pasalaska Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Song of the Week this week is the pulsating You Lied, originally a b-side to the Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) single released in 1997, but better known as track 3 off the b-side compilation album, Shenanigans, released in 2002. You Lied’s lyrics (rather obviously) tell of a compulsive liar that can’t stop his “compulsive habit”, much to the frustration and of those around him. The song’s narrator calls out the liar frequently; “[your] story is stretched and so far-fetched that you’re lacking an excuse – you lied”, and describes how the liar started his habit; “your mother allowed you just one white lie, but now she’s dead and she left you with a problem”. Musically, You Lied is fairly unique amongst Green Day’s catalogue – it fits in with Nimrod’s eclectic sound, which is unsurprising as it was a b-side off of that album. I especially like the slow, plodding feel of the song, as if it's a real drag to even sing about this person. There doesn’t appear to be any live clips of You Lied (boooo), so here’s the studio version: Video credit: NoPride6 Lyrics: You got a problem you just can't hide Compulsive habits that never seem to die Your breath has taken up all the air Your teeth are rotting to black holes in your head Well reality is due What you say just can't be true When the story is stretched and so far-fetched That you're lacking an excuse You Lied... Your mother allowed you just one white lie But now she's dead and she left you with a problem Pinocchio has pierced your tongue Your nose is growing into the 3rd dimension Well reality is due What you say just can't be true When the story is stretched and so far-fetched That you're lacking an excuse You Lied... Well reality is due What you say just can't be true When the story is stretched and so far-fetched That you're lacking an excuse You Lied... ********************************************************************************************************* You can nominate songs for discussion as Song of the Week in the SotW Nominations and Archive thread, which contains links to each previous Song of the Week in its first post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenandweird Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Pinocchio is mentioned I love this song! Btw the lyrics' meaning is very intense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artificial Idiot Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 This song is very catchy... and the lyrics make perfect sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spark in the night Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 it's a fun song. I like the guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA TC MD Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I know someone who fits this song quite nicely. This song has one of my favourite Green Day lines: "Pinocchio has pierced your tongue. Your nose is growing into the third dimension" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November's Storms Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Its one of those songs thats just never really captured my imagination. I mean there's nothing wrong with it, but it would be way down on my list of top GD songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheJesusOfSuburbiaIsALie Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I love this song! The lyrics are so easy to grasp and the guitar is just amazing! I love the way Billie says "You lied" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleBoyNamedTrain Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Good choice for the Christmas song of the week! It's really catchy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigister Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I used to freaking love it, now I'm not really into that song anymore, it's still a nice one though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I really like that song. It's catchy sound gets me every time And this is definitely my favorite part: "Pinocchio has pierced your tongue. Your nose is growing into the 3rd dimension" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I love the guitar of this song! And I think this is one of the softest ways to accuse somebody of lying, and it's not even with hate, it sounds more like he's asking to the other person to confess, at least to me. Good song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuckWithRob Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Awesome song. Very catchy and should have been on Nimrod in my opinion, along with a lot of the songs on Shenanigans. If this was ever played live I bet Billie would pause for ages before singing 'You Lied', if you know what I mean. Anyway, a very good song. One for the Green Day fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pretty_and_demented Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 This is one of my favorite songs ever <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWroteHoldenCaulfield84 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Definitely another one of my favorites. I like a lot of their B-sides because they are usually a little different than their regular material that was recorded at that time. I really do wish Green Day had just a few more songs with a guitar riff like this that isn't open notes throughout the verse. Reminds me a lot of the heavier sound of Brain Stew and the second part to the verses in Hitchin' A Ride. I like when Billie strikes a mean, heavy guitar riff like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjrules Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Hmm, I like this song, but half the time I kind of forget it exists It has never been one of my favourites or anything, and I haven't listened to it in quite a while, so I think that I might go and have a listen to it now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moyeszet Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 God. When I got Shenanigans that was definitely the second song I skipped to (with Ha ha you're dead). It's a really good and unique song... it's something I can apply to many many people I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenjonsday Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 I like this song, I like the whole shenanigans album It's too bad that they don't play the songs live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disapperingirl Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Aaaah this used to be my favourite song off of Shenanigans, and I still like it so much, it has the power to cheer me up I love the irony the story is told with, this "compulsive liar" seems like a funny character just came out from a comic The Pinocchio reference is great! And everytime he repeates "you lied" with that tone, it sounds like a telling-off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastard of 1967 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Perfect choice considering that here in the U.S., the GOP primary election season kicks off right after the holidays. But getting back on topic: This is one of those very rare cases for me where the music disappoints the lyrics...it's that plodding that repeats itself over...and over...and over....and over again for 2-1/2 minutes that turns me off to this song. Not so much so that I skip over it when I hear it or anything, but I think the "I'm worn-out, sick-and-tired-of-dealing-with-that-lying-asshole" exhaustion that comes across in the lyrics is amplified too well by the music. Green Day's more typical approach to heavy subjects is to lay the heaviness on in the lyrics while popping up the melody as comic relief, or occasionally the reverse. Here, the heavy lyrics are weighed down further by the music, and we feel that additive weight in the form of a song that's burdensome and challenging to listen to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringMoreKnives Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I love this song so much. My favorite off Shenanigans. I especially love the guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katsername Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I like this song very much!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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