DeJennsitized Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 I've been sitting on this thread idea for a while, partly because it might be a dumb idea for a thread, and partly because I couldn't think of a snappy name for it. I still can't. But hell! Close it or let it die if I don't make any sense I wanted to discuss one of the reasons I love Green Day so much, and that is the way they arrange the music so that it's a literal reflection of the thing they're talking about. For example, one that hit me the other day: American Idiot. In the arrangement, Billie Joe sings a line of the song and then the guitar kind of follows along after for the same amount of time, almost like it's copying Billie Joe, or taking his lead. Sort of like.....an American Idiot. More obvious ones include Panic Song (the way it builds and builds and gets louder and faster, akin to panic); and Ordinary World (simple ordinary guitar with some strings for added beauty) and Minority (marching drum beat as Billie sings about marching out of time). I wanna know your guys' thoughts. Have you noticed this? On what songs? Do you think they're all intentional or do some happen by accident? Do a lot of bands do this? Is this a dumb thread idea? Hit me
M0n3y Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 You're absolutely right. Most of their songs feel so complete because the sound feels just like the lyrics. Even after hearing a song for the 1.547th time, I sometimes hear something about the sound that connects so much to the lyrics or the vibe of the song that it jumps way up high between my favorite GD songs. The solo of Hitchin' a Ride, for example, is one that fits perfectly in the song's theme and meaning. And All By Myself is a creepy song about a creepy thing Oh, and I don't hit women.
End Of The World Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Jenn. said: I've been sitting on this thread idea for a while, partly because it might be a dumb idea for a thread, and partly because I couldn't think of a snappy name for it. I still can't. But hell! Close it or let it die if I don't make any sense I wanted to discuss one of the reasons I love Green Day so much, and that is the way they arrange the music so that it's a literal reflection of the thing they're talking about. For example, one that hit me the other day: American Idiot. In the arrangement, Billie Joe sings a line of the song and then the guitar kind of follows along after for the same amount of time, almost like it's copying Billie Joe, or taking his lead. Sort of like.....an American Idiot. More obvious ones include Panic Song (the way it builds and builds and gets louder and faster, akin to panic); and Ordinary World (simple ordinary guitar with some strings for added beauty) and Minority (marching drum beat as Billie sings about marching out of time). I wanna know your guys' thoughts. Have you noticed this? On what songs? Do you think they're all intentional or do some happen by accident? Do a lot of bands do this? Is this a dumb thread idea? Hit me This is so cool! Let me think... Too Dumb To Die (before the guitar solo he says "but too dumb to... ahah yeah" forgetting the rest of the line); Bang Bang (in the chorus, when it says "Bang Bang, give me fame, the drum roll simulates gun's shots); Loss Of Control (look at the guitar solo); Christian's Inferno (the ending chord is creepy as the name of the song); Walk Away (the high number of times BJ sings "walk away" makes you want to... walk away).
DeJennsitized Posted February 13, 2017 Author Posted February 13, 2017 4 minutes ago, End Of The World said: This is so cool! Let me think... Too Dumb To Die (before the guitar solo he says "but too dumb to... ahah yeah" forgetting the rest of the line); Bang Bang (in the chorus, when it says "Bang Bang, give me fame, the drum roll simulates gun's shots); Loss Of Control (look at the guitar solo); Christian's Inferno (the ending chord is creepy as the name of the song); Walk Away (the high number of times BJ sings "walk away" makes you want to... walk away). Ahh, those are great!!! Holiday is another one I thought of - the guitar sound at times sound like a siren, and the solo as well. And Babs Uvula Who - the stopping and starting of the guitars is sort of akin to short bursts of rage or consciousness.
Billie Hoe Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 That's so interesting, I've never paid attention to that before
DeJennsitized Posted February 13, 2017 Author Posted February 13, 2017 23 minutes ago, Billie Hoe said: That's so interesting, I've never paid attention to that before My mind's gone blank right now but Green Day have loads of them! Know Your Enemy people rag on because it's 'boring and repetitive' but that's another example. It's meant to be simple and repetitive, because the lyrics (esp. the chorus) literally take the form of a chant. The solo in that also resembles a siren come to think of it. The silences in between chords in Brain Stew too - possibly representing falling asleep or trying to, then the chords wake you up.
inthehallwaynow Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 two things closely related that dont really count I typed it out anyway Just like said above but for a different song I love when they sometimes in concert play Holiday and they get to "BANG BANG Goes the broken glass" and Tre will hit the floor tom/bass drum extra hard for the words BANG BANG accompanied with pyrotechnics and Billie doing a shooting gesture I really get off on that stuff haha Worth a mention, in the American Idiot video when Billie sings "Its calling out to idiot america" and he gestures a gun under his jaw and then the music blasts back in when he shoots I fucking love that.
