409 In Your Coffeemaker

Album: 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (1990)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This early Green Day song holds special meaning to their frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, who wrote it when he was 18. He says it's when "I really found my rhythm as a songwriter."

    "I'd just dropped out of high school, and I was feeling really lost - like a daydreamer who was being left behind," he told Rolling Stone. "I didn't know what life was going to be. I think that's when I'm at my most honest as a songwriter, when I'm feeling lost. So I took this sad feeling and turned it into something that felt more empowering:

    My interests are longing to break through these chains
    These chains that control my future's aims


    My songs were about infatuation up until that point. This one felt like a different version of who I am. I remember when we first started playing it, people were really receptive to it, especially the punks that were on the scene at the time."
  • The title doesn't show up in the lyric, but we know the band is big on coffee: Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt set up their own coffee company, Oakland Coffee Works, in 2015.

    As for 409, that could be a reference to the Beach Boys song.
  • Green Day issued the song on their Slappy EP, which came between their first and second albums. It was later combined with their EP 1,000 Hours and released as the album 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Bob Dylan Lyric Quiz

Bob Dylan Lyric QuizMusic Quiz

Think you know your Bob Dylan lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.