Released as a single in 1997, Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" topped the "Billboard" chart and was even featured in the last episode of "Seinfeld." The ballad, which features lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong with an acoustic guitar backed by a string arrangement, stands in stark contrast to the band's earlier punk rock catalog, but that might be what makes it seem more sincere. Written by Armstrong for an ex-girlfriend who was moving to Ecuador, its lyrics say: "It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right./I hope you had the time of your life." Despite being a somewhat bitter breakup song, fans have subverted its message to celebrate big events and look back on memorable times. It is a popular choice for proms and funerals.
Sometimes a singalong can transcend entertainment value and carry a powerful message, as John Lennon accomplished in his song with the Plastic Ono Band "Give Peace a Chance." Released in 1969, the song was written in a response Lennon made to a reporter during his famous Bed-In for Peace. Asked what he hoped to achieve, Lennon said: "All we are saying is give peace a chance." This became the main lyric of the song, accompanied by references to different "isms." Lennon recorded the song with journalists and celebrities, including Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg and Petula Clark. This song became a singalong anti-war anthem and was sung at demonstrations in Washington, D.C., on Vietnam Moratorium Day on Oct. 15, 1969.
One of the best acoustic singalong songs didn't start as an acoustic effort. "About a Girl" by Nirvana reached the public on "Bleach," the band's debut album in 1989. Singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain wrote the song for his then-girlfriend, Tracy Marander. Marander asked Cobain why he had never written a song for her, so he did. "About A Girl" describes their relationship in these lyrics: "I take advantage while/You hang me out to dry/But I can't see you every night. Free." The song found an acoustic home when Nirvana appeared on MTV's "Unplugged" and opened its set with it. Released on the album of the same name, it's still played on alternative radio daily.