Billy

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Details

Written by:	Brett Gurewitz
Released in:	1989
BPM:	150

Lyrics

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I can recall the warm youth of a summer day, yeah:
The sweetest lemonade, the darkest game arcade,
And Billy had a yearning in the corner of his mind.
It moved him secretly. It moved him powerfully.

But prescience was lacking and the present was not all
And his aptitudes were carelessly wasted.
And challenging life with the abandon of a fool,
He squandered the hours of his day.

Then darkness and disorder slapped him sharply in the face, yeah.
It hit him like a friend, struck something deep within.
He couldn't break the chain of slow decay that seemed to drag him
Just like a fatal tie toward the other side.

And Billy was a lunatic, just barking at the moon,
And his brain was totally wasted.
He then exchanged his friends for a needle and a spoon
And he threw his future away.

Bolt the door and throw away the key.
Your dim reflection is all that you can see.
So where is the justice when no one is at fault
And a human life is tragically wasted?
How fragile is the flame that burns within us all
To light each passing day?

Versions

Version	Length	Release	Catalog ID	Country	Format	Year
Album version
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	2020
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	2017
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	2015
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	2015
	1:55	No Control	E86406-1	United States	12"	2014
	1:55	No Control	E-86406-1TPK	United States	12"	2014
	1:55	No Control	E-86406-1	United States	12"	2010
	1:55	No Control	E-86406-1	United States	12"	2009
	1:55	No Control	86702-2	Russia	CD	2007
	1:55	No Control		United States	CD	2004
	1:55	No Control		Australia	CD	1995
	1:55	No Control		Japan	CD	1994
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	1994
	1:55	No Control	E-86406-4	United States	MC	1989
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	1989
	1:55	No Control		Germany	12"	1989
	1:55	No Control		United States	CD	1989
	1:55	No Control	6406-2	Europe	CD	1989
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	1989
	1:55	No Control		Russia	MC	1989
	1:55	No Control		United States	12"	1989
	1:55	No Control		Brazil	CD	1989
Remastered
	1:55	No Control		Russia	CD	2020
	1:55	No Control		United States	CD	2004
	1:55	No Control		Europe	CD	2004
	1:55	No Control		Australia	CD	2004
	1:55	No Control	n/a	United States	MC	2004
	1:55	No Control	n/a	Europe	CD	2004
	1:55	No Control		Brazil	CD	1999
	1:55	No Control	E-86406-4	Poland	MC	1996
	1:55	No Control		Japan	CD	1994
	1:55	No Control		United States	CD	1989

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Song interpretations (5)

BrandonSideleau The Devil In Stitches Location: Darwin, AU Status: Offline Posts: 403	Quote I know for a fact that the song is about Brett and his struggle with drug addiction. However, the name "Billy" I think MAY be derived from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five"- Chapter 2 in that book is dedicated entirely to a strange and quite possibly insane character known simply as "Billy" who speaks of living with aliens and being able to travel through time after having his head hurt badly in a plane crash.The dialogue constantly speaks in the form "Billy was a...." or similar phrases. I could be completely talking out of my ass, but it struck me while reading it that "maybe" this had some sort of influence on the song's title and general consensus, despite it obviously being about Brett. 07/09/2009 at 00:39 I know for a fact that the song is about Brett and his struggle with drug addiction. However, the name "Billy" I think MAY be derived from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five"- Chapter 2 in that book is dedicated entirely to a strange and quite possibly insane character known simply as "Billy" who speaks of living with aliens and being able to travel through time after having his head hurt badly in a plane crash.The dialogue constantly speaks in the form "Billy was a...." or similar phrases. I could be completely talking out of my ass, but it struck me while reading it that "maybe" this had some sort of influence on the song's title and general consensus, despite it obviously being about Brett.
Two- Boy Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote I think it's not mainly about Brett, but about the wasted youth of our 'modern' world. Being a heroin-addict was only an inspiration for writing this song. And it's not only because of the heroin, or only because of the drugs, but because of all the neglecting we receive from the modern societies. 03/16/2005 at 20:45 I think it's not mainly about Brett, but about the wasted youth of our 'modern' world. Being a heroin-addict was only an inspiration for writing this song. And it's not only because of the heroin, or only because of the drugs, but because of all the neglecting we receive from the modern societies.
McDeus Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote FYI, users typically liquefy heroin in a spoon before injecting it, hence the 'needle and a spoon.' I had heard the song was about Brett, but perhaps it was inspired by Brett but deals with a fictional subject undergoing an all-too-common experience. 07/11/2004 at 12:01 FYI, users typically liquefy heroin in a spoon before injecting it, hence the 'needle and a spoon.' I had heard the song was about Brett, but perhaps it was inspired by Brett but deals with a fictional subject undergoing an all-too-common experience.
Bad Brett Henchman Status: Offline Posts: 121	Quote Billy may not be so special, but there's a weird feeling in that song. It's about how stupid Brett was back when he started with drugs, how it was exciting in the beginning, but then it turned out to a complete disaster, of which he couldn't get out of (he couldn't break the chain of slow decay that seemed to drag him), and he exchanged his friends for a needle (probably for heroin or something) and a spoon (spoon with drugs, you know). 07/11/2004 at 12:01 Billy may not be so special, but there's a weird feeling in that song. It's about how stupid Brett was back when he started with drugs, how it was exciting in the beginning, but then it turned out to a complete disaster, of which he couldn't get out of (he couldn't break the chain of slow decay that seemed to drag him), and he exchanged his friends for a needle (probably for heroin or something) and a spoon (spoon with drugs, you know).
Jakass Guest Location: Global Citizen	Quote This is another song that is autobiographically written by Brett about his heroin addiction. The character Billy Gnosis has the same initials as Brett. This is Brett writing about how heroin can destroy a person who people think of as strong, but in fact everyone is incredibly fragile and it is tragic when they are not helped to overcome their problems (as he was). 07/11/2004 at 12:00 This is another song that is autobiographically written by Brett about his heroin addiction. The character Billy Gnosis has the same initials as Brett. This is Brett writing about how heroin can destroy a person who people think of as strong, but in fact everyone is incredibly fragile and it is tragic when they are not helped to overcome their problems (as he was).