Song of the Week 21st Century Breakdown

[CzechIdiot]

I love this song. It totally describes 21st century..

My favorite lyrics -

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

[E!!i]

I love this song, I think it was the perfect beginning of the concerts

[Katarina.]

Amazing song off an amazing record!

I remember listening to the demo another version of the song, like, in April or something? Idk. But it blew me away. And the album version is even better! It's the live version I prefer though. I'll never forget the two shows I've been to on this tour. First hearing SOTC, and then those two chords at the beginning of 21st Century Breakdown.. Ah, gets me every time, before Billie actually starts singing, haha.

The lyrics are great, and I love how Billie sings this song. Also, the music video fits the song.

Ok, this post isn't that useful, other than "I love 21st Century Breakdown, the song, the music video, and the record."

[Alan86]

I loved this song from the moment I heard the demo, the album version just brought the song to a whole new level, I love how it starts off really calm and gets so intense near the middle. I hope this song never disappears off a Green Day setlist. The music video for this song was by far the best out of all the singles from this album.

[pasalaska]

ahhh, great song choice!

For me, this song is the 21CB tour. from the moment that drum beat starts up at the end of SOTC, and the tension inside you is just bulding and building, then all of a sudden Tre runs past, then Mike strolls out pointing and shouting, and then Billie takes centre stage and jumps off the speaker and all hell breaks loose. It's just so intense and fast and exhilarating.

My favourite memory of this song is either the first time I saw in it Perth last year - my first 21CB concert, or probably the time I saw it in Toronto this year - Billie was saying his usual 'when I say '1, 2 ,3, 4', I want you to go fucking crazy' speech, and I was saying it along with him word for word. I looked up at Tre and he shook his head at me and said 'too many shows' with a grin. I just love the emotional connection I have with this song; all the feelings of the live show come rushing back and it just gets me every time

The music video for this is also bitchin'

[DecanoLP]

Definately one of the better songs from the album. I love the opening guitar chords, they create such a special atmosphere, especially at live shows of course. Love how they extended it with the time with Billie pumping the crowd for like 2 minutes which is pretty badass.

By the way: We shouldn't forget Song Of The Century that is a very impressive intro for this song

[Bastard of 1967]

For me, this song is the 21CB tour. from the moment that drum beat starts up at the end of SOTC, and the tension inside you is just bulding and building, then all of a sudden Tre runs past, then Mike strolls out pointing and shouting, and then Billie takes centre stage and jumps off the speaker and all hell breaks loose. It's just so intense and fast and exhilarating.

I agree completely -- this song absolutely made the tour everywhere it went. Not that Cigs & Vals, nearly a third of their whole effin' back catalog, and a dash or two of It's Fuck Time thrown in there didn't help, but I digress.... The part you described brings all the memories right back to me -- the Pink Bunny leading us in a staggered-drunk rendition of YMCA, then Do You Remember Rock'n'Roll Radio followed by the lights going out, the taped track of Billie's SOTC in-studio acapella, the D-A chords as the band bolts out on stage and Tre takes his seat at his drum kit while the band's running all over the stage in front of him, then the growing and repeating BOOM boom boom boom BOOM boom boom boom til the whole f*cking stage explodes in the first power chord....watching that all unfold in front of me and being a part of that crowd basically makes up my personal highlight reel for the past two years.

But wait, there's more, they do it again even more powerfully right after the last "21st century deadline." Here's where the song transitions into the Celtic punk rhythm which I think is just a piece of sheer punk rock brilliance.....In that interlude between the last "21st century deadline" and "we are the class of the class of 13" is where Billie's running back and forth across the stage, screaming at everyone to "STAND UP!!!! Get out of your fucking seats!!! Put the fucking cameras away!!! Tonight is our night, you got that???? This is our moment!!!! Are you readddddaaaayyyyyy!!!!???" and then he goes into the Class of 13 bridge......"Raised by the bastards of JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!!! <<<<BAMMMMM!!!!!>>>>" and that's the point where you feel the blast from the flash pots and see the strobes go off. All that energy the band just spent the last 15 minutes building, building, building gets released in an instant and you literally feel the rest of the world drop away from you. I dare anyone, any band, to find a better way to open a show.

Here's the live performance I remember best -- Jiffy Lube this past August.

Much, much more to say about the content of the song itself and the lyrics. Must get back to work here now, so more on all that in another post soon.

[Guest]

I actually prefer the demo of it, but still an amazing song, especially live. And hearing it at the cinema last night

[Bastard of 1967]

I actually prefer the demo of it, but still an amazing song, especially live. And hearing it at the cinema last night

Just about everything on 21CB plays best live rather than in the studio, even KYE! It's as if they made that album specifically taking on a long, long road trip.

[Guest]

Just about everything on 21CB plays best live rather than in the studio, even KYE! It's as if they made that album specifically taking on a long, long road trip.

I agree

[JoeMcHugh]

Love it live, when the guitars kick in and everyone goes crazy and surges forward. Probably the best from 21st CB.

