Green Day – Shenanigans

Alrighty, we’re back to the On Spec series! Let’s give ‘er!

On Spec 8: Green Day – Shenanigans

Yes, I say I bought this on spec because I go in and out of like and love with Green Day, so it wasn’t a shoe-in I was gonna dig this. Not to sound punker-than-thou (because who cares), this is just truth, but I generally like the earlier records better. Kerplunk!, 39/Smooth, Dookie, and Insomniac are essentials. After that, it’s tracks here and there, as somewhere in all of this (for me, anyway) they began calculating their sound instead of just being snotty assholes about it. Ach what am I saying, most of it is strong, anyway, so I’m just talking out of my ass.

So what do we have here? A collection of b-sides, covers, rarities and one unreleased track. Interesting. It could go either way – it could be awesome, or it could feel like a contractual obligation release of mediocre stuff that is a placeholder between studio albums. And the verdict? Find out in the In Sum, below!

Here’s a look at the tracks and whence they came:

Suffocate – Australian editions of Nimrod, 1997

Desensitized – Good Riddance, 1997, and Japanese & Australian editions of Nimrod

You Lied – Good Riddance and Australian editions of Nimrod

Outsider (written by Dee Dee Ramone; originally performed by the Ramones) – Warning, 2000

Don’t Wanna Fall in Love – Previously unreleased song from Dookie but later re-recorded as a b-side for Geek Stink Breath, 1995

Espionage (instrumental) – Hitchin’ a Ride, 1997 and the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack

I Want to Be on T.V. (written by Sam McBride, Tom Flynn; originally performed by Fang) – Geek Stink Breath, 1995, and Japanese editions of Insomniac, 1995

Scumbag (lyrics written by Mike Dirnt) – Warning, 2002 and the American Pie 2 soundtrack

Tired of Waiting for You (written by Ray Davies; originally performed by The Kinks) – Basket Case, 1994 and the Private Parts soundtrack, 1997

Sick of Me – Hitchin’ a Ride

Rotting – Good Riddance

Do Da Da – Brain Stew/Jaded, 1996, and Australian editions of Nimrod

On the Wagon – Basket Case, 1994

Ha Ha You’re Dead (lyrics written by Mike Dirnt) – previously unreleased

There was supposed to be one other Tré Cool-written track, D.U.I. (Driving Under The Influence) on here, but it got taken off for no given reason. It’s even painted over in the booklet. Thanks guys. I mean, how hard would it have been to include it? This disc has 14 tracks, sure, but for a total length of 33:23. You had a shit-ton of space! Alas.

Also, what about J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)? That appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Angus, but who the fuck bought THAT? OK, I did at one point, but still. You should have included that track here too, boys!

In Sum:

Awesome! I honestly had so much fun listening to this. It’s because it has been so long since I played these guys, probably. This was just good clean Green Day fun. Yeah it sounds like them, you know what I mean. And that’s the point – crank it and have silly fun!