Song of the Week 21st Century Breakdown

[J'net]

Well, the tour is over now, and many of us are going through Green Day withdrawal symptoms (you know who you are). It was gratifying to see how many GDC folks were able to attend shows all over the world and report back on their experiences. In honor of "our" incredible tour, this week's Song of the Week is 21st Century Breakdown. Please use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the song.

Green Day's most recent album, their eighth studio album, was recorded from January 2008 to April 2009. The album was produced by Butch Vig, marking the first time Rob Cavallo wasn't part of a major release by Green Day. The album was released May 15, 2009 and reached #1 on the USA Billboard as well as hitting #1 in 15 other countries around the world. It has sold over 3.5 million copies since its release.

This title track is the song that, at every show on the tour, followed Green Day's volcanic eruption onto the stage of whatever venue they happened to be playing. From Seattle Washington in July 2009 to San Jose Costa Rica in October 2010, this song started the show with an explosive thrill that can't be described unless you were there. The enthusiasm and excitement of the crowd were matched only by that of the guys on stage – everyone knowing it was just the beginning of the night. So, in one sense, this song has come to symbolize the tour for many. And for many of those, it was the first Green Day song they ever heard live. That's something to remember forever.

However, in my opinion, this is an exceptional song even without the emotional attachment created by the live concert experiences. It's lyrically thought-provoking and musically fascinating. The changes of pace it goes through in its five or so minutes affect me in so many ways, it's impossible to explain. This song is so full of energy that it needs an FDA label warning of possible side effects!

So, from Seattle to San Jose (CR), I give you … 21st Century Breakdown.

Seattle Washington, July 3 2009 (I was there with some of the most amazing Green Day fans you'll ever meet, and I'll never forget when Beth and I first saw each other after the show – we were speechless – all we could do was hold out our arms, hug, and hug some more).

San Jose Costa Rica, October 29 2010 (and I was there, too, with some MORE of the most amazing Green Day fans you'll ever meet).

I have to admit that watching these videos is quite an emotional experience for me. I love listening to the incredible reactions from the crowd and remembering being one of them and reacting the same way. I love remembering the people I was with and where I was standing (right corner in Seattle – a bit further along in front of Mike in Costa Rica). I love knowing that one of those fists pumping the air when Billie has the entire crowd in the palm of his hand is mine. I love it when Billie yells "Pura vida!" in Costa Rica because our new Costa Rican friends had told us about that phrase when we were standing in the queue before the show (and we saw it on so many t-shirts).

Please share your favorite videos with us during the week. There are SO many good ones to choose from. Also, I'd like to hear everyone's favorite lyric from the song. It's a tough choice, but the one that never fails to get to me is:

"I was made of poison and blood; condemnation is what I understood."

21st Century Breakdown Lyrics

Born into Nixon I was raised in hell

A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled

The last one born, the first one to run

My town was blind from refinery sun

My generation is zero

I never made it as a working class hero

21st Century Breakdown

I once was lost but never was found

I think I am losing what's left of my mind

To the 20th Century Deadline

I was made of poison and blood

Condemnation is what I understood

Videogames to the tower's fall

Homeland Security could kill us all

My generation is zero

I never made it as a working class hero

21st Century Breakdown

I once was lost but never was found

I think I am losing what's left of my mind

To the 20th Century Deadline

We are the class of 13

Born in the era of humility

We are the desperate in the decline

Raised by the Bastards of 1969

My name is no one

The long lost son

Born on the 4th of July

Raised in an era of heroes and cons

That left me for dead or alive

I am a nation

A worker of pride

My debt to the status quo

The scars on my hands

And the means to an end

Is all that I have to show

I swallowed my pride

And I choked on my faith

I've given my heart and my soul

I've broken my fingers

And lied through my teeth

The pillar of damage control

I've been to the edge

And I've thrown the bouquet

Of flowers left over the grave

I sat in the waiting room

Wasting my time

And waiting for judgment day

I praise Liberty

The "Freedom to Obey"

Is the song that strangles me

Don't cross the line

Dream, America dream,

I can't even sleep

From the lights early dawn

Scream, America scream

Believe what you see from heroes and cons?

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You can nominate songs for 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.

[Vespertine]

I used to ignore this song. But then it grew on me and after I saw it live, I could realize how fucking amazing it actually is.

