{{Short description|1995 promotional single by Green Day}} {{Other uses|Jar (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox song | name = J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) | cover = Green Day J.A.R. 7-inch single.jpg | alt = | border = yes | type = promotional single | artist = Green Day | album = Angus: Music from the Motion Picture ''and'' International Superhits! | released = {{start date|1995|8|1}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Burt |first=Greg |date=July 28, 1995 |title=Rock: New Singles For August |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-07-28.pdf |journal=R&R |issue=1105 |page=64 |issn=0277-4860 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315123458/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-07-28.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | recorded = | studio = | genre = * Punk rock<ref name="solman">{{cite news |last1=Solman |first1=Gregory |title=Green Day's 'J.A.R.' Unsealed |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=July 30, 1995}}</ref><ref name="sputAAF">{{cite web |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/42990/Green-Day-Awesome-As-Fuck/ |title=Green Day: Awesome as Fuck |date=April 16, 2011 |access-date=August 26, 2017 |work= Sputnikmusic }}</ref> | length = 2:51 | label = Reprise | lyricist = Mike Dirnt | composer = Green Day | producer = * Rob Cavallo * Green Day | prev_title = When I Come Around | prev_year = 1995 | next_title = Geek Stink Breath | next_year = 1995 | misc = {{external music video|type=song|header=Audio|{{YouTube|ENzR8U_O26s|"J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)"}}}} }}
"'''J.A.R.'''" (alternatively titled "'''J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)'''") is a song by the American rock band Green Day. Written by bassist Mike Dirnt about a friend who committed suicide in a car crash,<ref name="geniusverified">{{cite web |title=About - "J.A.R.' - Green Day |url=https://genius.com/Green-day-jar-jason-andrew-relva-lyrics |website=Genius.com |access-date=April 2, 2023 |date=2015 |quote=("He was going 95, I think he committed suicide." – Dirnt) |archive-date=April 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402165620/https://genius.com/Green-day-jar-jason-andrew-relva-lyrics |url-status=live }}</ref> the song was a previously unreleased track from the ''Dookie'' sessions but it was later featured on the soundtrack to the movie ''Angus'' in 1995. In August 1995, the song reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart and spent 16 weeks on it. The song peaked at number 22 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The song was featured as the eighth track on Green Day's 2001 greatest hits collection ''International Superhits!'', on their 2011 live album ''Awesome as Fuck'', and on the 30th anniversary reissue of ''Dookie'' alongside a cassette demo of the song.
==Background== The acronym stands for Jason Andrew Relva, a childhood friend of Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt. Relva was born on November 16, 1972, and died at the age of 19 on April 18, 1992, as the result of injuries sustained from a car crash. Dirnt wrote the song in remembrance of him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Emily |date=April 27, 2020 |title=10 lesser known Green Day songs that everyone needs to hear |url=https://www.kerrang.com/10-lesser-known-green-day-songs-that-everyone-needs-to-hear |access-date=December 28, 2021 |website=Kerrang! |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228232508/https://www.kerrang.com/10-lesser-known-green-day-songs-that-everyone-needs-to-hear |url-status=live }}</ref> Relva is thanked in the liner notes of ''1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours'' and ''Kerplunk''.
==Reception== ''PopMatters'' listed "J.A.R." as the ninth best Green Day song, commenting "It's a winner in its own right, and in a sense, its bubbling bass, buzzing chord crashes, and Tre Cool's killer chorus drum beat is the Platonic ideal of a Green Day song."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=AJ |title=Nice Guys Finish Last: The Top 15 Green Day Songs |date=September 19, 2012 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/162725-nice-guys-finish-last-the-top-15-green-day-songs-2495820460.html |access-date=February 10, 2023 |publisher=PopMatters |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210213118/https://www.popmatters.com/162725-nice-guys-finish-last-the-top-15-green-day-songs-2495820460.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Both Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and Chris DeMakes of Less Than Jake rated "J.A.R." as their favorite Green Day song. Hoppus stated that the opening guitar riff of the Blink-182 song "What's My Age Again?" was created by him trying and failing to play the opening bass riff of "J.A.R." on his guitar.<ref name="opening riff">{{Cite journal |last=DeMakes |first=Chris |date=October 19, 2020 |title=Chris DeMakes a Podcast. Ep. 21: Mark Hoppus discusses blink-182's "What's My Age Again?" |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mgu5V5wmC0OEkifxYStU2 |journal=Spotify |access-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-date=October 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005181430/https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mgu5V5wmC0OEkifxYStU2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Emily |date=October 20, 2020 |title=Mark Hoppus Reveals The Green Day Song That Inspired The Opening Riff To blink-182's What's My Age Again? |url=https://www.kerrang.com/mark-hoppus-reveals-the-green-day-song-that-inspired-the-opening-of-blink-182s-whats-my-age-again |access-date=December 28, 2021 |website=Kerrang! |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228232108/https://www.kerrang.com/mark-hoppus-reveals-the-green-day-song-that-inspired-the-opening-of-blink-182s-whats-my-age-again |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Aniftos |first=Rania |date=October 20, 2020 |title=Blink-182's Mark Hoppus Reveals the Green Day Song That Inspired 'What's My Age Again?' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/blink-182-green-day-song-inspired-whats-my-age-again-9469620/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228232108/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/blink-182-green-day-song-inspired-whats-my-age-again-9469620/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Track listing== {{tracklist | headline = Promo | title1 = J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) | length1 = 2:51 }}
'''Vinyl box set''' {{tracklist | headline = Side A | title1 = J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) | length1 = 2:51 }}
{{tracklist | headline = Side B | title1 = Emenius Sleepus | length1 = 1:44 }}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for "J.A.R." |- ! scope="col" | Chart (1995) ! scope="col" | Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|22|artist=Green Day|rowheader=true|access-date=November 12, 2016}} |- {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|17|artist=Green Day|rowheader=true|access-date=November 12, 2016}} |- {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|1|artist=Green Day|rowheader=true|access-date=November 12, 2016}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Year-end chart performance for "J.A.R." |- ! scope="col" | Chart (1995) ! scope="col" | Position |- ! scope="row"| US Modern Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=107|issue=51|page=YE-77|date=December 23, 1995}}</ref> | 29 |} {{col-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Green Day}} {{Green Day songs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jar}} Category:1995 singles Category:1995 songs Category:Commemoration songs Category:Green Day songs Category:Song recordings produced by Rob Cavallo Category:Songs about suicide Category:Songs written by Mike Dirnt