I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's only me, and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one, and I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone, and I walk a

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line of the edge
And where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and every thing's all right
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone and I walk a

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah

I walk alone, and I walk a

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one, and I walk a

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone


Lyrics submitted by da_coolio, edited by Mellow_Harsher, bobbybmth

Boulevard of Broken Dreams Lyrics as written by Frank E. Wright Iii Michael Pritchard

Lyrics © Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Boulevard of Broken Dreams song meanings
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  • +24
    General Comment

    This song is kind of depressing, but at the same time peaceful. Its sad because no one wants to be alone all the time, everyone wants to be understood. But at the same time, realizing that theres many things about this world that are fucked up and choosing solitude over conforming is a powerful notion. |The sense of peacefulness comes from the fact that its only sometimes he wishes someone would find him, for the most part he's accepted and learned not to fear being alone. But then again, sometimes being on your own that much does start to make you wonder if your crazy for what your doing, so that you have to check to make sure you're still alive

    serenity23on October 06, 2007   Link
  • +14
    General Comment

    Well, during the first part of the song(I walk a lonely road, it's the only one I've ever known. Don't know where it goes...) seems to me like he's talking about addiction or an extremely hard time in life. (I've only ever heard this song by itself, I plan to buy the CD sometime in the future...) The words make it seem like he's been on this road for so long that he's gotten used to it, and it's just a part of him now.

    The next line just expresses a feeling of, you guessed it, utter and complete loneliness, but that's not all. It also conveys that nobody cares that he's alone and that he'll never fix anything(hence the Broken Dreams).

    Chorus is just restating that he's lonely and he wishes someone would help him out of his hole, but until he gets intervention he's stuck alone.

    The third line sounds like he's attempting to quit, or he's been on it too long and he's on the line between going insane/dying, or staying to his addiction.

    Chrous again, just underlining the previous one...

    Again with the second line, simply restating that he's still "helpless" and alone and such.

    Again with the Chorus...

    Anyhoo, this has been one hell of a long meaning, and I enjoyed writing it almost as much as I enjoyed listening to the song itself. I could put it on a CD and listen to it for weeks at a time. Very well-written and thought-out. I hope you don't flame my understanding of the song, it's just what I think it could mean.

    Cirelon June 19, 2005   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    You know you're an American Idiot when you only like a band when they first start out, but start to loathe them primarily because they're becoming really popular. That's so stupid. Why does it matter? If Beethoven's Midnight Sonata was an obscure song, would it be any more beautiful? No, BECAUSE IT WOULD STILL BE THE SAME DAMN SONG.

    Some of you stupid kids need to pull your heads out of your asses, go to college, and realize there's much more important things about a person's music other than how many people like it. Judge it based on how you feel about the song, and not how anyone else feels. Stupid pseudo-intellectuals.

    idungotnosnon May 03, 2007   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    Well, what this song really means is that the narrator is depressed due to his failures (or maybe he's just hard on himself), and he wants someone to break him out of this. It is a song I can relate to. In relation to the album, this song describes Jesus of Suburbia's state of mind while he is leaving his home town.

    JTHMBirdGuy777on June 18, 2009   Link
  • +7
    My Opinion

    I love this song. The music is just pure bloody brilliant. I can relate to the lyrics...often I've found it so hard with people, that I've just decided to "walk alone", and hope that someday "someone finds me". :/ It does get lonely. When I got stabbed in the back by someone who I thought actually cared about me (as a close friend), I felt so awful. This song...I don't know. Damn, it just has so much meaning.

    Teamhairon November 27, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I think that Archie did a really good job at taking in the meanings of these lyrics. I agree with everything that he said.

    "I'm walking down the line that divides me somewhere in my mind," I think what he was portraying there was that he thinks someone that finally understands him and how he feels is gonna come along soon and he isn't going to be alone. And for once he is gonna know how it feels to not be alone. I don't know if any of you felt that way, but that is how I interpreted it.

    cliv22on January 16, 2005   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    I don't know the song's official meaning, but last night I was walking home from work. It was midnight, rain was pouring down, and the streets were deserted. When Boulevard of Broken Dreams started playing on my phone, I couldn't help but smile and start singing along.

    Walking down that empty midnight street, it felt like the song just "fit."

    The truth is, I am alone. I have a bad habit of pushing people away and hiding my emotions. I've been called an asshole, cold-hearted, and similar by the masses that don't know me.

    Sometimes I wish someone would find me, but until then I walk alone.

    ShiroLion March 10, 2015   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song ROCKS....maybe this song is a bit different from the rest, but what's wrong with that? artists are and SHOULD try out different directions, you guys shouldn't just immediately diss them or anything..and they are not sell outs just because more people listen to them....i'm sure someone already said this but you should be happy that green day is getting more exposure.

    _nicki_on December 01, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    its a good song

    upsett6on October 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Hey has anyone seen the vid.? it says "Read between the lines What's Snuffed up and everythings all right" instead of "Read between the lines What's fucked up and everythings all right" that kinda got me madbut then again they really can't cuss in their videos, can they?

    Padfoot1516on November 20, 2004   Link

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