Songfacts®:

• Singer and chief songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong told Q magazine May 2009 that the topic of this mid-tempo rocker is about prescription drug junkies. He explained: "It's about pharmaceuticals. A lot of people become junkies if they get the right prescription."
• Rolling Stone asked Armstrong if he got stressed when writing, trying to keep up the momentum. The Green Day frontman replied: "I love the moments of inspiration, when you feel pretty good about yourself and things are okay. It's the s--t in between, when you're blocked - you have a melody in your head and no words for it. It drives you f--king crazy." Armstrong added that he had the melody to this song, "for a year. I had nothing to write about. I would be sitting there: 'I feel stupid.' 'Little Girl' and '21 Guns' were the same way. But you have to stick with it. It's the patience that drives you crazy. But the moments when you nail something - that's when you're most free. There is no outside stress. You're just in the zone."