St. Jimmy

Album: American Idiot (2004)
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  • St. Jimmy's comin' down across the alleyway
    Up on the boulevard like a zip gun on parade
    Light of a silhouette
    He's insubordinate
    Coming at you on the count of one, two (one, two, three, four)

    My name is Jimmy and you better not wear it out
    Suicide commando that your momma talked about
    King of the forty thieves
    And I'm here to represent
    That needle in the vein of the establishment

    I'm the patron saint of the denial
    With an angel face and a taste for suicidal
    Cigarettes and Ramen and a little bag of dope
    I am the son of a bitch and Edgar Allan Poe
    Raised in the city under a halo of lights

    The product of war and fear that we've been victimized
    I'm the patron saint of the denial
    With an angel face and a taste for suicidal

    Are you talkin' to me?

    I'll give you something to cry about

    St. Jimmy

    My name is St. Jimmy I'm a son of a gun
    I am the one that's from the way outside
    A teenage assassin executing some fun
    In the cult of the life of crime
    I'd really hate to say it but I told you so
    So shut your mouth before I shoot you down ol' boy
    Welcome to the club and give me some blood
    I'm the resident leader of the lost and found
    It's comedy and tragedy
    It's St. Jimmy
    And that's my name, and don't wear it out Writer/s: Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank E., Iii Wright, Frank Edwin Wright Iii, Michael Pritchard, Mike Dirnt, Mike Ryan Pritchard, Tre Cool
    Publisher: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 58

