Studio Album · No. 1

39/Smooth Songwriting Credits by Green Day

1990 Lookout! Records 10 tracks 31 min

Produced by Green Day  ·  Engineered by Andy Ernst

Lookout! Records Punk RockPop Punk
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Green Day carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Green Day 0 tracksoutside writers
Green Day's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
Around 75,000 copies sold before the 1994 release of Dookie
Worldwide Copies Sold
1990
Released
Data Insight

39/Smooth is Green Day's debut studio album, recorded over a few days around New Year's 1990 at Art of Ears in San Francisco for a reported $675 and released on the independent label Lookout Records. Almost all of the songs were written by Billie Joe Armstrong with the band, with drummer John Kiffmeyer contributing "I Was There." The record captures the trio's early East Bay punk sound, built on fast tempos, melodic hooks, and Armstrong's lyrics about teenage longing and small-town restlessness. It later became part of the 1991 compilation 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, which gathered the band's earliest Lookout recordings in one place.

Green Day's debut studio album, released April 13, 1990 on Lookout! Records. Recorded when Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt were 17 years old with drummer John Kiffmeyer, it is a raw East Bay punk record of 10 tracks clocking in at about 31 minutes. Kiffmeyer left the band shortly after its release; Tré Cool joined before Kerplunk. All music is credited to Green Day collectively; Armstrong wrote all lyrics except 'I Was There', which was written by Kiffmeyer.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

More from Green Day

Frequently Asked Questions 39/Smooth

What is 39/Smooth by Green Day?
39/Smooth is Green Day's debut studio album, released on April 13, 1990, by the independent label Lookout Records. It contains ten songs and runs about 31 minutes, presenting the band's early melodic punk sound before their major-label breakthrough.
When and where was 39/Smooth recorded?
The album was recorded around New Year's, from December 29, 1989, to January 2, 1990, at Art of Ears studio in San Francisco. The sessions were famously inexpensive, with a reported recording cost of about $675.
Who wrote the songs on 39/Smooth?
Most of the songs were written by Billie Joe Armstrong along with the band. The exception is "I Was There," which was written by the band's original drummer John Kiffmeyer, who performed on the album.
Who produced 39/Smooth?
The album was produced by Green Day together with Andy Ernst, who also served as the recording engineer at Art of Ears. The mastering was handled by John Golden.
Were there any singles from 39/Smooth?
No commercial chart singles were released from 39/Smooth. As an early independent release on Lookout Records, the album was promoted mainly through the punk underground and live shows rather than radio singles.
What is the song "Green Day" on the album about?
The track titled "Green Day" shares its name with the band and is a Billie Joe Armstrong composition from the album's early songwriting period. Its laid-back, hazy mood fits the band's early East Bay punk style heard across the record.
How does 39/Smooth relate to 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours?
In 1991, Lookout Records combined 39/Smooth with the band's two early EPs into the compilation 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. That compilation kept the 39/Smooth material in print and is how many fans first encountered these debut songs.
How well did 39/Smooth sell?
The album sold modestly during its initial run, with roughly 75,000 copies sold before Green Day's 1994 album Dookie made them mainstream stars. After that breakthrough, the early Lookout catalog reached a much wider audience.

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