fadi_7 Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 this is defiantly one of my fave songs in the album and sometimes it's my fave GD song and i really love the lyrics cause they give me something !!.my fave lyrics from it are:"all i want to do is i want to breath batteries are not included". this songs is some kind of short cut of what happening in this world at this century instead listening to news and hear some shit you can hear this song and even you can feel better after it !!
M1KEY Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 It feels REALLY good to climax during the key change. Just sayin'.
DorkWithAFork Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 1:19 PM, M1KEY said: It feels REALLY good to climax during the key change. Just sayin'.
November's Storms Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 5:04 AM, ParadoxAndPlaid said: I even has a perfect music video idea for it, I made storyboards too. ((film nerd)) Care to share them with us? I'm very interested! On 1/12/2011 at 1:19 PM, M1KEY said: It feels REALLY good to climax during the key change. Just sayin'. Well done sir! Great choice J'net, one of my favourites from the album. Thats one thing I love about 21stCB, I go through a bunch of middle songs that don't really stand out for me (Christians Inferno,Restless Heart Syndrome) and then get hit with 2 of the best songs on the album in American Eulogy and The Static Age. It didn't really shine as a great song at first, but from hearing it both times I have seen the guys live and from its use on the podcast it has just grown on me so much. The title is fantastic, its not just some personal crisis he is having or a song directed at one person (both of which Billie loves to write about), but its an epic. I use that word purposely in the most grande way, because thats what the song is to me, an epic. It is Green Day challenging the social norm as always, in this way challenging our reliance on technology and the influence that the modern, commercial world has over all of us. I love Billie's intro to this song live. I'm assuming its been the same all around the world, and the 2 I heard were basically Billie calling on everyone to put down their cameras and phones. Not just at that very gig but in general. Not to waste away behind a screen but to realize there are others out there just like you and to connect in a real and personal way. Plus his line "we're all in this together, as Ireland and Green Day!" really gets the crowd going. Musically of course its essential to have static in the intro. Personally I just think the drums are so powerful and instantly recognizable in the intro, and then to hear the guitar and bass harmonizing to the drum beat, its a fantastic intro And there's my two cents worth!
J'net Posted January 12, 2011 Author Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 5:31 AM, Frinaldy said: it's funny to know that stuffs have a purpose to make peoples that live far away to be close with the other, but the reality is rather. people who lives in near is like lives in a long distance. sorry for my bad english, but I think you're all know what I mean Oh, I know exactly what you mean, and I think that's such a great point! I remember once watching a roomful of teenagers (my daughter and her friends) all sitting silently and texting on their various devices. I said, "Why aren't you talking to each other?" And they said, "We are!" So sad . But then again, I probably wouldn't have ever met or even heard of any of you here without this marvelous technology. I just think we need to find a balance and remember how good face-to-face feels. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I understood you just fine, and since I couldn't even begin to speak your language, I applaud your English skills! On 1/12/2011 at 1:08 PM, justcause said: I think this song has a father and a mother. The mother is Church On Sunday ... The father of this song is Springsteen's 'Born to Run' ... As usual, I love every word you wrote here, Angeline . And I also think Static Age has another very close relative in Macy's Day Parade ... Today's the Macy's Day Parade the night of the living dead is on its way with a credit report for duty call it's a lifetime guarantee stuffed in a coffin 10% more free red light special at the mausoleum Give me something that I need satisfaction guaranteed to you what's the consolation prize? economy sized dreams of hope. A sister-song maybe? On 1/12/2011 at 1:19 PM, M1KEY said: It feels REALLY good to climax during the key change. Just sayin'. <sigh> You would, M1KEY!
Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 Great song, great song. Lyrics hit it head on, Great song, great song. Lyrics hit it head on... I have so much to say about the lyrics, so many great lines in there. The lyrics are brilliant. And every single line is good, is true. I would love to come back on that later, when I have more time. The music is great as well, it's just catchy and I like the key change. Jason's sax solo live is awesome as well. I don't mind that it sounds like Church on Sunday. Live, it was a great song as well. It's kind of an anthem.... an anti-anthem? No, that's it... oh well, moving on. Amazing to scream along to, feeling the lyrics and the music.
DecanoLP Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 One of the better 21st Century Breakdown songs. The live performances of "The Static Age" are just amazing. Billie's speeches right before he starts singing are awesome, sometimes you can really hear some anger in his voice about all the television and internet crapp. And of course, we can't forget the saxophone solo by Jason They should have included that on the record, it is way better than the normal guitar part. The song itself is pretty cool, I like it a lot. The lyrics in the bridge are incredible, I LOVE these lines here: All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included What's the latest way that a man can die Screaming hallelujah? Perfect. I'm always impressed what a good lyrics writer he is...