  • Loserman13The american idiot show just rocks on fully.
  • Stukka63 from St.augustine,flaWatched Sarah Tomek cover this at her home in Arizona.
    In case you haven’t a clue who she is, she’s the highest rated Session drummer in Nashville.
    Mind blow. It was hard to breathe.
    Awesome song.
  • Snow from ..., NyInteresting interpretation.
  • Johnny from Jingletown, Ri@Aaron Hackett
    "There's no sing of hope the stems and seeds of the last of the dope. Ther's a glow of light, The Saint Jimmy is th spark in the night. Bearingg gifts and trust a fixture in the city of lust."
    That's Homecoming "Death of St. Jimmy"
    The song "St. Jimmy" is about a rebellious youth who comes out of nowhere to aid JOS.
    He is the 'outcast' that every parent tells their kid to stay away from.
    Jimmy goes around and deals and does drugs while being the life of the party, the envy of JOS. JOS wants to be Jimmy and befriends him.
  • Devin from New York, NySC, appeal to authority is one of the weakest logical fallacies.
  • Claire from York, United Kingdomhave read all your comments and to be honest i think you all need to chill out a bit - if you like something, you like it , what does it matter what anyone else thinks? I am the most unlikely greenday fan that was ever born, but american idiot has been my favourite since it was released and my son bought it to rebel!! I listen to this album for so many reasons, i like it because it's good, i like it because it says things i think but people like me don't say out loud! (and im probably the same as age as them anyway). I only came across this page because i was listening to it and wondered who Jimmy was! - so if anyone can tell me that would be great.
  • Sc from Anchorage, AkIt's pointless to post hate comments about Green Day. If they're so 'lame' and 'stupid', how come they've survived over a DECADE and gained fans all over the globe? Not a lot of bands have come that far. Green Day writes songs with meaning, instead of the everyday cookie-cutter songs that so-called 'musicians' put out these days. So if you want to bash a band, find someone who actually sucks.
  • Sunshine from Berkeley, CaI would just like to say that to everyone complaining about whether or not green day is good or not that it doesn't matter. That is one's own personal choice. The truth is their song have meaning something that has seemed to be lost amongst many of the popular artists. The fact that they have been able to stay true to themselves as artists is absolutely amazing
  • Jeff from Oakland, CaThis is for Joe from Bellingham,of course he lives in a mansion and makes millions he's a f***ing rock star and a soon-to-be musical ledgend.So before you go around bitching about how bad green day is,go make a song and see if it makes a top ten list other than the worst song in the history of bad songs.There's a reason why green day has been around for so long,it's because their GOOD!
  • Peter from North Bend, WaTo Joe from Bellingham, WA, of course he's clean now... theres a little thing called a family, ever hear of it, Dumb ass! He's all grown up so obviously he's gonna stop using drugs...
  • Rosario from Naples, Flthe whole schizophrenia thing reminds me of The Who's Quadrophenia album. And the guy in Quadrophenia's name is Jimmy, too.
  • Dj from Pipestone, CoSt. Jimmy killed himself after he lost Whatstername.
  • Chris Ha from Owasso, OkWhen did St. Jimmy died? That's been buging me for years
  • Tunny from Melb, Australiaomfg...firstly..any true greenday fan would understand who the ramones and who the sex pistols are as greenday have always said their biggest influence would be the ramones. Tre Cool even names his daughter Ramona, after the Ramones and quotes 'the world is a better place because of Joey Ramone' all the (deleted) who wrote sh*t on here about this song not being about drugs..open your eyes.. the entire american idiot album is a story about a guy called the Jesus Of Suburbia who turns evil with an alter ego of St.Jimmy..he experiments with drugs (thats why it's in the songs) and ends up killing Jimmy off. He also loses his girlfriend (Whatsername). so for all you green day haters who claim they are fake posers...heres a big (deleted) to you all because your the ones sitting on your $200.00 computor bagging a million dollar band who have survived 16 years of old school punk/rock.
    peace out
  • Joe from Bellingham, Wawait what the hell are you talking about Ollie? whats the big deal about green day? I see nothing in them that I like, have you heard them live? they suck. they are way too loud, which isn't a problem, but you can't hear them and everyhting is messed up. I'm probably not gonna comment on Green day anymore, because most people already know they suck. Nuff Sed.
  • Ollie from London, Englandgreen day rock. *SOME* people have got to stop living in the past and start being more open minded. yeah, i like the beatles & the who etc. i like old bands. you've just got to accept, joe, that new bands can be just as good as dead ones. billie joe would still be writing and performing if he wasnt getting paid. ive never seen you on stage OR write a good song. why dont you sell some songs yourself joe? GREEN DAY ROCK!!
  • Ivan from St. Catherines, Canadathe movie on this is just inevitible... this must be made...its the best story ive heard and it continues to stay in my mind
  • Ivan from St. Catherines, Canadathis song is epic..... the album is epic... i came across this site and i had to register.... Green Day has come a long way from nothing and took a stand against the retarded politics of this era... noeone has the right ot call them out
  • Joe from Bellingham, WaWhat have we done. We have killed true rock, and replaced it with this trio of retards. There is nothing worse than green day. they are poser ass, sell out, non punk band that is brain washing there fans more than the government! Oh you disagree! well, tell me, who are the Ramones, the Sex pistols, The clash! What's that? you don't know! of course not. you are not punk or rebel if you listen to green day. In fact, isn't Billie Joe an exapmle of what punk ISN'T!? he wears make up, and lives in a mansion, making millions on record sales, he's clean and sober, and the biggest sell out. you all are poser losers! Parents! how could this happen remember good bands like The Who, The Doors, Cream, Yardbirds? GREEN DAY F*CKIN SUCKS!!!
  • Corey from Saginaw, MiUM......I don't know if any of you know or remember this but they got there name because they used to smoke alot of pot and they said once they get famous they'ed have enough money to enjoy a " Green Day" hence forth the name, so if anyone is mad at them for saying stuff about drugs , well hey YA GOTTA LOVE AMERICA and the punk attitude
  • Adie from Redlands, CaDoes it matter? St. Jimmy could a crackhead, but guess what he's not real! He's a chracter in a song, and you are so uptight about this! To me this song rocks, it's the music that appeals to me, and to me it doesn't matter that Green Day mention drugs in some of there songs, cause guess what? They used to do them, (and they may still!), but just because they mention cigarettes and dope it doesn't mean they're promoting drugs to the people who listen to their music! They really don't give a damn, and if you ask me, isn't that what makes us alll really love Green Day! Theey've got balls, like look at the new Saints are Coming music video. That's a ballsy move, and it shows the truth, but it has offended so many people. That's why I am shocked that a few simple mentions of drugs has caused this debate. Either you like the tune or you don't! Don't fight over it!
  • Izzy from Buffalo, Nyum, becky, billie joe is like, i dunno, either in his late 30's or in his early 40's. so unless ur somewhere in that age range, i would stop thinking that he was hot if i were you. also, he's married, and has kids.
  • Izzy from Buffalo, Nyamie, glenslow, somewhere(i forget) i agree with you mostly. mostly being the key word there. i agree with you that even if you don't know their old stuff, or don't like some it, that you are still a fan. but, i don't think that people that only like their new stuff because green day's famous for it, and they want people to think that they're cool, those poeple aren't real fans. everyone else is.
  • Becky from Falfurrias, TxI think that st jimmy is the alter ego of the jesus of suburbia. I love the american idiot cd. I also love green day. They rock. Billie joe armstrong is talented and hot.
  • Bryan from Medford, WiSt. Jimmy IS Jesus Of Suburbia's alter ego. how can you not see that! The song IS Not about drugs. Yes it does refer to drugs but that does not mean that the song is about them. St. Jimmy (the song) refers to JOS creating his alter ego and Jimmy setting up his gang (i am refering to the like "I am the king of the 40 theives") the reason JOS creates Jimmy is because he can make it in the world as himself. so yea bye
  • Jimmy from Sydney, AustraliaHey peeps,
    everyone seems to leave out little bits of the story,
    1:Whatsername was origanally a prostitute

