Bastard of 1967 Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Please excuse the "brain-fart" format of this post, I'm really pressed for time this week. 1. Harmonica. Anyone know who plays it on this track? I don't think the band had started working with Freese yet when they tracked it? 2. Yes, the Beatles influence in the intro is overwhelming. 3. With my conscience beating....with my conscience beating...with my conscience beating...with my conscience bleeding. Observe the progression and final twist of the lyric as you listen to Mike and Tre's rhythm. Very simple bass and kick-drum, but it sets up this thrumming, throbbing, POUND-POUND-POUND-POUND undertone that is the foundation of the song. That rhythm itself is the song, it's "the pulse of the drum/that hammers on and on/til I reach the break of day." Now overlay on top of this the lyrical progression of Billie's conscience - his innermost thoughts and fears - beating, beating, beating, and then by the end worn down, exhausted, destroyed, *bleeding* -- and in that pain, there at the edge of all his doubts, he finds his strength through his memory of how things once had been: "Here lies the truth/the lost treasures of my youth/as I hold to the break of day". 4. "Here lies" is something you'd see written on a tombstone. "The truth" Billie speaks of is thus dead, buried, gone. There are some incredible links to Before The Lobotomy right here, by the way (dying, the songs of yesterday now live in the underground). 5. "The edge of a shadow of a doubt"....I see a parallel between this lyric and the familiar psalm often recited at funerals ("though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death"). This might be another example of where he takes a doctrinal phrase he learned during his Catholic upbringing and turns it on its head in his music. Both set up a dark, melancholy place where the writer seeks hope and redemption. Yet in Hold On!, Billie has more than a "shadow" of a doubt, that creepy sense that things aren't all right. He doubts everything, he finds himself no further out of his crisis than he finds himself immersed in it ("as the sun beats down/on the halfway house"), and instead of putting his faith in an external source of strength ("nothing's left to cling onto"), he digs deep and puts that faith in himself. 6. Another great example of why Warning! is the most underrated album in Green Day's catalog. It's a sin this one never got the critical acclaim it deserves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnA™ Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 The harmonica and awesome lyrics is what I love about this song. One of my favourites off Warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon mitchell Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Please excuse the "brain-fart" format of this post, I'm really pressed for time this week. 1. Harmonica. Anyone know who plays it on this track? I don't think the band had started working with Freese yet when they tracked it? 2. Yes, the Beatles influence in the intro is overwhelming. 3. With my conscience beating....with my conscience beating...with my conscience beating...with my conscience bleeding. Observe the progression and final twist of the lyric as you listen to Mike and Tre's rhythm. Very simple bass and kick-drum, but it sets up this thrumming, throbbing, POUND-POUND-POUND-POUND undertone that is the foundation of the song. That rhythm itself is the song, it's "the pulse of the drum/that hammers on and on/til I reach the break of day." Now overlay on top of this the lyrical progression of Billie's conscience - his innermost thoughts and fears - beating, beating, beating, and then by the end worn down, exhausted, destroyed, *bleeding* -- and in that pain, there at the edge of all his doubts, he finds his strength through his memory of how things once had been: "Here lies the truth/the lost treasures of my youth/as I hold to the break of day". 4. "Here lies" is something you'd see written on a tombstone. "The truth" Billie speaks of is thus dead, buried, gone. There are some incredible links to Before The Lobotomy right here, by the way (dying, the songs of yesterday now live in the underground). 5. "The edge of a shadow of a doubt"....I see a parallel between this lyric and the familiar psalm often recited at funerals ("though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death"). This might be another example of where he takes a doctrinal phrase he learned during his Catholic upbringing and turns it on its head in his music. Both set up a dark, melancholy place where the writer seeks hope and redemption. Yet in Hold On!, Billie has more than a "shadow" of a doubt, that creepy sense that things aren't all right. He doubts everything, he finds himself no further out of his crisis than he finds himself immersed in it ("as the sun beats down/on the halfway house"), and instead of putting his faith in an external source of strength ("nothing's left to cling onto"), he digs deep and puts that faith in himself. 6. Another great example of why Warning! is the most underrated album in Green Day's catalog. It's a sin this one never got the critical acclaim it deserves. I love the fact that Billie has never written "La, la, la I love you" lyrics - read them, study them and you'll discover that his words are so full of meaning, ambiguity and clever little messages. He uses so many literary techniques - alliteration, colocation, internal rhymes - and I think he is one of the world's most underrated songwriters. Warning deserves a hell of a lot more credit as a beautifully written album, and Hold On is just one of the highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 1. Harmonica. Anyone know who plays it on this track? I don't think the band had started working with Freese yet when they tracked it? Is it not Billie Joe playing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon mitchell Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 On the back of the booklet Billie is credited as vocals, guitar, mandolin and harmonica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Yeah, I had just always assumed it was him. It's really easy to play, actually Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon mitchell Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 The reason that they can't do some songs live without the Whites and the Freeses of this world are that they often play more than one instrument (Billie plays all lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars on every track on every album and proves that he is far from a crap musician!). That's why I feel very privileged to have seen them attempt Misery last year in Las Vegas because they each play a variety of instruments. The pared down - part acoustic rendition is probably the best musical memory I have. And guess what - Misery is another brilliant Warning track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 And guess what - Misery is another brilliant Warning track. my least favourite GD song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastard of 1967 Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Yeah, I had just always assumed it was him. It's really easy to play, actually For some, I suppose so. For me? Well, let's just say I hope you never, every have to hear me try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agija Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 It's not one of my favorite songs, however, I listen to it quite often. The lyrics are really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 For some, I suppose so. For me? Well, let's just say I hope you never, every have to hear me try! Naw, it really is. Well the start is anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela. Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 I love this song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Here you have 'the edge of a shadow of a doubt', in East Jesus Nowhere there's 'the river of a shadow of doubt'. Not much of a great contribution to the thread, but I just realized it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*withoutadoubt* Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Here you have 'the edge of a shadow of a doubt', in East Jesus Nowhere there's 'the river of a shadow of doubt'. Not much of a great contribution to the thread, but I just realized it. You're not the first to point that out either! It was a good observation. I love how Billie recycles phrases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan86 Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 Ive been listening to this song alot while studying over the last few days, the lines that are standing out for me are, " the sound in my ear the will to persevere as i reach the break of day" Great song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelthorne Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 We've all gotta hold on don't we? I love this song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E!!i Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I love the lyrics of this song so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1039SmoothGreenDayFan Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 one of my fav Green Day songs of all time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheehan Rysa Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Great song ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in_your_face Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 well, good choice. pretty good. i haven't heard this song for ages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
call_debbie Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 "When you lost all hope and excuses and the cheapskates & the losers Nothing's left to cling onto you gotta hold on Hold on to yourself" I had a very bad day today. And I lost all hope just like the lyrics said. I wanna cry , but I even have not the energy to cry ..... I feel like I am an useless crap in the world ...... mad at myself. Meanwhile , I am having problem in my health... and have had a big fight with my so-called family a few months ago , well I don't consider they are my family anymore with all the pressure , I just can't take it anymore Luckily, honestly I do , when I am wandering around on the internet , normally I only check picture post in GDC but tonight , i guess it is fate, some force bring me here and listening to this very comforting song Again, thanks GD fans and Green Day , you make my life less miserable. DEB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreaming Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I Love This Song! more and more day after day... I love the warm sunlight filling the air at the dawn of a cold winter, in this song... really, BJ is so talented... Although this is not the current song of the week... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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