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21st Century Breakdown has been out for 16 years today. I was 14 when it was released and the album is now older than that. How is that even possible?! 😳 It's still my favourite Green Day album and probably my favourite album of all time. Sentimentally my favourite song from it is still ¡Viva La Gloria! but objectively I think American Eulogy is the best and also one of Green Day's best live songs. Only Forever Now can compete.

21CB remains one of my top 3 Green Day albums. Honestly probably top 2. I always go back to it. East Jesus Nowhere and Horseshoes and Hand grenades are still two of the most pump-ass songs Green Day has released.

My gosh, has it been that long? Crazy. This record changed my life. I still remember listening to it for the first time. I put it on while playing video games and by the time of Christian’s Inferno I paused the game and was simply entranced. 21st Century Breakdown made me a Green Day fan. American Idiot felt like it belonged to everyone but Breakdown felt like it could be mine. Maybe not my *favorite* GD record anymore but the songwriting hasn’t been matched since, the production is the best anyone not named Rob Cavallo has done for them, it’s just brimming with musical ideas. And of course that tour- you just had to be there. The emo aesthetic put a lot non-fans off this record but they’re missing out.

Goodness, how is that possible! I remember running out of work up to the record shop to buy the CD and it was playing when I went in. It’s also the first tour I saw them live and I just couldn’t believe how amazing they were live. We had a ton of hassle with tickets but it was still worth it. Still love the whole album and listen to it regularly.

The phrase 'meet my maker' does refer to dying, but it could be death by suicide or death by alcoholism. And this has reminded me that there's a quote from Billie (from The Sun I think, but I'm not going to give them any clicks because it's a garbage newspaper) about Goodnight Adeline: 'Goodnight Adeline deals with depression. The very last line is about when I get my shit together, "I know I’m going to climb my way out of this. I know I gotta wait for my Phoenix to rise from the ashes of this." That song makes me think of singing in a stadium in England. It’s got a chorus you can really sing along to.' I'm pretty sure the Adeline in the song is the street in Oakland. Because it's such a long, significant street, it has a lot of bars and clubs, so the drunks of Oakland have spent a lot of time on and around it. However, I do think he's talking to a person, not the street itself or his alcoholism – perhaps saying goodbye to them from 'the gutter' his face is in outside an Adeline Street bar as they walk away ('you're going to say goodbye and let it go') because he chose alcohol over them ('I'm going to drink my wine and let it go'). Or maybe he is saying goodbye to the street as a metaphor for trying to walk away from his alcoholism, but it's too late; the subject is already gone and he gives in again. Since it comes before Suzie Chapstick on the record, I assume that's who he's talking to and that the goodbye in this song is the prequel to 'will I ever see your face again?' When I first heard Goodnight Adeline, my interpretation was a bit different – I imagined someone staring out of their window at Adeline Street, too depressed to move, so that view is their entire world. They can't force themselves out to actually deal with their problems, they stay inside drinking instead, and so someone they love walks away. That would lead into 'outside my window ... it's just another vacant cold and lonely night' and 'outside my window, there is nothing but a sky.' Just my personal interpretations, obvs.

When a random celeb who is of Italian descent does one of those special trips to visit and learn about where his Italian ancestor was born, and all you can think about is Billie Joe making pasta and riding horses in Viggiano 🥹

It really is special. While it’s also tragic that Billie writes his best songs when he’s deeply unhappy. I want those great songs and lyrics but I also want him to be happy…

I don't know if it helps but people were discussing possible meanings in this thread after the album came out. There's also a long street in Oakland called Adeline Street and the guys had a record label called Adeline Records which closed around 2017 I think (anyone feel free to correct me if I have the date wrong).

BILLIE IS MY WIFE (he just doesn't know it yet)💕

I know that, I didn't mean that they can't make good stuff today, because they clearly can (Fancy Sauce is my top 2 Green Day song of all time), and by no means I want them to go that path again with all the backlashes it had. I'm truly greatful they are still making music in their terms, and in the end, that's what is the most important to me. This won't change my opinion that 21stCB era is clearly their golden era from a fanbase point of view. Their best shows were made there. Promo was amazing, MVs mostly flawless, my first show was in 2010. I can't overstate this enough

Your right the 21st C tour was amazing, although AI is still my fav. If you want to see and experience the ultimate live show on planet earth, only GD has done that.

This is their best along with Insomniac. Still shocked that Last Night On Earth wasn’t a single or Restless Heart Syndrome.

Imho this is why GD has been and always will be so special. As well as awesome unique music. The songs written by Billie Joe, and there are so many, contain lyrics that are, close to his heart, describe his life experiences and trials. Many of them, particularly the '90s, I could relate to having experienced them myself. As well as the music, his life experiences he shared helped me to move on to a better time. ❤️

I would love to win this! 16 years ago today I turned 14 and 21CB was released. That was the turning point for me for turning into a giant Green Day fan, and nothing has changed since

And Billie and Adrienne had Adeline clothing.

