Cover art for Horseshoes and Handgrenades by Green Day

Horseshoes and Handgrenades

Produced by

May. 12, 20091 viewer25.7K views

Horseshoes and Handgrenades Lyrics

[Intro]
One, two, three, four!

[Verse 1]
I'm not fuckin' around
I think I'm comin' out
All the deceivers and cheaters, I think we've got a bleeder right now
Want you to slap me around
Want you to knock me out
Well, you missed me, kissed me, now you better kick me down

[Chorus]
Maybe you're the runner-up, but the first one to lose the race
Almost only really counts in horseshoes and handgrenades


[Verse 2]
I'm gonna burn it all down
I'm gonna rip it out
Well, everything you employ was meant for me to destroy to the ground, now
So don't you fuck me around
Because I'll shoot you down
I'm gonna drink, fight, and fuck, and I'm pushin' my luck all the time, now

[Chorus]
Maybe you're the runner-up, but the first one to lose the race
Almost only really counts in horseshoes and handgrenades

[Breakdown]
Demolition, self-destruction
Want to annihilate this age-old contradiction!

[Interlude]

[Bridge]
Demolition, self-destruction
Want to annihilate this age-old contradiction
Demolition, self-destruction
Want to annihilate this old age

[Verse 3]
I'm not fuckin' around
I think I'm comin' out
Well, I'm a hater, a traitor in a pair of Chuck Taylors right now

[Outro]
I'm not fuckin' around
G-L-O-R-I-A!
G-L-O-R-I-A!
G-L-O-R-I-A!
G-L-O-R-I-A!

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About

This song bio is unreviewed
Genius Annotation

“Horseshoes and Handgrenades” is the fourteenth track off of Green Day’s 2009 rock opera “21st Century Breakdown”. It is the title song and first track for Act III of the album, and was originally going to be on their cancelled album, Cigarettes and Valentines, before the lyrics were edited to fit 21st Century Breakdown

The name references two items that are often thrown: horseshoes, which are often tossed around stakes as a backyard game. They are also seen as a symbol of good luck.

On the other hand, there are hand grenades, that are thrown at something that the thrower wants to be destroyed, and with a pull of a pin and a few ticks, the bomb goes off.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Green Day say about "Horseshoes and Handgrenades"?
Genius Answer

“Horseshoes And Handgrenades” is an older song that [producer] Butch Vig was really into. We all looked to him on bringing that song back and it ended up being a lot of people’s favorite song on the record. I kinda think about that song, it’s almost like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Maybe it’s related to like Christian in a lot of ways, and at the end of the song it says “G-L-O-R-I-A”. It’s just kinda one of those songs where it’s kinda fucking shit up. It’s kind of just being an nihilist, but in sort of a sexy way or something. It’s kind of [about] declaring your independence but getting completely fucked up at the same time.

Billie Joe Armstrong

Credits
Produced By
Background Vocals
String Arranger
String Conductor
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Bass Guitar
Percussion
Recorded At
Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, CA); Studio 880 (Oakland, CA); Jel Studios (Newport Beach, CA) & Costa Mesa Studios (Costa Mesa, CA)
Release Date
May 12, 2009
Horseshoes and Handgrenades Interpolations
Songs That Interpolate Horseshoes and Handgrenades
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