solongfromthestars Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 ¡Viva La Gloria! is the fourth track from Green Day's album 21st Century Breakdown, written by Billie Joe Armstrong. It's also included on the live album Awesome as F**k. It was played quite a few times on the 21st Century Breakdown tour, but remains one of the "rarer" live songs from the album.21st Century Breakdown is a concept album that revolves around a young couple, Christian and Gloria. This song is a serenade from Christian to Gloria, and introduces the character of her as well as their relationship. Throughout the album, Christian is portrayed as a dark person who hates everything, but Gloria is his light in the dark. She's a positive and strong girl who has "found a home in all your scars and ammunition" despite maybe a difficult childhood. Christian is hailing her, telling her to never burn out and not to look back on the past; he admires her for trying to hold the torch while all he can imagine is wanting to burn everything down. Although there's already references to her flaws and the struggles of their lives, Gloria is portrayed as standing tall above the ruins regardless. It's a harsh contrast to the mocking ¿Viva La Gloria? [Little Girl], when she's portrayed in a completely different light; she's fallen apart and turned to drugs. Billie Joe has said that Christian and Gloria represent two different sides of him - Gloria the positive one he would like to think is dominant, and Christian the darker side. He chose the name Gloria as a play on "glory", but said he also considered the name Emily. Gloria is portrayed in several different ways in the album art: For me personally, this is my favourite song of all time. I had a difficult childhood and was going through some dark times when 21st Century Breakdown came out, and although it's cliché, it was this song that helped me through. Even though she's just a vague figment of Billie Joe's imagination, Gloria somehow gave me faith in the world again. She comes across as so strong and positive in the song, and at the time gave me someone to admire and look up to. I thought that if she could be like that, I could be too. Those few months were probably the darkest of my life, but I left the past behind and came out of it an optimistic, ambitious and strong young woman. This song will always have a special meaning to me because of that. Here's a video of ¡Viva La Gloria! live in Japan:http://youtu.be/5NA8Dbj0Xyc Lyrics: Hey Gloria, Are you standing close to the edge? Look out at the setting sun The brink of your vision Eternal youth is the landscape of a lie The cracks of my skin can prove As years will testify So say your prayers and light a fire We're gonna start a war Your slogan's "a gun for hire" It's what we waited for Hey Gloria, This is why we're on the edge The fight of our lives been drawn to This undying love Gloria, viva la Gloria You blast your name in graffiti on the walls Falling through broken glass That's slashing through your spirits I can hear it like a jilted crowd Gloria, where are you Gloria? You found a home in all your scars and ammunition You made your bed in salad days Amongst the ruins Ashes to ashes of our youth She smashed her knuckles into winter As autumn's wind fades into black She is the saint on all the sinners The one that's fallen through the cracks So don't put away your burning light! Gloria, where are you Gloria? Don't lose your faith to your lost naivete Weather the storm and don't look back on last November When your banners were burning down Gloria, viva la Gloria Send me your amnesty down to the broken hearted Bring us the season that we always will remember Don't let the bonfires go out! So Gloria, Send out your message of your light that shadows in the night Gloria, where's your undying love? Tell me the story of your life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musso_kn Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I love, love, love this song. It was my first favourite song from 21st Century breakdown though I enjoyed (and still do) the album as a whole anyway. The contrast of piano intro and the noisy, pop punk end is class. The portrayal of Gloria as a strong revolutionary character is just so poetically done. One of their best ever tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannygreen Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Is there anybody who's able to explain me a couple of things about this lyric? Such as: I can hear it like a jilted crowd, What does it mean? I thought that maybe Bille wanted to say something like "I can feel it like someone is doin' directly to me" but I don't know, I'm just Italian ahha and moreover I'd like to know if for you native people "To fall through the cracks" has to be considered as a literal meaning or not, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insomniac85 Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Like the majority of the 21st Century Breakdown album, this track had to grow on me. I just had to sit with it for awhile. I love it now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solongfromthestars Posted June 10, 2013 Author Share Posted June 10, 2013 Is there anybody who's able to explain me a couple of things about this lyric? Such as: I can hear it like a jilted crowd, What does it mean? I thought that maybe Bille wanted to say something like "I can feel it like someone is doin' directly to me" but I don't know, I'm just Italian ahha and moreover I'd like to know if for you native people "To fall through the cracks" has to be considered as a literal meaning or not, thanks "Jilted" means "abandoned" or "rejected" so he's basically saying "I can hear it like a rejected crowd". A crowd implies something big, so I'd guess that it's a metaphor for a lot of emotional pain (since it follows the "broken glass that's slashing through your spirits" lines). Usually "jilted" refers to lovers, so it could mean that the pain comes from being abandoned and hurt by an ex-partner. Only Billie knows what he really meant though, and knowing him it could be something totally random. "Fallen through the cracks" isn't literal, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I think Billie has a hard time remembering the lyrics to this one. He likes to use a cheat sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangreenday Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I think Billie has a hard time remembering the lyrics to this one. He likes to use a cheat sheet. hahaha where was that from ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana. Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I love the song so much. It makes me want to get up and do things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenesisJames Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Very nice write-up! Definitely one of my favorites from 21stCB. Musically and lyrically awesome, I might add! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iScottie Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 First song I fell in love with off of 21CB and still one of my favorites. The piano I think Billie has a hard time remembering the lyrics to this one. He likes to use a cheat sheet. I think there were several cheat sheets on the livestream of yesterday's show, as well lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solongfromthestars Posted June 10, 2013 Author Share Posted June 10, 2013 hahaha where was that from ? It was at the Prague show on the 21CB tour. Yes, I'm sad enough to remember this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K!ngForADay Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Loved this after first listen, still do Great lyrics too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaBJA Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatteredminority Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I love the song. The guitar riff of the second part of the song is probably my favourite from GD I always thought this was supposed to be Christian . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannygreen Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 "Jilted" means "abandoned" or "rejected" so he's basically saying "I can hear it like a rejected crowd". A crowd implies something big, so I'd guess that it's a metaphor for a lot of emotional pain (since it follows the "broken glass that's slashing through your spirits" lines). Usually "jilted" refers to lovers, so it could mean that the pain comes from being abandoned and hurt by an ex-partner. Only Billie knows what he really meant though, and knowing him it could be something totally random. "Fallen through the cracks" isn't literal, no. Thank you Now I understand almost everything, my english teacher wasn't able to tell me anything like this ahahah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 What a beautiful song. The other day watching Awesome As Fuck, I have to say that was a perfect performance. The soft, piano intro and then the crazy and fast rock part, it's a great contrast. There are some special things about this song, for exmple I'll never forget that interview where Billie Joe actually said that the song could be "Viva La Billie", being about him... it's kind of weird when I try to analyze some lines if he's talking about himself, some of them make sense. I'm not saying that because of this the song entirely about him, maybe there are some aspects that aren't. Also, the fire reference on every verse, the kind of thing that drives Tré crazy haha It would have been awesome if it could've had its own official video. It's one of my favs from the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa. Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 My favorite part is "She smashed her knuckles into winter (GLOOOORRRRIIIIIAAAA!)" that part is a highlight of 21CB for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanf_xx Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Always loved this song... The instrumental piano and strings make me tear up. THAT is saying something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trotsky Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 One of the best songs of Green Day.It's a shame that this beautiful song wasn't released as single with a video (let's say instead of LoTAG). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangreenday Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 remember the first time i heard this song , when it properly kicks in i got SOOO Pumped up !!! an Amazing Song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromdecimateddreams Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I absolutely adore this song, especially lately for some reason. I just love the melody and how all the instrumentals come together, it's really just beautiful. And the line "Weather the storm and don't look back on last November" really gets me for some reason and I love it. The beginning also sounds really pretty on the saxophone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Light Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 There's a fire reference in every verse :-O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritz Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Love the write up! Its one of my favorites from 21stCB. Its amazing how the lyrics say so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November's Storms Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I can say nothing that hasn't already been said. My fav song from that album and one of my fav Green Day songs ever. Such an inspiration when I first heard it, and in any dark days since then. And the line "Weather the storm and don't look back on last November" really gets me for some reason and I love it. That's where I got my username from. It's intended to serve as a reminder of darker days I had a few years ago and never to linger on them, to push on through and that the storms will always lead to brighter, better times. When that album came out the last November prior to it was a particularly shitty month for me. I had a friend going through serious health problems and I was in a dark mental state myself and it just stood and spoke to me louder than any other lyrics on the album. Not to mention that it is of course a kick ass song. On my first impressions I noticed and loved the tiniest of things when the chorus comes in. The jump up in vocals from "vi" to "va" in "Glooooria, viVA la Gloria!" It is a miniscule thing but it sounded inspiring and fit the defiant, motivational mood of the song perfectly. This song also taught me what the term "salad days" actually meant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Isn't it great when the audience sings "Gloriaaa ♫♪" in the second verse? I love that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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