[Xoram]

Oh, 21st Century Breakdown. <3

I remember the first time I witnessed it being played live. That must have been on August 21st, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. I still remember the shock and the shiver that performance gave me, and just when I thought it was something that couldn't be topped, they proved me wrong the following night in Phoenix, AZ.

And then they did it AGAIN this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJG9x5vp_wA

I could not be more grateful with life for being able to live all the amazing experiences I had in this tour, and this song is prelude to it all. It was a pleasure and a blessing sharing all this with you. Thank you! <3

Favorite lyric: 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

[Comedy & Tragedy]

Just as I clicked on this thread, Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio came up on my media player

One of my favourite songs from them. Probably my favourite lyrics from any song. A lot of people tend to look past it, but listening to the words, it's clear how much effort was put into it. I still remember the feeling seeing it live. I could hear my own heart racing as the open chords were playing, just knowing that in a matter of seconds, my heroes would be taking to the stage.

Although the part of this song that gets me the most is the middle part, just remembering it live

We are the class of, the class of 13

Born in the era of humility

We are the desperate in the decline

Raised by the bastards of- 1,2, 3, 4!

Memories

[Adeline.Hearts.You]

Ahhhhh, what asong to pick..

I remember when it leaked (stil lhave that version)

It was relaly amazing to see how it changed.

I love the change to the sort of irish jigg at the class of 13!

Another thing i love about the song it the lyrics from "dream America dream"

Its a pretty nice way to start the show...

At first when i heard the song i have do admit.. i wasnt so sure, becasue it was soo different from anthing of AI...

But Its really grown on me!

[euphoric-pareidolias]

i love this song... i remember my friend and i freaking cos we will be the class of 13 when we leave school..

[Comedy & Tragedy]

i love this song... i remember my friend and i freaking cos we will be the class of 13 when we leave school..

I'm one. year. off.

[Kayfabe]

The first 30 or so seconds of this song is pure concentrated happiness + rainbow sunshine drops.

I can't really explain it. But when no one's home, I connect my laptop to the sounds system and just blast it out it... just...

[greendaytone]

Great great song. There's so much i want to say about it. J'net summed it up very well in the opening post. Everything about it just hits home, from it being an awesome opening track to the album/live show to the amazing video for the song.

As a live show opener it's been perfect, introduces the whole night so perfectly, and Billie Joe uses it so well to get everyone going when it has that breakdown part in the middle.

[Smoothed Out]

Well, what can say other than if 21stCB the album didn't begin with such a song as this, I wouldn't be here today I'm a 21stCB baby fan and so happy to see it as Song of the Week. Brilliant choice, the lyrics mean so much in so many ways

[Rachel Nimrod Armstrong]

I LOVE this song expess live it was pure awesomeness ..it makes me miss Green Day tho

21st Century Breakdown, I once was lost but never was found <333

[insomniactwin]

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

haha im class of 14 too... i wish i was class of 13 :/ i came to the same conclusion

[Nimrod2309]

I love this song. I loved it the first time I heard it. It was the track I always caught myself singing quietly to myself while I was at work when 21stCB was first released. As many have already said, it will forever take me back to the opening of this tour. Great choice! J'net, Tre's Busted Drum Kit(totally hear the Queenishness), just cause, pasalaska, and Bastard of 1967 have all said everything(and more) I could possibly think of about this brilliant piece of music. There is no way I could choose a single lyric I like best. I tried so hard. I always love when Billie plays around with familiar phrases which are part of our culture. He does a lot of that in this song. He has also somehow managed to reach out to "the class of 13" and yet still includes his own generation. There's something in there for all of us. Genius, pure freaking genius.

[-Billiejoezee-]

This thread brings tears to my eyes.

It just makes me zoo damn PROUD of loving green day. This is the first song many of us heard after 5 years of waiting. Does anyone remember the demo that got leaked back in march 2009? When I heard it I nearly died. So full of emotion and the lyrics are wonderful. And the feeling you get with song of the century at a green day concert. Amazing!! God I just love this band.

haha im class of 14 too... i wish i was class of 13 :/ i came to the same conclusion

Same here.

[J'net]

Oh, 21st Century Breakdown. <3

I remember the first time I witnessed it being played live. That must have been on August 21st, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. I still remember the shock and the shiver that performance gave me, and just when I thought it was something that couldn't be topped, they proved me wrong the following night in Phoenix, AZ.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjK8QaJei-0

And then they did it AGAIN this year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJG9x5vp_wA

I could not be more grateful with life for being able to live all the amazing experiences I had in this tour, and this song is prelude to it all. It was a pleasure and a blessing sharing all this with you. Thank you! <3

Favorite lyric: 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

I'm SO enjoying watching everyone's videos, and I'm delighted that so many people are posting their own special favorites. These two are incredibly good! Very high quality. I wouldn't be surprised to see that first one on the live DVD . Thanks for sharing them. I wasn't at the first Phoenix show, though the second one (this year) was a very special show for me in many ways. And that Chula Vista show was without doubt my favorite show of the 2010 North American tour. Overall, it was just amazingly wonderful .

[E!!i]

haha im class of 14 too... i wish i was class of 13 :/ i came to the same conclusion

I'm the class of '07