Song Meaning, Background and Analysis: Welcome to Paradise by Green Day

Welcome to Paradise is about Billie Joel Armstrong's memoir his mom after leaving her home for the first time to live own his own. According to Wikipedia (it's a got nice article on this song; you should read it as well) Billie went onto live with his fellow bandmates, as well as a bunch of other slackers.

Analysis: 

It's been three whole weeks(3) - first verse is describes Billie's struggles to adapt to the new environment. It's surely nothing like home - there's so much insecurity, and loneliness, living with a group of strangers.

Pay attention to the cracked streets(9) - cracked streets to refers to gangs, drugs and violence on the streets at night

Some call it the slums / Some call it nice(11,12) - it depends on how you look at the broken home; if you're homeless it's a paradise, but if you left a livable home like Billie they may seem as slums

Another urchin snaps and left dead on his own (18) - "urchin" is a little kid trying to live like a grownup thug. Sometimes kids get caught in the middle of gun fights between gangs and drug dealers, occasionally some die.

Feeling like my home(21) - Billie new "home," which in the heart of social chaos, now seems like his home. Maybe because it's better live life like that than having to eat the wrath of his mom everyday when he used live with her. When you're on your own you live by your own rules...

Lyrics: 

1. Dear mother,
2. Can you hear me whining?
3. It's been three whole weeks
4. Since that I have left your home
5. This sudden fear has left me trembling
6. Cause now it seems that I am out here on my own
7. And I'm feeling so alone
8. 
   
9. Pay attention to the cracked streets
10. And the broken homes
11. Some call it the slums
12. Some call it nice
13. I want to take you through
14. a wasteland I like to call my home
15. Welcome To Paradise
16. 
    
17. A gunshot rings out at the station
18. Another urchin snaps and left dead on his own
19. It makes me wonder why I'm still here
20. For some strange reason it's now
21. Feeling like my home
22. And I'm never gonna go
23. 
    
24. Pay attention to the cracked streets
25. And the broken homes
26. Some call it slums
27. Some call it nice
28. I want to take you through
29. a wasteland I like to call
30. my home
31. Welcome To Paradise
32. 
    
33. Dear mother,
34. Can you hear me laughing
35. It's been six whole months
36. Since that I have left your home
37. It makes me wonder why I'm still here
38. For some strange reason it's now
39. Feeling like my home
40. And I'm never gonna go
41. 
    
42. Pay attention to the cracked streets
43. And the broken homes
44. Some call it the slums
45. Some call it nice
46. I want to take you through
47. a wasteland I like to call my home
48. Welcome To Paradise