J'net Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This week’s Song of the Week is The Static Age, one of my favorites from 21st Century Breakdown. Please use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the song. 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day's eighth studio album, was recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Studio 880, Jel Studio, and Costa Mesa Studios. The album was produced by Butch Vig, marking the first time Rob Cavallo wasn't part of a major release Green Day album. The album was released May 15 2009 and reached #1 on the USA Billboard. It also hit #1 in 15 other countries around the world. It has sold over 3.5 million copies since its release. This song was never released as a single from the album, and I will never understand why. The first time I heard The Static Age live was at the Bowery Ballroom show on May 18 2009 (I took my son to New York to see this show as a surprise birthday present). That night and the following night at Webster Hall, I could feel the wooden floorboards giving under the bouncing of the crowd like trampolines. It remains one of my absolute favorites to hear live, and I love the sax solo we get from Jason Freese at the live performances! I remember during those shows and in Central Park (a day or two after Webster Hall) when Billie sang, “What's the latest way that a man can die?” And instead of singing “Screaming Hallelujah,” he just screamed, “Hallelujah”. He did that at several shows afterwards, but eventually started singing it again. Now, choosing a favorite lyric from this song of amazing lyrics and word play is incredibly difficult, but, for me, I think it’s got to be, “All I want to do is I want to breathe.” When I hear that lyric, I get a tight feeling in my chest. It’s almost like a panic attack (at least, that’s what I imagine). I’m guessing that’s how the whole “static age” feels to Billie. What’s your favorite lyric? Here’s a wonderful video for you to watch. It was recorded at the above-mentioned Webster Hall concert. I was on the barrier right in front of Billie’s microphone with my son, Daniel, and Dorie, Mac, and ToniAnn beside us. Many other people who were and are now good friends were also there. It was a memorable night for many reasons, but I won’t go into all of those now. Instead, just watch this … The Static Age Lyrics Can you hear the sound of the static noise? Blasting out in stereo Cater to the class and the paranoid Music to my nervous system Advertising love and religion Murder on the airwaves Slogans on the brink of corruption Vision of blasphemy, war and peace Screaming at you I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age Billboard on the rise in the dawn's landscape Working your insanity Tragic a'la madness and concrete Coca Cola execution Conscience on a cross and Your hearts in a vice Squeezing out your state of mind Are what you own that you cannot buy? What a fucking tragedy, strategy Screaming at you. I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age Hey hey it's the static age This is how the west was won Hey hey it's the static age millennium All I want to know Is a God-damned thing Not what's in the medicine All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included What's the latest way that a man can die Screaming hallelujah? Singing out "The dawn's early light" The silence of the rotten, forgotten Screaming at you. I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age I can't see a thing in the video I can't hear a sound on the radio In stereo in the static age The static a-a-a-a-a-a-a-aaaaaaage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can nominate songs for discussion as Song of the Week in the Song Discussions thread, which contains links to each previous Song of the Week from 9/14/2009 forward in its original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiofriendlyunitshifter Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This is one of my favorite songs from 21st Century Breakdown! Why didn't they release this as a single instead of "Last of the American Girls?"My favorite lyric is "All I want to know is a godamned thing, not what's in the medicine." And the live saxophone solo is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlee Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 At first i didn't really enjoy this song. But as always, when i keep listening to the songs they grow on me more and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadoxAndPlaid Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Words cannot express how angry I am about this not becoming a single. I love this song. I made myself a t-shirt inspired by it just because I like it so much. I even has a perfect music video idea for it, I made storyboards too. ((film nerd)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I didn't really like this song at first, but it grew on me a lot and now it's one of my favorites off 21CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Of Rage and Love Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I love the lyrics.. but I could never get over the fact that it sounds so much like church on sunday.. it makes me like it less.... : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan86 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I love the drum intro to this song. The song just seems very simple but there is something so catchy about it too that I love Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldyofficial Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 ohh, I really love this song, but I think I love this song just when they play it live! you know, the Spirit, the Instruments that mr. Jason Freese play (i don't know the name ) oh I love this song and my favorite line is like yours : All I want to do is I want to Breathe, Batteries are not included ! in this line they teasing all about the technology that makes people no longer socialize in the right way, y'know, like mobile, social networking, and the other stuff. it's funny to know that stuffs have a purpose to make peoples that live far away to be close with the other, but the reality is rather. people who lives in near is like lives in a long distance. sorry for my bad english, but I think you're all know what I mean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnout98 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I love the drum intro to the song! I agree that it should have been released as a single and it is one of my favourites from 21st CB. Its even better because the podcast got its name from this song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlee Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I love the lyrics.. but I could never get over the fact that it sounds so much like church on sunday.. it makes me like it less.... : completely agree, i was slightly disappointed at that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mar Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I don't hate the song at all, but to be honest, on the 21CB tour "regulars," it was the one song I would have liked to have swapped for another (Viva La Gloria!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This song amazes me every time I hear it live. I totally get Billie's perspective on the whole technology thing 'cause my mom tells me the same thing all the time. Like, "Back in my day, we didn't have computers . . ." and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katarina. Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included I love the Static Age! One of my favorites off of 21st Century Breakdown Great lyrics, great melody (makes me think of Church On Sunday), and it's a catchy song. I can listen to it over and over again without getting tired of it. And OMG, I heard this song live and it's amazing. The whole saxophone part, and Billie's rant about technology and all that before the song starts make it even better. If wish they'd play it live more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasalaska Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 When I first listened to 21CB I didn't really register this song, but as I got down to reading and learning the lyrics, it suddenly became one of the highlights of the album for me. It's just a really clever song, really good lyrics. I distinctly remember the when they played this at the Perth show, and I couldnt sing along because I kept screwing up the lyrics, so I sat down with the CD inlay before Melbourne and learnt them all by heart. It's amazing live, with the big gas mark background and Jason adding the sax, it's just epic. favoutite line: All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverlight Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This was the song that actually got me into Green Day, actually. *Flash back* I remember I was listening to the whole album on the computer for the first time, and this was before I'd listened to any other of their albums all the way through, and this one just stood out for me. My favourite lyric has to be... I actually don't know, I guess the whole song? Now, we can just blame this song for getting me obsessed with Green Day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero. Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Great song, but there is something about the lyrics that i love that I can't put my finger on... they just comment on a lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDJonny Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 One of the first songs from 21CB I actually liked. The (kind of) old school rock and roll feel is pretty awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsNotNora Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I was lucky enough to hear it live at the concert in June. It blew me away- I've listened to it many many many times since, but I've started to be a bit sick of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen. Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I love this song especially the intro. Like hearing it playing out the podcast too. It's great as I always have the volume turned up to the max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampy Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This song is probably my favorite from 21st Century Breakdown. I get goosebumps when I hear it live, the intro make me feel like: "okay, HERE we go, this is it!" and then Billie has his speech which get everyones asses up! And I love Jason's sax solo during the song, it's great! I've heard it live twice, in both gigs where I was. I'm glad that I got chance to hear it. I think they started to cut it out little bit from the setlist during the past summer tour? And I really wonder too, why they didn't pick this song as a single? First it was so clear that The Static Age might be a new single, since they played it at every show. It's great song, with really great word playing lyrics and catchy melody! My favorite line is definitely: "Singing out "The dawn's early light", the silence of the rotten, forgotten, screaming at you." Really great song, like I said, probably my favorite from 21st CBD, nice pick for the Song Of The Week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I really love the lines: "Advertising love and religion, Murder on the airwaves, Slogans on the brink of corruption, Visions of blasphemy, war and peace, Screaming at you" As a Business student who enjoys Marketing, it's quite interesting to read something like this and understand his definition of how 21st century technology has intruded in our lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcause Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This is both a great song, and a hard song to listen to because it so vividly is its subject matter - it's an entity, it's an onslaught of flashing word-pictures, endless-rolling news of consciousness. It's jagged and nerve-jangling, suffocating, overwhelming, relentlessly pulsing and pushing and ranting. It's a tidal-wave of information, and this soul tossed around in it till it surfaces with the scream-out of 'all I wanna do is I wanna breathe' - clarity, some sense of what's real, what's important, what's true, where the light is. I see adverts that exploit every precious little human moment to manipulate - juxtapositions like, 'childhood is precious - buy our shit', 'you love this person - buy our shit', 'you care about your family's future - buy our shit'. I see the 'talent' shows where the song's cut short so the contestant can have a mic shoved in their face and 'how do you feel right now?' - ramped up on flashing lights and the mindless screaming of the audience. Everything is for sale, and it seems like everyone has their price - cause, like, you'd be a fool not to, right? Take the money, let the cameras in, shit, you're on the cover of a magazine, even if it's because you're a fucking disaster and that entertains people. Being a celebrity used to mean people celebrated your talent - now it just means fame for the sake of fame, notoriety replaces excellence. 'Advertising love and religion, murder on the airwaves' - the dating advert with the picture of the pretty girl who's just waiting to talk to you, to love you, to want you, except that of course, it's not real, she's not real, it's just a way to exploit your loneliness. Advertising religion - hey, faith is just another product, and we can provide the service. Advertising the stuff of your soul like it was toothpaste. Murder thrown into the mix like it's just another element in a whole trashy scenario, like it matters for a brief, broadcast moment and then it's on to the next thing and now for another advert and a promo for the latest reality show. I think this song has a father and a mother. The mother is Church On Sunday, and that relates, because Church On Sunday is commerce of a sort - it's about making a deal. You get this and I get that, and it's clear that something of value is gonna come out of this faith, hope and love transaction - but in Static Age, it's all about manipulation and exploitation, being sold at, nothing of value coming out of it, nothing to hold onto and go forward with. The father of this song is Springsteen's 'Born to Run' - I feel like it's the musical template, right down to the sax solo. What was born to run is now static, mesmerized and paralyzed. Born to Run is a technicolor romance that rush-dreams to escape all of the crap - Static Age says there's nowhere to run, this shit is everywhere. Static Age is coming of age, and maybe wanting to stop running, to just be able to stand still and be ok with that. Just to be able to breathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloria123 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 this is my favorite song on 21CB, i just love the lyrics and the sound "All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included" (i keep calling this song Static Noise now) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklingWaterMan Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This song was the first 21stCB song that I actually like. I love the lyrics my favourite part...batteries are not included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANJI Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Such an amazing song! I loved hearing this song live! They should release a single and a video for this song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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