Brain Stew
Released On
-
Brain Stew / Jaded (single) [1995] -
Godzilla (soundtrack) [1998] -
International Superhits! [2001] -
7" Vinyl Singles Box [2009] -
God's Favorite Band [2017]
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool
Hyde Street Studios
Rob Cavallo, Green Day
788
1995-10-22
2026-02-06
Staple (80-100%)
Regular (50-79%)
Sporadic (20-49%)
Rare (1-19%)
Inactive (0%)
Performance Probability
93%
Odds of being played at the next showStaple
(Calculated from the last 100 shows)
!
For songs debuted recently, the percentage is calculated against total shows performed since the song's debut date rather than the full 100-show window.
Song Notes
This song is such a dark horse. I had just gotten some recording equipment, and I came up with the riff when I was experimenting with it for the first time: “Oh, this is cool. It almost sounds like a harder Beatles song, like ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ ” The song is about methamphetamine, not being able to sleep, and staying up all night. It was something that was creeping into our punk scene at the time, and I definitely did my experimenting with it. It’s just such an evil drug.
Things were getting really scary. I’m such a dedicated songwriter and musician, and when Dookie got so big — it was on par with becoming one of the biggest pop records of all time — I really wanted to be like, “I’m a rocker. I’m a punk rocker. That’s what matters to me more than being some kind of pop star.” That sort of fueled that record.
Everything was happening. I got married, I had a kid, I was 23 years old, and people were climbing in my trees to look inside my house. It was the scary side of becoming a rock star, or whatever. You can’t control the outcome of your life. I wanted to show the uglier side of what Green Day was capable of.
Billie Joe Armstrong (Rolling Stone)
This song is such a dark horse. I had just gotten some recording equipment, and I came up with the riff when I was experimenting with it for the first time: “Oh, this is cool. It almost sounds like a harder Beatles song, like ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ ” The song is about methamphetamine, not being able to sleep, and staying up all night. It was something that was creeping into our punk scene at the time, and I definitely did my experimenting with it. It’s just such an evil drug.
Things were getting really scary. I’m such a dedicated songwriter and musician, and when Dookie got so big — it was on par with becoming one of the biggest pop records of all time — I really wanted to be like, “I’m a rocker. I’m a punk rocker. That’s what matters to me more than being some kind of pop star.” That sort of fueled that record.
Everything was happening. I got married, I had a kid, I was 23 years old, and people were climbing in my trees to look inside my house. It was the scary side of becoming a rock star, or whatever. You can’t control the outcome of your life. I wanted to show the uglier side of what Green Day was capable of.
Billie Joe Armstrong (Rolling Stone)
Lyrics
I'm having trouble trying to sleep
I'm counting sheep but running out
As time ticks by
Still I try
No rest for cross-tops in my mind
On my own, here we go
My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed
Dried up and bulging out my skull
My mouth is dry
My face is numb
Fucked up and spun out in my room
On my own, here we go
My mind is set on overdrive
The clock is laughing in my face
A crooked spine
My senses dulled
Past the point of delirium
On my own, here we go
My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed
Dried up and bulging out my skull
My mouth is dry
My face is numb
Fucked up and spun out in my room
On my own, here we go