[Izzard]

Love this so SO much!!! Happy to see it as the song of the week

[lastnightonGDA]

The intro to this is so brilliant! It's 32 seconds of anticipation. I was watching a youtube video to this and during the intro the words "are you ready to rock?" were written. I thought that was PERFECT. I also love how the lyrics are very obviously about Billie (born into Nixon, last one born first to run, refinery sun etc) and that makes them a lot more meaningful to me for some reason. my favorite quotation from this is

"I praise Liberty

The "Freedom to Obey"

Is the song that strangles me

Don't cross the line"

[Laurenn]

Awesome Song!!!! It makes me wish i was born a year before so i could be the class of 13' instead on 14'

Favorite lyrics:

I sat in the waiting room

Wasting my time

And waiting for judgment day

AND of course

We are the class of 13

Born in the era of humility

We are the desperate in the decline

Raised by the Bastards of 1969

[Laura!]

I've always loved this song. It's always been probably my favorite song off of the album.

It's such an amazing opening song live, especially with the intro. When Tre started his drum part it gave me such an amazing feeling that I can't even describe.

Now I'm just biased since I was there, but I love the opening in Detroit.

And of course, the music video. Probably one of their best ever music videos.

[gdpony]

Wow, the feeling I get when I listen to this song now, it's impossible not to get choked up. But as J'net said, even before the concert, this is an amazing song with an amazing video.

fav lyrics

I swallowed my pride

And I choked on my faith

I've given my heart and my soul

[DorkWithAFork]

I adore all of the parts of this song. I can't really explain how amazing it is - or the music video either

[Jaymee!!]

I can't even begin to describe the feeling that overcomes me at every show when they open. Even now, when I listen to the song, I still get goosebumps.

Raised by the bastards of--ONE TWO THREE FOUR!

I'm so happy this is song of the week. I could never imagine them starting a tour from now on without the SOTC/21stCB combo. The power and energy behind it is just so enthralling.

The only thing I miss from the demo, almost two years ago, is the beautiful piano intro.

[Khaleesi.]

:wub:

[justcause]

No more heroes -

the lyric references come thick and fast, this song sings out to other songs - 'Born to Run', 'Amazing Grace', 'Yankee Doodle Dandy', 'Star-Spangled Banner', 'Working Class Hero' - this epic song is reaching out for its place in time, and finding only malaise, feeling that all the back-breaking labor, the soul-breaking pain, the heartbreaking giving of emotion is being spent on an empty dream, a lie, a con - even as Billie Joe delivers the word 'heroes', it's a bittersweet twist, a derision - no more heroes anymore.

This is the landscape of 21CB - a landscape of broken dreams, the sense of waste, the sense of passion without direction, the sense of lighting a fire just to see the flame, in the wilderness, lost and crying out.

I relate it to Homecoming, the mock-triumphalism of it - and in performance, it's translated to actual triumph. In performance, it's here we are, and here's what we're surrounded by, but this is our time, our song, and we sing it out loud - we light that flame in the wilderness and we fucking dance around it, we come together and we fight the malaise with all of our souls.

My favorite line -

'I can't even sleep

from the light's early dawn'

[luvgirlcl]

At first, I didn't care that much for the song, but then it grew on me. And now, everytime it starts, I get the same feeling I had in my gut when my show (yes, I took ownership of it ) started, the anticipation and then the boom of the opening riff. It's so fucking amazing, so big and filled with so much meaning and feelings, now it's probably my fave song of the album.

My favorite lyrics:

We are the class of 13 (isn't it 'we are the cries of the class of 13'?)

Born in the era of humility

We are the desperate in the decline

Raised by the Bastards of 1969

For me, even though I'm from the class of 06, it sums up the feeling of growing up in these times, with everything that's going on in the world, and trying to understand,make something of it and moving forward...

And for a video, the one I like best from my concert (kinda shaky at times, but GREAT quality):

[Gwen Stacy]

In my opinion best opener to an album ever. And it brings incredible energy to the shows.

21CB ftw!

[Leisha-LUNA]

Fuck I love this song.

"Praise liberty, the freedom to obey"

Is probably my favourite line. but not by much.

Favourite time I saw this was probabyl Perth or Munich - first show of a tour, and because its the first song (plus SOTC), it hits you so hard and its like HOLYFUCKGREENDAY!

[AllIWannaDoIs...]

