Warning (Green Day song)

"Warning" is a song by American rock band Green Day. It is the second single and title track from their sixth album of the same name. Billie Joe Armstrong has said that the original concept was to create a song whose lyrics were made up of all signs and labels, and the idea grew from there.^{[citation needed]} The song was a number-three modern-rock hit in the United States. The song also entered the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart.

"Warning"
Single by Green Day
from the album Warning
B-side	"Scumbag" "Outsider"
Released	December 11, 2000
Genre	Folk punk[1] folk[2] acoustic rock[3] pop[4]
Length	3:41
Label	Adeline Reprise
Composer(s)	Green Day
Lyricist(s)	Billie Joe Armstrong
Producer(s)	Green Day
Green Day singles chronology
"Minority" (2000) "Warning" (2000) "Waiting" (2001)
Music video
"Warning" on YouTube

Composition

This is the first Green Day song to feature a tremolo effect on the guitar—an effect used prominently in the 2004 single "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". It has been noted that the song's main guitar riff bears strong resemblance to the Kinks' song "Picture Book".^[5]

Music videos

"Warning" has two music videos. The first and main music video premiered on MTV in January 2001. It was directed by Francis Lawrence and shows the life of a rather oblivious young man who does dangerous, socially unacceptable and trivial things during his day examples being rubbing soap in his eyes, swallowing toothpaste, running into moving traffic and crossing police tape.^[6] The second music video features the recording and touring of the song and album edited together.^[7]

Live performances

Despite being included in the band's greatest hits albums International Superhits! and God's Favorite Band, as well as appearing as a playable track in the video game Green Day: Rock Band, the band did not perform the song live for 21 years since 2001, until it was performed during a warm-up show before their performance at the 2022 Lollapalooza.^[8]

Track listings

US 7-inch single[9] A1. "Warning" B1. "Scumbag" B2. "Outsider" UK CD1[10] "Warning" (album version) – 3:42 "Scumbag" – 1:44 "I Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" – 3:08 UK CD2[11] "Warning" (album version) – 3:42 "Outsider" – 2:17 "Suffocate" – 2:57

UK 7-inch single[12] A. "Warning" (album version) – 3:42 B. "Suffocate" Australian CD single[13] "Warning" – 3:42 "Minority" (album version) "Scumbag" – 1:44 "Outsider" – 2:17 Japanese CD single[14] "Warning" – 3:42 "Scumbag" – 1:44 "Outsider" – 2:17 "I Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" – 3:08

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000–2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[15] 19 Ireland (IRMA)[16] 46 Italy (FIMI)[17] 49 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 37 Poland (Polish Airplay Charts)[19] 12 Scotland (OCC)[20] 23 UK Singles (OCC)[21] 27 UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[22] 1 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[23] 14 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] 7 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[25] 31 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[26] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[27] 24

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[28] 30 US Triple-A (Billboard)[29] 48

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	December 5, 2000	Active rock radio	Reprise	[30]
United Kingdom	December 11, 2000	7-inch vinyl CD		[31]
Japan	December 20, 2000	CD		[32]
Australia	January 15, 2001			[33]

References

1. Sal Cinquemani (November 11, 2001). "Green Day International Superhits! - Album Review - Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
2. Connick, Tom (May 16, 2018). "Green Day: their 15 best songs – ranked". NME. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
3. "Green Day – Warning Review". Alternative Press. June 22, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2022. When Warning kicks off with the title track, the straightforward acoustic rocker shows promise for the album
4. Robinson, Charlotte (October 2, 2000). "Green Day - "Warning"". PopMatters. Retrieved August 29, 2020. Green Day begin their first album of the new millennium with a sober, mid-tempo pop song
5. Fowles, Paul; Wade, Graham (February 23, 2012). Concise History of Rock Music. Mel Bay Publications. p. 341. ISBN 9781619110168.
6. "Green Day - Warning [Official Music Video]". Retrieved December 9, 2020 – via YouTube.
7. "GREEN DAY-Making Of Warning". January 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2020 – via YouTube.
8. Shutler, Ali (July 30, 2022). "Green Day perform deep cuts at Lollapalooza warm-up show". NME. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
9. Warning (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Adeline Records. 2000. AR014. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
10. Warning (UK CD1 liner notes). Reprise Records. 2000. W548CD1, 9362-44958-2. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
11. Warning (UK CD2 liner notes). Reprise Records. 2000. W548CD2, 9362-44959-2. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
12. Warning (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Reprise Records. 2000. W548. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
13. Warning (Australian CD single liner notes). Reprise Records. 2001. 9362449702. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
14. Warning (Japanese CD single liner notes). Reprise Records. 2001. WPCR-10852. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
15. "Green Day – Warning". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
16. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Green Day". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
17. "Green Day – Warning". Top Digital Download. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
18. "Green Day – Warning". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
19. "Poland: Airplay Chart - Lista Krajowa 04/2001" Retrieved September 4, 2015.
20. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
22. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
23. "Green Day Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
24. "Green Day Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
25. "Green Day Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
26. "Green Day Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
27. "Green Day Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
28. "The Year in Music 2001: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. December 29, 2001. p. YE-72.
29. "Most-Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 45.
30. "Going for Adds: Active Rock". Radio & Records. No. 1379. December 1, 2000. p. 97.
31. "New Releases – For Week Starting December 11, 2000: Singles". Music Week. December 9, 2000. p. 27.
32. "ウォーニング | グリーン・デイ" [Warning | Green Day] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
33. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 15th January 2001" (PDF). ARIA. January 15, 2001. p. 19. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 22, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2024.