DookieLukie Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 The percussive drums after "Bang Bang gimme fame" sounding like gunshots is super cool. Never heard it that way. Thanks for pointing it out. In general, I think people just write songs in accordance to their message. It kind of happens naturally in songwriting and fiddling around. No one is going to write a love song full of screaming (typically). And when bands break the expected sound mold, it's usually prolific and jarring. I love the Beatles in part because they shove dark lyrics into beautiful, happy-sounding songs. Overall, music works with lyrics, and I don't think this is a particularly "Green Day thing" to do.
DeJennsitized Posted February 14, 2017 Author Posted February 14, 2017 4 minutes ago, DookieLukie said: The percussive drums after "Bang Bang gimme fame" sounding like gunshots is super cool. Never heard it that way. Thanks for pointing it out. In general, I think people just write songs in accordance to their message. It kind of happens naturally in songwriting and fiddling around. No one is going to write a love song full of screaming (typically). And when bands break the expected sound mold, it's usually prolific and jarring. I love the Beatles in part because they shove dark lyrics into beautiful, happy-sounding songs. Overall, music works with lyrics, and I don't think this is a particularly "Green Day thing" to do. Music suiting the lyrics is definitely not a unique thing. What I'm talking about is specific music choices that directly reference the lyrics - which possibly isn't that unique either, idk. But I love the way Green Day do it.
stories and songs Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 I love this too! In Homecoming, I always thought "Like a desperation murmur of a heartbeat," it sounds like a heart skipping when he sings "murmur."
End Of The World Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 I tried to find other similarities: - See The Light: the faded outro feels like a light is coming close to your eyes so that you can't see/hear anything else; - Welcome To Paradise: the bass solo is metaphorically a purgatory which brings you to the re-explosion of the song (the paradise); - When I come around: the BPM of the song (98) are roughly the same of a person's relaxed walking; - Walking Contradiction: the song is built on a guitar riff of 4 chords (G#, C#, F#, G#). It feels like the F# "contradicts" the previous chords, as it gives a sense of instability. [My favorite GD song]. Some of them are actually personal, but I hope you can relate.
DeJennsitized Posted February 14, 2017 Author Posted February 14, 2017 2 minutes ago, End Of The World said: I tried to find other similarities: - See The Light: the faded outro feels like a light is coming close to your eyes so that you can't see/hear anything else; - Welcome To Paradise: the bass solo is metaphorically a purgatory which brings you to the re-explosion of the song (the paradise); - When I come around: the BPM of the song (98) are roughly the same of a person's relaxed walking; - Walking Contradiction: the song is built on a guitar riff of 4 chords (G#, C#, F#, G#). It feels like the F# "contradicts" the previous chords, as it gives a sense of instability. [My favorite GD song]. Some of them are actually personal, but I hope you can relate. You're really good at this I also thought the chord progression at the start of Armatage Shanks maybe reflected a descent into the dark place Billie's in when he's singing the song.
HungryHungryModels Posted February 15, 2017 Posted February 15, 2017 I like how at the beginning of Geek Stink Breath, there's a weird burp sound, which could go with the theme of "stink breath".
DeJennsitized Posted February 15, 2017 Author Posted February 15, 2017 Listened to The Grouch instrumental again today and it's just genius. The way the chords are played actually sounds like someone ranting while taking short breaths in between. It sounds insane but that's what I hear!
BilIie Joe Armstrong Posted February 15, 2017 Posted February 15, 2017 The "fart" in You Lied sounds just like a real fart
End Of The World Posted February 15, 2017 Posted February 15, 2017 Today at school I had nothing to do so I started thinking about this topic. In Stop When The Red Lights Flash, during the bridge before the last chorus it slows down on "Out of sight, out of mind". It gives you the impression of a car that stops at the traffic light and then starts running again, with the beginning of the chorus.
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