I spoke too soon, couple of new peaks. Alternative Airplay- 16, up from 18 Mainstream Rock Airplay- 19, up from 20 Rock and Alternative Airplay- 22, up from 26

These are all from Billie. The American Dream Is Killing Me: 'That song is more about being a stressed-out American. Our politics are so divided and polarized right now. We had an insurrection. We have homeless people in the street. We have so many issues, and they come onto your algorithm feed at such a pace. It just stresses you out, the anxiety of being an American and how it becomes so overwhelming. I think it was easier to satirize George Bush because we didn’t have social media. It was before all the tech bros came in. Now you have these billionaires who would rather shoot a rocket into space than deal with the infrastructure we have here.' (Vulture, 2024) One Eyed Bastard: ‘Lyrically, I was just reflecting on bad times in life. That’s the thing about nostalgia, sometimes you think, “That was an awful time.” Everybody’s got that ugly place in their life where they have to deal with ugly thoughts – it could be like revenge or whatever. Thankfully, I have an outlet in songwriting.’ (Rolling Stone, January 2024) Dilemma: 'That’s one of my favourite songs on the record. I think it really cuts to the core of drug addiction, alcohol addiction and mental health. The first line is, "Welcome to my problems / It’s not an invitation." It almost sounds like Facebook within itself. It’s like, "Come feel sorry for me, come feel my pain." But, you know, I don’t have Facebook or Twitter, so I just do it in songs to where I think with melody it becomes more relatable, and people can interpret it in the different ways they want. It could be me just joking, but it could be dead fucking serious, too.' (Kerrang, 2024) Bobby Sox: ‘Bobby Sox was originally about just sitting on the sofa or going to a movie with my missus. It was sort of more about our relationship, but I flipped the script a little bit with the second chorus where it goes into "do you wanna be my boyfriend?" So I sort of flipped the gender thing before on Basket Case, but this one gives it a whole new level. Sort of turns the song into a queer anthem.’ (SiriusXM, 2024) Suzie Chapstick: ‘Suzie Chapstick could be a song about what your friends are up to lately, you haven't seen in years, looking on Instagram... to see how other people's lives are doing, and we're all alive and doing well together, so…’ (SiriusXM, 2024) Strange Days Are Here to Stay: 'There’s one line that says, "Ever since Bowie died, it hasn’t been the same." That’s always kind of stuck with me. That was the beginning of 2016, and then it seemed like when the Starman left this Earth, all the mad men came in and started to destroy everything.' (Kerrang, 2024) Living in the '20s: 'Living In The ‘20s is like we are living in The Upside Down. My country is supposed to be the United States of America but there’s no unity at all. And so, I observe and I report what I see. And strange days are here to stay.' (Kerrang, 2024) Father to a Son: 'It's heavy. I was only 22 years old when I became a dad and time has passed, and they’ve become the young men that they are now. I wanted a moment like Wake Me Up When September Ends, which is a song about my father, being a son. But the other side of the coin is me being a father to my sons and hoping that I did something good. I’m saying I’m going to ride shotgun as close to my sons as I possibly can, to try to do the best I can. And thankfully, I have a really, really, good relationship with both.' Father to a Son: 'I dedicated the song to my two sons, who are now 28 and 25 years old. I wrote Wake Me Up When September Ends about my father twenty years ago. I was 10 when he died. Then I became a father myself at an early age and simply didn’t know what I was doing, what was expected of me. I did my best and was always there as these babies became boys, these boys became young men.' I don't remember where the Father to a Son ones came from... anyone have any idea?

I'm (finally) updating content on GDA and want to include song meanings for Saviors. Rather than just summarize what might be floating out there on the internet I'd like to get your feedback for the meaning of each song so we can share with others. If there are interviews where the band has talked specifically about a song we can include that. If someone shares something that you think is accurate please like the post so I can make sure to give more weight to that interpretation.

I found the slurpee today! I was glad they had the cup in stock but I didn't want that much of the slurpee so I filled up a small cup and put it in the big cup lol. Personally I didn't care for the flavor that much, it didn't taste like grape to me, it kinda tasted like smarties candies (the American version) with a hint of pineapple. Not saying it was bad, just saying it's not for me https://www.instagram.com/p/DJsS-1pu2dB/?igsh=MTBuazR6bjd5aTgyaQ==

Oooh, maybe if we start campaigning now we will get a live show for the 20th anniversary?

I suppose it's to late now of any chance of a Bullet in Bible 2, double CD/DVD of 21st C live show?

Probably. But taking into account how much this effort cost Billie, I think it’s okay. Very happy with the level of Saviors!

Still by far their best. It had everything. We won't see this level again

Thank you so much! I like your interpretation, I mean it’s sad but it makes sense to me. And I didn’t know the part about Adeline Street.

Boomshakalaka 😎

Fingers crossed!!

I admit I don’t feel qualified enough for interpreting the songs here…😅 But maybe this is the right place for asking some questions: today I listened to Goodnight Adeline and wondered who Adeline is. Is this just another name for Adrienne? And does the phrase „I‘m going to meet my maker“ refer to suicide? As I understand it, the song deals with the feelings of depression and its consequences.

Honestly, nothing besides their side projects. It’s cool to hear their influences, but I just haven’t gotten into them. Crazy how a band you love can have strong influences from bands you won’t like much. I find that’s the case with all bands I like.

And they don’t mention them as much as some of their other influences. I feel like they pull more from the kinks than the artists they usually point out! Same goes for the Buzzcocks! “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays” has the same chords as the chorus as “Wake Me Up When September Ends”. Love both songs. Found out about the buzzcocks one from a Coldplay cover at the end of Shawn of the Dead!

One of the first songs I learned to play was Picture Book. Was quite helpful when learning Warning!

here's the "info" (the webby site is definitely not winning any awards...)

Awesome! Sign me up!

On behalf of my fellow fangirls, you can't claim him 🙄 jk lolll. We share. I get him every day that ends in y, and everyone else gets him every day that starts with z. Even trade. Welcome to the community btw

I SAY HEYYYYYYOOOOO LETS GO (heyyyyyooooo) HEYYYYOOOOO (heyyyyoooo) HEYYY (heyyyyy)

Sadly, still in my playlist.