Basket Case has just become the latest member of Spotify’s Billions Club. The second single off Green Day’s 1994 album Dookie has now surpassed 1 billion streams on the streaming platform, making it the band’s first song to reach the milestone.
The news comes weeks after both Dookie’s 30th anniversary. You can hear the album in full, along with the Americal Idiot, on Green Day’s tour for their latest album, Saviours.
Dookie was the third studio album from the band and the first one to be released under a major/mainstream label, the label being Warner’s Reprise Record.
The song was even part of the mix tape sent to producer Rob Caballo before he signed the band to the record.
The album was instrumental in bringing the underground punk sound to the mainstream spotlight, and Basket Case played a major role in that.
Written by Green Day’s frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, Basket Case is mainly about his struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. The song also touches upon the topic of bisexuality.
The original lyrics as made available by the brand last year as part of the 4-track Dookie Demo leading up to the album’s 30th anniversary.
Billie Joe Armstrong has since then confessed he wrote original lyrics under substance. While the band got rid of the initial lyrics the melody of the song has remained intact in the final studio version.
The video for Basket Case shows the band performing the song in a mental institution. It was shot by Mark Kohr and was filmed in an actual abandoned institution.
The video was remastered into 4K resolution along with Longview and When I Come Around earlier this year.
