pasalaska Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 It’s Kerplunk’s 20th birthday on the 17th of this month, so to celebrate that momentous anniversary this week’s Song of the Week is the 10th song from that album; the brooding and reflective No One Knows. Musically, No One Knows has to be the most unique song on Kerplunk – its 40-second long mellow bass intro is unlike any of Green Day’s other material, and that bass line continues throughout the whole song. Its lyrics explore the feelings experienced from maturing and growing up – watching friends “begin to age” and (presumably) settle down and plan ahead for their future life while you get left behind because you want to remain young and carefree a little longer (“Why should my fun have to end?”, “is there something I should find to make plans for forever?”). The song reflects those uncertainties about life and the choices we all have to make towards our futures that we all feel when growing up, in the end realising that “no one knows” the answer on which is the best path to take in life. Billie tweeted about this song in February last year: Mike had this beautiful bass line he wanted to turn into a song. I wrote lyrics for it. Song is "no one knows" Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be any live recordings of No One Knows, however a fan-made music video for the song exists, made from footage from various Green Day music videos. (video credit: DriedIceDave) Lyrics: Why should my fun have to end? For me it’s only the beginning I see my friends begin to age A short countdown to what end Call me irresponsible Call me habitual But when you think of me Do you fill your head which schemes? Better think again Cause no one knows I don't want to cause no harm But sometimes my actions hurt Is there something I should find To make plans for forever? Call me irresponsible Call me habitual But when you think of me Do you fill your head which schemes? Better think again Cause no one knows Call me irresponsible Call me habitual (Does it seem like all your memories fade?) But when you think of me (You soak up knowledge to fill the space) Do you fill your head which schemes? (And still my answer remains) Better think again (I don't know…) Cause no one knows… I don’t… ********************************************************************************************************* 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...
InvaderPhantom Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 A beautiful song and definitely one of the songs that really define Kerplunk as an album! This is Green Day's second try at a slow song (after Rest) and they really suceeded with No One Knows. It has a great bass line and lyrics that sound like they definitely reflect Billie's feelings in early era. I mean, think about it: Back in 1992 he was 20 years old and he saw everyone grow up and settle for a real career, and all he did was still singing in that little band that had one album out at that time with a little underground success. I can really imagine that he must have felt very unsure because he had no idea how long this band would last (especially with John leaving) and what he's going to do after that. Little did he know, that band turned out to become one of the biggest rock bands in recent history. I like the part where Billie sings two different lyrics that overlap each other. Probably the most experimental thing they've done at that time I love the lyrics and I think a lot of teenagers/people in their 20s can relate to them, because so many of us have no idea what to do with their life, what kind of career to choose... It's a great song, but sadly it's very overlooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA TC MD Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 This is one of my favorite songs from Kerplunk and a great choice this week. I love the bassline at the beginning, it really shows how great of a bassist Mike Dirnt is. The song makes me think about growing up, and I don't wanna grow up yet. "Why should my fun have to end, for me it's only the beginning" I love this song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spark in the night Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 its a nice, quiet song. My favorite is when Billie's voice echoes "I don't...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissawebster Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Yay! A new Green Day song, for me anyway. I really love this song. So different from what I'm used to from them, but haunting and emotional, and I really like the guitar at the beginning. Seeing BJA in a suit though just seemed wrong somehow. He looked like Eddie Haskal (sp?) from Leave It To Beaver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Ahmed Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 This is one of my favorite songs from Kerplunk! I love it! Great choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura! Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I have always loved this song, it's another great song off of Kerplunk, which is full of great songs. I especially love Mike's bassline and the lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Aww, one of my favorites from Kerplunk! With such a beautiful bassline... I feel very related with this song, it's the only one that sounds really sad because of Billie's voice and the soft melody. The line that affects me the most is "I don't want to cause no harm, but sometimes my actions hurt", and the whole song is very honest, "no one knows" about our inner pain or insecurities. It's a great song. ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather. Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I am just such a fan of the overlapping singing. It just feels so advanced for a buncha underground kids. And powerful. It's a powerful song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 In my opinion, this is an extraordinary Green Day song. I just love Billie's voice in it, it's so full of feelings and his "I don't" in the end is just wonderful. What I also love about this song is the bass line. It seems just so in depth, I don't know why. And since it's Kerplunk!'s 20th birthday on Tuesday, "No one knows" is a perfect choice for "Song of the Week" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moyeszet Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I have a little playlist in my Ipod where I put the beautifulest slow songs I know. No one knows is in there, with Imagine and friends. No one knows has always been one of my favorite Green Day songs. When I discovered it, I had not the money for all Kerplunk, but I made the choice of buying it immediately. That bass line is so fucking beautiful, that song is so fucking beautiful and underrated, it almost angers me. Really awesome choice. AND THAT'S A SHAME THERE'S NO LIVE. Green Day! You shall play No one knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayfabe Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I love this song! The opening bass is one of the best openers ever, and the entire tone of it really captures the feeling of hopeless confusion he feels. I feel like that sometimes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigister Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I was listening to that yesterday while going back home, it's one of my favorite ballads ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Miguel Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 This is a fantastic song - i love listening to it. i think you've captured the meaning of it very well and i've always thought it was fairly unqiue amongst other GD songs. just goes to show the strength and depth they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorryRock02 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 one of my favorite songs ever...it's just...beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisionsofGreenDay115 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The best part about this song, and any song in general, is how Billie really sounds like he doesnt know. His voice contrast the mood of the song very well. He does this very well in a lot of Kerplunk! songs as well as 39/Smooth. I think thats one of the goals he was aiming for, is not to make it such simple music, and be creative with it. The lyrics are very much how I feel about the future. I honestly have no clue where I am going after high school. Making bad grades was something that happened and I dont know how to recover from it... But I think I will find the answer at some point. Great song for the 20th Anniversary Kerplunk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcause Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 'No One Knows' has this beautiful emptiness to it - Misery says 'the emptiness will fill your soul with sorrow', but here, the soul fills the emptiness, and a million candles spring to light. The bass comes in tender and intimate - it creates a haven, it reaches out to encourage the words to flow, to let the vulnerable things be said. Also, it voices the undercurrent that the chorus expresses - here's how people may see me, just in terms of 'habitual' and 'irresponsible', but they don't know what's behind that, why I behave that way. I like ' I don't want to cause no harm / but sometimes my actions hurt' - in the midst of so much confusion, this piece of clarity floats up, and it's unapologetic. It's an observation - and fuck, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. 'No One Knows' goes from the personal wanting/not wanting to be known, to the bigger 'unknown' - there, it resonates the 'you only know as much as I know' of 'One of My Lies'. It's the place where someone comes to question and refute all the givens, the place where someone realizes that they have to find truths for themselves. Musically, this song has the sense of being free to explore stuff - it feels like the music is following a train of thought, and the intense moments come naturally. It feels like talking to your friends, with music as the host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LChamp Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 No One Knows is one of my favorites. Everything about his song is perfect. I love the sound, love the lyrics and love the way it ends with different verses being sung at the same time. I always get chill when I hear it, the song is so spot on its like Billie looked inside my head and wrote a songa about what he found. The song is so vulnerable and so honest. Nothing is sugar coated, it is what it is, take it or leave it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cre Tool. Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 No one knows is amazing! Its one of my favorite songs from Kerplunk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie. Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I love this song so much. I always listen to it when i'm sad or i'm just in a mellow mood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanVan Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 One of Green Days most underrated songs. Absolutely beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 God I can see that I'm in the minority here... I've never been the biggest fan of this song. Not that it's bad, but it's not the first song that I would go listen to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Livermore Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Aska and I agree: one of the best Green Day songs ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasalaska Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Larry approval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farley drexel hatcher Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Could someone in the know maybe tell us if the band have ever performed this one live? Such a beautiful song, i'm sure a live version would be amazing. I love Billie's tweet about it, too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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