When I Come Around

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"When I Come Around" is a song by rock band Green Day. It is the 10th track on their third studio album, Dookie, and was released as the fourth single from that album in January 1995. It was played live as early as 1992.

"When I Come Around"
Single by Green Day
from the album Dookie
ReleasedJanuary 1995[1]
Genre
Length2:58
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Green Day singles chronology
"Welcome to Paradise"
(1994)
"When I Come Around"
(1995)
"She"
(1995)
Music video
"When I Come Around" on YouTube

"When I Come Around" peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks, and reached number two on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. Worldwide, it became a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and New Zealand. As of August 2010, "When I Come Around" has sold 639,000 copies. This makes it the band's second best-selling single of the 1990s, behind their 1997 hit "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)".[9]

Critical reception

Music & Media commented, "We asked Nick Lowe, one-time producer in the first wave of punk, what's the difference between then and now? He answered: 'Green Day can really play.' Life is sometimes so simple."[2] British magazine Music Week gave "When I Come Around" three out of five, writing, "The fourth track to be lifted from their gold-selling Dookie album lacks the character and charm of 'Basket Case' but shouldn't harm their chart fortunes if their US success is anything to go by."[10]

Music video

The music video for the song is directed by Mark Kohr.[11] It shows the band walking to different places, like the Mission District and the Powell Street Station in San Francisco and Berkeley, California at night, along with various scenes of people doing common things all inter-related. One of the first scenes of the video eventually leads back to the scene at the end. The band's touring guitarist Jason White can be seen in the video with his girlfriend.

Before the video was filmed, MTV aired a live performance of the song by the band at the 1994 Woodstock Festival. MTV's Ultimate Albums: Dookie special credited the simple horizontally-striped sweater worn by Armstrong in the video for starting a fashion trend of similar sweaters.

Track listings

Initial pressing

  1. "When I Come Around" – 2:58
  2. "Coming Clean" (live) – 1:36
  3. "She" (live) – 2:14
  • All live tracks were recorded on November 18, 1994, at Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

Australian single

  1. "When I Come Around" – 2:58
  2. "Longview" (live) – 3:30
  3. "Burnout" (live) – 2:11
  4. "2,000 Light Years Away" (live) – 2:48
  • All live tracks were recorded on March 11, 1994, at Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, Florida. Tracks two and three are the same on the Live Tracks EP. Track four has an extended intro but is the same performance.

7-inch picture disc

A. "When I Come Around" – 2:58
B. "She" (live) – 2:14

Charts and certifications

Certifications

Certifications for "When I Come Around"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29] Gold 35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[34] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Gold 400,000
United States (RIAA)[36] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States December 1994 Radio Reprise
Australia January 31, 1995 CD [12]
Europe
United Kingdom May 8, 1995
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[37]

Use in media

"When I Come Around" was featured in South Park episode "Hummels & Heroin", sung in the style of a barbershop quartet. It was also featured in the Green Day-themed Rock Band game Green Day: Rock Band. It has been featured in multiple media such as the trailer for Blast from the Past and the episode in Hindsight.

References

Citations

  1. ^ Myers 2005, p. 111.
  2. ^ a b "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. May 20, 1995. p. 13. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "The best third albums". Radio X. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  4. ^ Punknews Staff. "Green Day - Dookie". Punknews. Retrieved February 19, 2022. "Basketcase" and "When I Come Around" were the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" of the punk genre
  5. ^ "25 Years Ago: Green Day Reset Their Career With 'Dookie'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  6. ^ Mezydlo, Jeff. "The definitive Green Day Playlist". Yardbaker. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  7. ^ "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  8. ^ Raub, Jesse (June 22, 2010). "Green Day – Dookie". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on August 29, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. ^ "Week Ending Aug. 8, 2008: Taylor Swift Returns - Chart Watch". New.music.yahoo.com. August 11, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  10. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. April 29, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "GDA | Video Information". Greendayauthority.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2005. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  12. ^ a b "Green Day – When I Come Around". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8002." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  14. ^ Schlüter, Johan (June 9, 1995). "Official Danish Singles Chart". IFPI Report. No. Week 23. IFPI Danmark.
  15. ^ "Green Day – Basket Case" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  16. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.3. '95 – 24.3. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 18, 1995. p. 26. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 31, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  18. ^ "Green Day – When I Come Around" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  19. ^ "Green Day – When I Come Around". Top 40 Singles.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  21. ^ "Green Day – When I Come Around". Singles Top 100.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  23. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  24. ^ "Green Day Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  25. ^ "Green Day Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  26. ^ "Green Day Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  27. ^ "Green Day Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  28. ^ "Green Day Rock Digital". Billboard.
  29. ^ a b "1995 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  30. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  31. ^ "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  32. ^ "End of Year Charts 1995". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  33. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles Airplay" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107. December 23, 1995. p. Y-32. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  34. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Green Day – When I Come Around". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 18, 2019.[dead link]
  35. ^ "British single certifications – Green Day – When I Come Around". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  36. ^ "American single certifications – Green Day – When I Come Around". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  37. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. May 6, 1995. p. 59.

Sources