Before the Lobotomy by Green Day

Album: 21st Century Breakdown (2009)

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Singer Billie Joe Armstrong explained to Q magazine May 2009: "It's about how self destructive behaviour can overshadow parts of your ambition." He added: "A lot of people have a self-destruct button. I think for a lot of rock musicians, when you're celebrating, it turns into partying and then suddenly you're f---ing yourself up and you're destroying something you worked so hard to build up. There's this shiny red button that you just want to push."
The song's title was inspired by a story from The San Francisco Chronicle about Howard Dully, who recalled how his stepmother forced him to have a transorbital lobotomy when he was 12.

Comments: 11

Calvin from Kirksville Mipls go on tour
Dantae from Kirkland, WaI love this song sooo much.
Adam from Perry, NyHey Dylan, limp bizkit isnt the original singer of Behind Blue Eyes, its The Who. i dont think youre one to talk about BJ copying other people if you dont even know who the original singer of Behind Blue Eyes was.
Hope from Oblivion, Tnmeh, i think i need a labotomy. i just found out recently that im bipolar... and parts of this song fit me to a T.
Dylan from Adelaide, AustraliaThe tune also sounds a hell of a lot like Limp Bizkits "Behind Blue Eyes." Im a massive green day fan and i hate the idea of BJA copying a song but this is too suss to miss
Lacey from Chicago, Ilamazing song. i can't explain how amazing this song is and how much i love it.
lovegreenday
Joel from Portland, OrAshley from Canada, there is an infamous scene in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" where Nicholson's character undergoes a forced lobotomy.
Christian from Hubbard, Ohi sang the eulogy
Ashley from Edmonton, Ablol jack nicholson
thats what this song
reminds me of
does anyone know why?
Grace from Geelong, AustraliaFirst of all, I love the new album!! But has anybody else noticed the similarity to this song and Bic Runga's song "Sway"??? A lot of people will not kno the latter but it was very popular here in Australia. The part in "Before the Labotomy" where it goes "Dreaming, I was only dreaming... etc." has the exact same melody as "Sway"!! Look it up if it don't know the song.. you'll be quite suprised!!! I've always loved the song and am wondering if Billie Joe himself heard it before writing this song!!!!
Runcil from Mumbai, IndiaDreaming, I was only dreaming...

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