    2:Whatsername cheated on jimmy

    3:Its NOT about drugs, but part of it is, Jimmy does take drugs, and, is partially responsible for ST.Jimmys formation, he trys to get off them, but fails, and finds he cant live without them(asin the song Novacaine)novacaine decribes the pain of life without drugs,the JOS has become adicted, and the St.Jimmy(split personality,convinces him they are alright,novacaine is an anasthetic(cant spell)referencing his drug needs, but at tyhe same time he wants the pain to leave(like an anesthetic)Jimmy later joins the army(or another organisation)to escape the loss of whatsername(wake me up when september ends..which is also bout billie joes dad)jimmy is latere arrested on "east 12th street", a real life police station,where billie joe has been, jimmy DOES symbolically kill the st jimmy, or his other personality,after his loss of whatsername, he realises he cant pretend any longer.

    TRUST ME!
    these points are correct,I have spent AGES analizing the song,and i am positive its right

    signed........jimmy
    (yes, my name IS jimmy, i aint makin it up,i have been accused of that,but i aint no saint.

    see ya!
  • Sarah from St. Louis, Moif anyone wants all the background stories for every green day song written or what they are truly about go to greendayauthority.com
  • Nina Hikari from Nowhere, MoVery well put Amie.

    My father's a massive Green Day fan, and he only found out about them eighteen months ago. The same with my mother and uncle, as well as my brother. We're almost a family of Green Day fans!
  • Amie from Glasgow, ScotlandAlso, the reason their new stuff is pop is because pop is short for popular, and that's just what they've become - but Green Day were never real punk, they have always been punk-pop.. but anyway, like the music genre matters.
  • Amie from Glasgow, ScotlandA friend and I had a conversation about these so-called "real fans" yesterday so I felt I had to get my say in with this. I can't count the amount of times I've went to a board and just because someone's favourite song was on American Idiot, or it was a released song, they've been called a fake fan. Or people who have just started to get into Green Day - they'll discover the old stuff in time, keep your hair on. You don't have to know every song, own every single and album, have posters up all over your bedroom and go to every tour they do to be a true fan - some people can't afford that, you know. You just have to enjoy the music and love the band - that's all there is to it. I mean, I've been a Green Day fan for years and I'm not perading the street shouting that people who don't like their old stuff aren't fans. I love their new stuff. Sure, I think their old stuff is better but that's just my opinion. Anyway, I've rambled on a bit, but I just hate it when people are told that they're not "true fans" - the only people who really know who's a true fan is the person themself. No one can tell you what kind of music you like - you decide this yourself.
  • Jade from Plymouth, EnglandWhy are you all so serious about this. You don't have to slag each other down about whether you're the biggest Green Day fan.Who cares what the song is really about. But I do have a personal view about the opinion from the person who only likes the new stuff by Green Day, and reckons their old stuff is weird;that is GD used to be a proper punk band and that is why you don't like it. You must just like pop,cus that is what they r now.P.S wanking songs and songs about drugs are more real life than war;if you've never been there.
  • Anonymus from New York City , Nythis song is amazing well the whole concept billie joe, tre, and mike made up is amazing.
  • Azzie from Manitoba, CanadaAbout all this 'proper fan' crap, anyone can be a fan of something. God, it's just a band. Seriosuly, it's NOT A BIG DEAL. It just bugs me how dumb people can be. I'm a Green Day fan; I don't like the 'old GD' because it sounds weird to me but I absolutely love American Idiot. Gotta problem? Bite me. -_-
  • Clare from Liverpool, Englandi think its quite stupid when people say 'and you think youre a green day fan' or whatever. i am probably one of green days biggest fans, i know pretty much everything there is to know ... but you dont have to understand every song to be a fan. I'm VERY obssessed with the band but even if i wasnt and i liked there music i'd still be a fan wouldnt i
  • Clare from Liverpool, Englandthis song is on kerrang! best of 2005. i agree this song is one of the best songs of the year. its really cool.
  • Tanya from London, EnglandBillie Joe : (Are We The Waiting) This is where the character starts to lose his mind. Right before St Jimmy comes out. St Jimmy was originally written as St Jimmy and Jesus of Suburbia being the same person. It could be two different people though. It's like a split personality that I think alot of people have, where they become disconnected from themselves and follow a self destructive path. And St Jimmy symbolises that
