The band Green Day was formed in the year 1987 by Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt. They got their start in the city of Berkeley, California and were a mainstay on the 924 Gilman Street punk scene. They eventually signed with a major record label and released the album Dookie in 1994. Dookie became a hit, and gained Green Day recognition around the world. The band released several moderately successful albums after Dookie, and gained fame with a younger audience after the 2004 rock opera American Idiot.

The song Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) was part of the album Nimrod, and it won Best Alternative Video at the 1997 MTV Video Awards.c

Of course, learning guitar songs takes more than simply learning the notes and the lyrics. You must also practice using solid technique on your instrument, so that you can achieve a quality sound. When you learn good technique, you build skills on your instrument that will help you be the best player that you can possibly be.

Hold your guitar so that the neck runs parallel to the floor beneath you. With your fingering hand, set your thumb on the back of the neck. Your fingers should be loosely curled over the frets. With your picking hand, form a loose fist and set the pick between your thumb and your forefinger. Keep your back straight when you play, and avoid slouching.c

The video above will give you complete instructions, along with lyrics. The song is simple to play, and it starts out with a G chord, then a C chord with an add 9 and a D chord. Watch the video a few times to get a sense of the rhythm of the song.