We are the cries of the class of '13

Born in the era of humility

We are the desperate in the decline

Raised by the bastards of 1969

That is my favourite part of the song, especially when it's live. The moment right before everyone lets go, jumping up and down. I love the anticipation, knowing that in a few seconds, you can just go nuts! Even when listening to the studio version, I feel that same anticipation and want to jump around. This is definitely my favorite album opener, and a fantastic show opener as well.

[TheSaltOfTheEarth]

Oh my god I fucking love this song. Probably the best song on 21st CB., despite never having heard it live. the lyrics are just...phenomenal doesn't even begin to cut it. There's so much power and anger and emotion packed into those five minutes. It's the perfect album starter (well, almost a starter) for 21st CB - it completely embodies everything the album is about and more. It feels as though it has a strong personal message as well as a social or political one. Its just trying to find your way through the mess of the 21st century. This is just one of those songs, yknow? Even though it seems we're facing the end of the 21st Century Breakdown era, this song will always be meaningful and relevant and timeless and amazing.

the best lyrics for me are all the way from 'We are the cries of the class of 13' to 'Dont cross the line.' And I just love the lines 'I was made of poison andblood, condemnation is what I understood.'

[Marlee]

This is the song that helped me cheer up when i realized the tour was over and its my favorite music video by far!

[lastnightonGDA]

I love this song, not just for the great lyrics or the powerful show-opening experience, but also for the musical reference it makes. The whole song reminds me of "Bohemian Rhapsody," which is one of my favorite songs by my favorite band, and their live performances of 21CB (particularly on the arena tour) pay some very obvious homage to how Queen would pull off BoRhap live.

Seriously, sit back and listen to the two songs back-to-back. The structure is eerily similar, the visual presentation when being performed live is reminiscent of Queen's work, and the ending of the song goes from a tip of the hat to almost a cut-and-paste of the musical structure.

That said, 21CB has a very distinct Green Day twist to the Queen-ish skeleton. The lyrics are very Green Day, and the band featured some screaming guitar work. Not to mention that Queen would never have opened a show with BoRhap (well, aside from Live Aid...). It's like a fusion of my two favorite bands, and there's nothing wrong with that.

My favorite lyrics? As the song stands, it's hard to find a bad lyric in there. There are several passages that I love, but probably none more than "I never made it as a working class hero."

That said, had the lyrics of the demo version been left intact, my favorite passage would have been easy:

Bleed, American bleed

Believe what you read

from heroes and cons

*Edit to add:*

Oh, by the way, before anyone says "No way is this like Bohemian Rhapsody! Queen had an a capella intro!"

To that, I ask, what the heck do you call Song of the Century? Sounds like a 1-minute a capella intro to me...

I really don't see this as that much of a good thing honestly...

[Burnout98]

When i first heard this song i loved it to death, i played it everywhere i went!! And now.... I still love the song to death! I think the music video for it was one of the best they've ever done, and i think that they should do more like that in the future. Fantastic desicion for the song of the week!!

[Juliette]

Oh god I love this song so much. After the first time I saw them, whenever I heard those two chords at the beginning I couldn;t help myself crying Because I remember standing at that show and hearing those chords, seeing the guys run on stage, seeing them in the flesh for the first time and I'll never forget that feeling Even after that, every time I've seen them the start of this song has made me so emotional because I assosciate it with the start of something amazing.

And I love how it changes, it's almost like a mini version of JOS or Homecoming in a way.

My favourite lines are probably

I swallowed my pride

And I choked on my faith

I've given my heart and my soul.

Though I really loved some lines in the demo that were cut like

I'm taking a loan on my sanity

for the redemption of my soul

well I am exempt from this tragedy

and the 21st century fall

Woahh I didn't know where to shut up there

[LuckyHeel]

I have fallen in love with this song again, as one year ago... )

[Radioactive1]

I hated this song at first but as soon as I saw them in 2009 I loved it! Now its definetly one of my faves. It will always remind me of seeing them live, that first 30 second intro, I always picture them walking on stage

I love driving to this song as well! It's awesome.

[fadi_7]

my fave song in the album i can't live without it

[in_your_face]

MY FAV. SONG OFF THE ALBUM!

this part is soooo exciting!

Raised by the bastards of 1969

[ANJI]

One of my favourite songs from the album! Amazing video too and sounds brilliant live!