  • Rose from La, CaActually, I think Jesus of Suburbia is Billie Joe, that's how Wake me Up When September Ends relates to the rest of the album
  • Genevieve from Grayslake, IlBest song ever next to Jesus of Suberbia, I dont know how to spell suberbia. Later, homefries
  • Tanya from London, EnglandAnyone seen jesus of suburbia vid? what dya think? Woohoo ive been right about st jimmy..hes in jesus of suburbias mind. Shows it in video. i think its their best video yet with the exception of When september ends and good riddance
  • Tanya from London, EnglandOK this song is about drugs. as aly, woodstock rightly said, drgs are mentioned in the lyrics. Also, if we look at the how this song is part of the story of the album, OFCOURSE its about drugs. Jimmy gets jesus of suburbia onto drugs as we find out in give me novocaine. The lyrics say, 'tell me jimmy i wont feel a thing' and 'jimmy says its better than here'. Then in The Death of St Jimmy, the lyrics say 'there's no signs of hope, the stems and seeds of the last of the dope' Then Jimmy kills himself, 'blew his brains out into the bay'. Now i see that as there's no drugs left, no hope so he's had enough. And I believe that St Jimmy is a figment of Jesus' imagination...the 'hard', druggie side if u like. In the Death od St Jimmy when he kills himself it even says 'In a state of mind is my own private suicide'. This is jesus speakin. sayin hes gettin rid of the druggie side to him (st jimmy) and goin home back to the suburbs where he started. GREEN DAY ROCK
  • Aly from Woodstock, Gayou have to wonder where the song burnout is on this list
  • Aly from Woodstock, Ga"cigarettes and ramen And a little bag of dope."
    there it is right off of lyrics.com, toshio i'm sorry but this song has drug references.
  • Nate from Council Bluffs, Iayou call yourselves green day fans!how many of you can sing the lyrics to welcome to paradise, give me novecane,and every other Green Day song. ugh,ugh,ugh.I thuught so.(dumba**es)
  • Karina!! from Eagle, IdThis song is the best song ever...why all the bad comments???geesh...
  • Taryn from Klamath Falls, Oromg i thought i was commenting on give me novacaine then sorry um forget wat i said before it is about drugs and wat toshio said at the same time.
  • Sarah from Midlands, EnglandSorry, can someone just tell me, exactly HOW old was Casie when she got into Green Day? I don't think she made it clear....many thanks
  • Barachael from Wtfville, Czech RepublicOOOokaaaaaaaaay.....we call it obsession in my business... please note people, this is a song, not a saga
  • Emma from Ovid, NyOkay retards, GIVE ME NOVACAINE wtf ! its a drug Billie says on StoryTellers how he takes the self disturctive path weither its with drugs or violince flipping retards
  • Zac from Charlotte, NcI'm a casual fan...And the main character is Jesus of Suburbia...Not Clark
  • Casie from Denver, CoFOR THE LAST TIME! You guys think ur a "true fan" Ill tell u the story,first theres this american idiot who lives in the suburbs,his dream is getting the hell outta there and find something for him so that skips into the video holiday. He goes out on the streets celebrating that hes going away from home so its like a holiday for him,then at the end his car brakes down skipping into the continuation of boulevard of broken dreams and he wallks alone again so he is on the streets all by himself,well theres a ton more but when u get up to st jimmy its about Clark meeting St Jimmy,he is an alcoholic that introduces Clark to drugs to get rid of all his pain,the whole american idiot cd isnt just a cd,its a story that relates to all the songs,well st jimmy kills himself at the end. Gd made a hell of a job making all the songs to relate one another with the character except for wake me up when september ends but if u want all the meaning go into www.greendayauthority.com u guys think ur true fans? Ha! Ive bina fan since i was 3 yrs old and i study them cause i love em and they sinpire me. You guys are really wrong,u guys think ur right but i know im right,if Mike said its about doing crazy stuff,yes ur right in a way because St Jimmy did crazy stuff,he introduced Clark into dealing with drugs to not suffer but instead he suffered more and he winded up killing himself.
  • Aaron from Louisville, KyBillie Joe said on Vh1's Storytellers that St. Jimmy and JOS are the same person. They are a split personality, a schitzophrenic. St. Jimmy is the bad side of JOS thats showing him the world of drugs to relieve his pain.
  • Zac from Charlotte, NcCigarettes and ramen and a little bag of dope


