39/Smooth was initially released as the debut album by Green Day in 1990 on Lookout! Records on vinyl (including limited quantities of clear green vinyl) and cassette. It would be combined with the Slappy and 1,000 Hours EPs, plus a track from a compilation, and released the following year as 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours on CD and cassette. Jesse Michaels of Operation Ivy drew the artwork on album. The inner sleeve of the album shows handwritten lyrics by Billie Joe, and letters by drummer Al Sobrante and Lookout! owner Larry Livermore to I.R.S. Records, rejecting an offer to sign to the label and declaring their loyalty to Lookout! Records, even though they later left Lookout! and moved to a major label: Reprise Records.
39/Smooth, as well as its concurrent EPs, remained in print on vinyl until Green Day removed their catalog from Lookout! Records.
