Welcome to Paradise

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"It's about West Oakland, living in a warehouse with a lot of people, a bunch of artists and musicians, punks and whatever just lived all up and down, bums and junkies and thugs and gang members and stuff that just lived in that area. It's no place you want to walk around at night, but it's a neat warehouse where you can play basketball and stuff."
— Billie Joe Armstrong
Welcome to Paradise.jpg
Welcome to Paradise
Written by: Billie Joe Armstrong
Song length: 3:30 (Kerplunk)
3:44 (Dookie)
Release date: October 4, 1994
Album: Kerplunk (1991)
Dookie (1994)
Mixed by: Jerry Finn
Rob Cavallo
Green Day
Produced by: Rob Cavallo
Green Day
Single chronology
Previous single: "Longview"
Next single: "Basket Case"
Album chronology
Previous song: "One for the Razorbacks" (Kerplunk)
"Longview" (Dookie)
Next song: "Christie Road" (Kerplunk)
"Pulling Teeth" (Dookie)

"Welcome to Paradise" is a song from Green Day. It was originally released as the third track on Kerplunk! and was later re-recorded and included as track 5 on Dookie. It was even released as second single from that album, following after "Longview". It also plays after "Longview" on the album and precedes "Pulling Teeth" on the track listing. For Kerplunk, "Welcome to Paradise" comes after "One for the Razorbacks" and before "Christie Road".

The Dookie version was later released as the fourth track on International Superhits! and the third track on Greatest Hits: God's Favorite Band.

Song meaning[edit | edit source]

"Welcome to Paradise" is based on the band's experience moving out of their parents' houses and into an abandoned house in Oakland, California. Green Day, along with a number of others, lived there without paying rent. The house was pretty broken-down, yet they felt at home.

Lyrically, the song begins with the narrator communicating to his mother three weeks after he moved out her home. He mentions his fear of being on his own, and even misses his old home (Dear mother can you hear me whining? It's been three whole weeks since I have left your home). At the same time he is proud of independently living. Eventually, after six months, the narrator's initial fears vanish, and he is happy to live independently in his own "paradise" (Dear mother can you hear me laughing).

Other versions[edit | edit source]

  • A live performance of "Welcome to Paradise" is featured on the live EPs Foot in Mouth and Live Tracks, respectively included as the second and first track. This performance took place on March 11, 1994 at Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Track list[edit | edit source]

  1. "Welcome to Paradise" – 3:45
  2. "Chump" (live) – 2:44 (performed March 11, 1994 at Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg, Florida)
  3. "Emenius Sleepus" – 1:44

The same live performance of "Chump" is also included on the Live Tracks EP.

Music video[edit | edit source]

A music video was created for the Dookie version, which simply features Green Day performing live. It is one of two music videos from before the American Idiot era that is not on International Supervideos!, the other being "Macy's Day Parade".

Usage in media[edit | edit source]

A part of the Dookie version was played in the movie Surf's Up. However, it was not included on the movie's soundtrack release. "Welcome to Paradise" was also featured in the trailer for Couples Retreat.

"Welcome to Paradise" and the entire Dookie album is playable on Green Day: Rock Band.

Lyrics[edit | edit source]

Main article: Welcome to Paradise/lyrics

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • The opening riff is reminiscent of "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones if one were to take the same chords but play the progression backwards using the same rhythm.


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