When I Come Around
Encyclopedia
"When I Come Around" is a song by American punk rock
band Green Day
. It was released as the fourth single from their third album, Dookie
. "When I Come Around" was Green Day's most popular radio single in their early career, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. This was their highest charting radio single until 2004's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams
" peaked at number 2. It was one of the most successful alternative rock songs of 1995. The song was also their breakthrough hit in most of the world. It topped the Modern Rock Tracks
for seven weeks, and also hit number two on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
. "When I Come Around" has sold 639,000 copies as of August, 2010. Which makes it the band's second best-selling single of the 1990s, only behind the 1997 hit "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
".
Billie Joe Armstrong
wrote the song after breaking up with his girlfriend, Adrienne Nesser
(whom he later married).
and the Powell Street Station
in San Francisco and Berkeley
, California
at night, along with various scenes of people doing common things all inter-related. One of the first scenes of the video eventually leads back to the scene at the end. The band's friend and now backup guitarist Jason White
can be seen in the video with his girlfriend at the time. Mark Kohr directed this video.
Before the video was filmed, MTV
aired a live performance of the song by the band at the 1994 Woodstock Festival
.
MTV's Ultimate Albums: Dookie special credited the simple horizontally-striped sweater worn by Billie Joe in the video for starting a fashion trend of similar sweaters.
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 single from their third album, Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
. "When I Come Around" was Green Day's most popular radio single in their early career, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. This was their highest charting radio single until 2004's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day song)
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their seventh album, American Idiot. The song was written by Green Day, with lyrics by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong...
" peaked at number 2. It was one of the most successful alternative rock songs of 1995. The song was also their breakthrough hit in most of the world. It topped the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
for seven weeks, and also hit number two on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
. "When I Come Around" has sold 639,000 copies as of August, 2010. Which makes it the band's second best-selling single of the 1990s, only behind the 1997 hit "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"...
".
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...
wrote the song after breaking up with his girlfriend, Adrienne Nesser
Adrienne Armstrong
Adrienne Armstrong is the co-owner of Adeline Records, Adeline Street, and Atomic Garden . She is married to Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Adrienne earned a degree in sociology from Minnesota State University, Mankato...
(whom he later married).
Initial pressing
- "When I Come Around" – 2:58
- "Coming Clean" (live) – 1:36
- "She" (live) – 2:14
- (Live tracks recorded November 18, 1994 at Aragon BallroomAragon Ballroom (Chicago)The Aragon Ballroom is the name of a ballroom in Chicago, Illinois.Located on West Lawrence Avenue approximately five miles north of downtown in the Uptown neighborhood, it was built in 1926 and designed in the Moorish architectural style with the interior resembling a Spanish village and named...
, ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
)
- (Live tracks recorded November 18, 1994 at Aragon Ballroom
AU single
- "When I Come Around" – 2:58
- "LongviewLongview (song)"Longview" is a song and the first major-label single by the American punk rock band Green Day. It is the fourth track on the band's third album, Dookie . The song was the band's first single to top the Modern Rock chart in the U.S...
" (live) – 3:30 - "Burnout" (live) – 2:11
- "2,000 Light Years Away" (live) – 2:48
- (Live tracks recorded March 11, 1994, at Jannus LandingJannus LandingJannus Live is an open-air concert venue in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, named after Tony Jannus. It plays host to various acts, both nationally prominent and local....
, St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
)
- (Live tracks recorded March 11, 1994, at Jannus Landing
Other versions
- The infamous live performance at Woodstock '94Woodstock '94Woodstock '94, often called the "commercial Woodstock" or "Mudstock", was a music festival organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969...
before a mud fight - A live version found on Foot in Mouth (recorded live January 27, 1996 at Harumi Arena, TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
) - A live performance on Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
- The older version "Better Not Come Around" can be heard live on the Live at Gilman Street EP. There are also older versions included in the Dookie Demos.
- Second Time Around, a band message left on the official website. The lyrics are mostly unintelligible but it is recognizably similar to When I Come Around.
- Vonnegutt released a single featuring the Hey MondayHey MondayHey Monday is an American rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, formed in 2008. They released their debut album Hold on Tight in 2008 which produced notable singles "Homecoming" and "How You Love Me Now". The album was followed up with their 2010 EP Beneath It All, which achieved moderate...
's lead vocal Cassadee PopeCassadee PopeCassadee Blake Pope is an American singer-songwriter and musician and the lead vocalist of the pop punk band Hey Monday. With the band she has released a studio album, Hold On Tight and two extended plays.-Biography:...
.
Music video
The music video shows the band walking to different places, like the Mission DistrictMission District, San Francisco, California
The Mission District, also commonly called "The Mission", is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, USA, originally known as "the Mission lands" meaning the lands belonging to the sixth Alta California mission, Mission San Francisco de Asis...
and the Powell Street Station
Powell Street Station
Powell Street Station is a Muni Metro and Bay Area Rapid Transit station near the intersection of Market Street and Powell Street in downtown San Francisco, California. The station is located along the Market Street Subway and extends underground from Fourth Street to Fifth Street. Hallidie Plaza...
in San Francisco and Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at night, along with various scenes of people doing common things all inter-related. One of the first scenes of the video eventually leads back to the scene at the end. The band's friend and now backup guitarist Jason White
Jason White (musician)
Jason White is an American guitarist who has played in various punk rock bands. He is most notable for being the long-time touring lead guitarist for Green Day and guitarist for Californian punk quartet Pinhead Gunpowder. Jason White has been a touring member of Green Day since 1999 when they...
can be seen in the video with his girlfriend at the time. Mark Kohr directed this video.
Before the video was filmed, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
aired a live performance of the song by the band at the 1994 Woodstock Festival
Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94, often called the "commercial Woodstock" or "Mudstock", was a music festival organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969...
.
MTV's Ultimate Albums: Dookie special credited the simple horizontally-striped sweater worn by Billie Joe in the video for starting a fashion trend of similar sweaters.
Chart positions
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Singles Chart |
3 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
45 |
| Sweden Singles Chart | 28 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Airplay Hot 100 Airplay The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard... |
6 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
27 |