Moby, the Beastie Boys, Green Day, Lit, Cibo Matto and many others.After studying advertising design at Syracuse University and St...
, humorously extends the analogy with a voice-over emulating that of legendary NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
narrator John Facenda
John Facenda
John Thomas Ralph Augustine James Facenda was an American broadcaster and sports announcer. He was a fixture on Philadelphia radio and television for decades, and achieved national fame as a narrator for NFL Films and Football Follies...
.