10 Upbeat Rock Songs With Darker Meanings
8. When I Come Around - Green Day (1994)
Green Day had a number of tracks in their earlier days that contrasted their laid back and carefree brand of slacker punk rock, with fairly heavy subject matters. Basket Case was one of their hit songs that did just this, high energy punk-rock, set to Billie Joe Armstrong's heart on the sleeve admissions that he was struggling with mental illness.
Whereas the message of that song was fairly self explanatory - with both the name of the song and music video being massive hints, for anyone who didn't actually listen to the lyrics - When I Come Around was somewhat more nuanced.
The casual guitar progression, along with the bopping bass melodies, set the song up as an easy going listen. Although, the take away message can be interpreted as a hopeful sentiment - that of a couple overcoming the many struggles in their relationship - there are more troubling meanings to the lyrics.
Armstrong, admits to his abusive relationship with drugs, and his contempt for (as the song implies) his partner, who is concerned for him. He implies that he's aware of his aloof and distant behaviour but he doesn't want to do anything about it, just yet...
In a sense Armstrong wants to have his cake and eat it too, essentially telling his partner to just hang about until he's ready to stop having fun on tour. It's a pretty callus message when you break it down...