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Insomniac is the fourth studio album from the punk rock band Green Day. It was released in 1995 on October 10, through the Reprise Records label. Though it reached #2 in the U.S. and went double Platinum (According to the RIAA)[1] by 1996, Insomniac did not have the sales endurance of its predecessor, Dookie, largely due to its slightly darker lyrical tone and more abrasive sound[citation needed]. Though many consider Insomniac to be more consistent than Dookie, it did not feature a well-known hit single akin to "Longview" or "Basket Case" from Dookie or "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" from Nimrod. Before the name 'Insomniac', the band considered the naming the album 'Tight Wad Hill' (after the thirteenth track of the album). After visiting collage artist Winston Smith for the album cover, Billie Joe Armstrong asked him how he managed to make such intricate pieces in such short times. Smith answered, "It's easy for me. I am an insomniac."[2] Insomniac is tied with Nimrod as being Green Day's third biggest selling album worldwide (After Dookie and American Idiot).
[edit] Track listing
All tracks by Billie Joe Armstrong (lyrics) and Green Day (music), except where noted.
- "Armatage Shanks" – 2:17
- "Brat" – 1:43
- "Stuck with Me" – 2:16
- "Geek Stink Breath" – 2:15
- "No Pride" – 2:20
- "Bab's Uvula Who?" – 2:07
- "86" – 2:48
- "Panic Song" (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt) – 3:35
- "Stuart and the Ave." – 2:04
- "Brain Stew" – 3:13
- "Jaded" – 1:30
- "Westbound Sign" – 2:13
- "Tight Wad Hill" – 2:01
- "Walking Contradiction" – 2:31
[edit] Singles
[edit] B-sides
- I Want to Be on T.V – a cover of the punk band Fang
- Don't Wanna Fall In Love
- Do Da Da – the song that should have been named Stuck With Me
- Good Riddance – the original version of the popular Green Day song
- J.A.R. – featured on the soundtrack for the movie Angus
[edit] Trivia
- The song "Westbound Sign" is used for the teaser trailer for the Disney/Pixar picture Cars.
- When Billie Joe was asked what his biggest regret was he responded "That we didn't name Insomniac 'Jesus Christ Supermarket'".
- The collage on the album cover was created by Winston Smith [1] and is called God Told Me to Skin You Alive, a refereference to a song by the Dead Kennedys. Smith knew Tré Cool from Green Day's time at Lookout! Records and told Tré that if he ever needed album artwork that he should call him.[3]
- The cover art contains an image (the dentist) that was originally used in a collage featured in the inside cover art of Dead Kennedys' album Plastic Surgery Disasters.
- The cover art also features images of a naked woman, 3 fairies, and several other ghostly faces in the flames.[4]
- There are three skulls on the entire album cover and back; one for each member of Green Day. One of the skulls requires you to view the piece at an angle. The hidden skull is taken from Hans Holbein's 1533 painting 'The Ambassadors'.[5]
- The title, "Babs' Uvula Who?" comes from a 1976 SNL sketch with Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase.[6]
- Green Day's version of "God Told Me to Skin You Alive" is slightly different then the original, with the woman holding Billie Joe's original blue Stratocaster instead of an acoustic guitar.[7]
- The intro to Panic Song is often played in between Brain Stew and Jaded at live performances, although the key is changed to be relevant with the songs.
- The guitar work on the verses of "Walking Contradiction" sounds exactly like the verses of "Do It Again" by The Kinks
- The song "86" was featured in the MTV film Joe's Apartment. "86" plays in the montage when Joe is trying different jobs. 1996 Joe's Apartment
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Production
- Producers: Green Day, Rob Cavallo
- Engineer: Kevin Army
- Mixer: Jerry Finn
- Second Engineers: Richard Huredia, Bernd Burgdorf
- Cover design: Winston Smith
- Drum tech: Mike "Sack" Fasano
- Guitar tech: Mr. C Steffes
- Project coordination: Cheryl Jenets
[edit] References