    Nope not about drugs
  • Takashi from Tokyo, JapanEveryone who sz its about drugs is WRONG. it's about people running around doing Crazy thinks. Mike dirnt said so. you are so right, Toshio-san.
  • Casie from Denver, CoSorry Clark,you were right in everything exept the main character,the main character inst the Jesus of Saburbia,are you out of ur brains? Now that is so ridiculous. Dude Im not here to explain everything,im so into GD and I know everything about them since I was 3 yrs old. Look it up on www.greendayauthority.com on the meaning of the album american idiot because their is where every song eplains a part of the story.
  • Casie from Denver, CoClark is the only guy thats right,Ive been a fan since I was 3 yrs old and met em and the whole deal like a million times. Well I love em and study about them im like a big nerd about them cause I love em so much but im not a nerd at school. Lol Well yeah the American Idiot cd is a whole story where there is this one guy thats an american he hates his country,he thinks everybody are american idiots,so holiday is the song about his holiday of leaving his house from the suburbs then his car brakes down and then the continuation is the boulevard of broken dreams,he is in the city cold and lonely again so bla bla bla then in st jimmy he meets st jimmy and he is the guy who lives on the street trying to make a living selling drugs and tells the guy that i have the solution to all ur porblems,drugs so the whole deal then he meets whatshername and then she tells him that he isnt good enough for her because he doesnt pay that much attention to her,only to the drugs and then he goes back home and recieves the letter that st jimmy dies because he killed himself in his on little private suicide so the whole deal. Some of you ppl arent making any sence in this song fact u know,if ur gonna judge about the song u should look over it b4 criticizing it.
  • Aaron Hackett from Washington, NjZac, dude, that is NOT how the song goes! It goes "There's no sing of hope the stems and seeds of the last of the dope. Ther's a glow of light, The Saint Jimmy is th spark in the night. Bearingg gifts and trust a fixture in the city of lust."(google it if ye doubt my claim) You got that one totaly wrong dude.



    P.S.: Toshio never said he wasn't on drugs, He said "This Song is NOT ABOUT DRUGS!!!!"


    P.P.S.:I am the Saint Jimmy(metaphoricaly speaking of course)
  • Zac from Charlotte, NcToshio the Saint Jimmy is on drugs...."He brings gifts and hope the stems and seeds of the last of the dope"
  • Toshio from Sapporo, JapanThis Song is NOT ABOUT DRUGS!!!! it's about a man who dosen't want anyone to mess up his name.
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