With Green Day, along with fans around the world, in quarantine during the Coronavirus crisis of 2020, Billie Joe promised he would “release a cover song every Monday until we’re let back out into the world.” He called the cover project No Fun Mondays and the videos below are what resulted. The songs were later compiled and released on Vinyl & CD.
Billie’s quotes below each song are courtesy of SPIN.
Whole Wide World
Posted: Sept 4/20
Original Artist: Wreckless Eric
It’s a song for dreamers. The first time I ever heard the song was when we opened for Die Toten Hosen in Germany and they played it live. I guess it had an impact on me.
Police On My Back
Posted: July 18/20
Original Artist: The Equals
I recorded it after the George Floyd murder but I didn’t put it out. I thought it would’ve been tone-deaf to put out the song at the time. A white guy singing about police on my back would have been in bad taste at that moment, so I held out for later.
A New England
Posted: July 10/20
Original Artist: Billy Bragg
This song is the perfect thread between a love song and a protest song. Phil Ochs and Billy Bragg are the best at this, and I made sure to tag Kristy MacColl because her version is so iconic.
Gimme Some Truth
Posted: July 2/20
Original Artist: John Lennon
I thought the song fit really well considering the crazy year and the bat shit crazy election that we had this year. Between cable news and social media unrelenting shit being thrown in our faces every single day, it was nearly impossible to shut it off. ‘Gimme Some Truth’ couldn’t be more true for the times that we live in.
That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
Posted: May 18/20
Original Artist: Eric Carmen
My sisters listened to Shaun (Cassidy – who covered the song) and we used to bop around to ‘That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ such a great single!
Not That Way Anymore
Posted: May 11/20
Original Artist: Stiv Bators
Billie Joe caught wind of the song when his friend Aaron Cometbus put the track on a compilation tape more than 25 years ago. He recalls the first time he ever heard Stiv was his performing ‘Open Your Eyes’ with Lords of the New Church on MTV’s 120 Minutes. – SPIN
Kids In America
Posted: May 4/20
Original Artist: Kim Wilde
‘Kids in America’ has got to be one of the best pop songs ever written. The lyrics fit perfectly with the melody. That chorus is huge. Ricky Wilde was also a glam rocker from the ‘70s who put out some great singles.
Amico
Posted: April 29/20
Original Artist: Don Backy
Green Day has an amazing fanbase in Italy and a couple years ago I went to visit my ancestors’ village, a town called Viggiano. I was looking for a song to sing in Italian and I found ‘Amico’ — my dedication to Italy.
War Stories
Posted: April 27/20
Original Artist: The Starjets
I’m a power-pop nerd. I like to dig around for more obscure bands. Starjets put out some killer singles and their ‘War Stories’ feels influenced by the Clash. Great song!
That Thing You Do!
Posted: April 20/20
Original Artist: The Wonders
Adam Schlesinger was a great songwriter; he will be missed. Fountains of Wayne are such a good band with great songs.
Corpus Christi
Posted: April 12/20
Original Artist: The Avengers
I did some work with (Avengers singer) Penelope several years ago; she’s great and Jimmy is one of the best guitar players ever. The Avengers were one of the best punk bands. I’m proud that they’re from the Bay Area.
Manic Monday
Posted: April 6/20
Original Artist: The Bangles
‘Manic Monday’ is the reason I started No Fun Mondays. My sister turned me on to the Bangles before this hit came out.
You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory
Posted: March 30/20
Original Artist: Johnny Thunders
Probably the loneliest song ever written. I thought it fit really with our No Fun Mondays theme.
I Think We’re Alone Now
Posted: March 23/20
Original Artist: Tommy James & The Shondells
“The pandemic wasn’t politicized yet. When I covered ‘I Think We’re Alone Now,’ it seemed there was an ‘all in this together’ attitude. I recorded it to make our fans happy because the Green Day 2020 tour was being postponed.”