Sweet Children is the third EP by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released in the August 1990 throughSkene! Records. The name of the EP is the same as the original name of Green Day.
Contents[]
History[edit][]
The EP is a collection of some of the band's earliest songs that they were still playing live at the time. It was recorded in 2 hours on July 5, 1990 at 6 ft Under in Minneapolis, Minnesota while the band were on a brief break from their summer tour,[2] and released on seven-inch vinyl. Due to a typo on Green Day's website, many believe that this record was released in 1987, but this is not true. The EP was released on Minneapolis-based indie label Skene! Records. These were the last recordings drummer John Kiffmeyer would contribute to the band. Shortly after the end of the tour, he left the band to attend college.
Also of note, "My Generation" features a line from the film Blue Velvet: "Heineken? Fuck that shit!", said by the primaryantagonist Frank Booth (although it's not the actual audio sample).
Pressings[edit][]
There are five different pressings of the EP (some limited quantities included two different variations of red vinyl). The first four have been out of print since its inclusion on the CD issue of Green Day's second album Kerplunk in 1992. Because of this, it has since become a valuable and sought-after item among collectors and Green Day fans alike.
The first pressing's cover is a picture of Mike Dirnt's leg during a concert.
The second pressing's cover is a black and white picture of a somewhat trashed Volkswagen Beetle with the caption "What Do You Think Mike..." This rare second pressing, limited to 600 copies as opposed to the first run's respectable 1,500, also featured a handwritten insert, reading "Not a lyrics sheet, so don't get your hopes up".
The third pressing is the same as the one above in every way except there is no insert, and the cover, instead of being black and white, is tinted red.
The fourth pressing is obviously a reissue from possibly 1991, for it features a mostly blank cover with a picture of the band, and a rather long summary on the back of the sleeve, which explains how these songs are also on Kerplunk, so this must be a reissue of the EP.
On March 24, 2009, the EP was back in print as it was included with the vinyl reissue of Kerplunk. It is a reissue of the first pressing.
In 1990, on the first day of the EP's release, it sold 493 copies .[citation needed]
Release date[edit][]
One of the most mysterious aspects of this odd EP is its release date. Although the inlay on some says it was from 1990, this information may be faulty, like other early Green Day inlays. Another reason why the release date could be 1990 is that the first album was made by Green Day, not Sweet Children; a name they were thought to have dropped before the release of 1,000 Hours in 1989. For a while, the official Green Day website claimed it was released in 1987 (the current Green Day website no longer covers EPs). Also, a 1989 performance of "My Generation" is different from the album version, and a later 1992 performance matches the album. Finally,Allmusic claims it was released in 1988 originally when the band was called Sweet Children, however, there are no facts to support this.
Track listing[edit][]
All lyrics written by Billie Joe Armstrong, except where noted, all music composed by Green Day, except where noted.
| Side A | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Sweet Children" | 1:41 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Best Thing in Town" (lyrics written by Armstrong and Mike Dirnt) | 2:03 | ||||||||
| Side B | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Strangeland" | 2:08 | ||||||||
| 2. | "My Generation" (lyrics and music written by Pete Townshend; originally performed by The Who) | 2:19 | ||||||||
Personnel[edit][]
- Billie Joe Armstrong - lead vocals, guitar
- Mike Dirnt - bass, backing vocals
- Al Sobrante - drums, backing vocals