fadi_7 Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 3:35 PM, DecanoLP said: One of the better 21st Century Breakdown songs. The live performances of "The Static Age" are just amazing. Billie's speeches right before he starts singing are awesome, sometimes you can really hear some anger in his voice about all the television and internet crapp. And of course, we can't forget the saxophone solo by Jason They should have included that on the record, it is way better than the normal guitar part. The song itself is pretty cool, I like it a lot. The lyrics in the bridge are incredible, I LOVE these lines here: All I want to do is I want to breathe Batteries are not included What's the latest way that a man can die Screaming hallelujah? Perfect. I'm always impressed what a good lyrics writer he is... agree with every word you say
justcause Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 2:44 PM, J said: As usual, I love every word you wrote here, Angeline . And I also think Static Age has another very close relative in Macy's Day Parade ... Thanx!! To me, Warning is all about commerce, making deals of one kind or another. Macy's is the obvious one, but it's there in Fashion Victim, Misery - even Waiting is singing out for pay-off, the promise that 'downtown, lights will be shining on me'. And hey, I imagine the lights are pretty bright at the St. James right now. What comes across in Warning and American Idiot and even in Static Age is this enduring hope that one day, the television's gonna give you something good, the advertisement will be the real deal - despite all of the revulsion and rejection and rage against what the media's pumping out, these songs are still looking to the media for answers. It kind of reminds me of that Simpsons' episode where Homer isn't liking a comedy show and he shouts at the tv 'BE FUNNY!!'. K, this one thing about the lyrics - in the booklet, it's 'conscious on a cross', not 'conscience'. I don't know which Billie Joe sings - it's hard to tell - and maybe he could've changed it, by fyi, anyway.
Ellenkc Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 It took me a while to fully appreciate this song. I thought it was just a catchy and fun song, it was brilliant live and Billie's speech before the song gets everyone so pumped up it's ridiculous. I guess maybe it's because I don't watch much tv, but the meaning of the song didn't really hit home until this Summer when I was in Virginia for 2 weeks. It was fucking 40 C and I wanted to die every time I walked out of an air-conditioned room, so I was watching a fair amount of tv on that holiday. I don't know whether it was the different environment that made me pay attention or the fact that the US has twice as many ad breaks and ads seem to be a little more brain-washy than the ones you get here. But I just felt utterly fucking stupid watching tv. All the disclaimers coming up on car commercials saying that when you buy this car, you will not magically start driving on an empty alpine motorway and crap like that. There were so many ads from private lawyers asking people to call them if their relative had taken this type of medication and had died 'undeservedly'. Who the fuck is going to think their relative deserved to die? Every grieving relative was going to be calling that number if the medicine brand looked vaguely familiar, and don't even get me started on Fox News and Glenn Beck. They take advantage of the vulnerable and it's fucking sickening. I'd say I spent at least an hour every day sitting in my bed replaying The Static Age, trying to regain my sanity a little. I remember sitting on this gorgeous beach looking at this massive fucking billboard on the side of it thinking of,' Billboard on the rise in the dawns landscape, working my insanity,' and going holy shit, this is just fucking ridiculous. I'd say my favorite lyrics from the song are; Are what you own but you cannot buy? What a fucking tragedy, strategy Screaming at you Because I'm bloody sick of the glamorous, unobtainable lifestyle that is constantly shoved down my throat. I'd rather live in a ditch with my hobo husband, thank you very fucking much. Hands down my favorite song off 21CB, it's a contender for my favorite Green Day song too. On 1/12/2011 at 4:14 PM, justcause said: K, this one thing about the lyrics - in the booklet, it's 'conscious on a cross', not 'conscience'. I don't know which Billie Joe sings - it's hard to tell - and maybe he could've changed it, by fyi, anyway. I never noticed that Ooh I love 'conscious on a cross', far more! You have to stay conscious and suffer. You're pinned down with your eyes wide open and there's absolutely no escape from all the bullshit.
Stormy Haze Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 I LOVE this song, especially live. Also, the lyrics are so easy to relate to... One of my favorurites off this album.
luvgirlcl Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 This is one of those that has been growing on me. At first I though it sounded kinda slow, I mean, I know it's not a slow song per-se, but it gave me this lagged feeling, rhythm wise. Probably it's just me though. The first few times, I used to skip this song on 21CB, but after I while, as I started to understand the meaning and looked more deeply into the lyrics, it made me go all . There's a couple of things I love about this song: - Even though I love all the lyrics, my favorite part is 'all I want to do is I want to breathe', first, because it follows after the key change (which kind of makes the song explode), and also because (like J'net said) it feels like a panic attack, it's the feeling of 'oh my god, they are throwing so much shit and stuff at me, and I can't make ANY sense out of everything', it's the consecuence of information overload (a topic that we can clearly see in other Green Day songs), and you feel like you can't take it anymore, your brain is going to explode, so all you want to do right there is to stop, stare and breathe deep down and maybe try to make some sense out of the mess. This is very appliable to the 'information' topic, but also to almost any human situation, not just technology. - About the lyrics as a whole, I love it how it's a prime example of the amazing capability of observation and description that Billie has to take what's going on in the world and with society and transform it into lyrics and music. The lyrics are not simple, and they reflect the complexity of today's society, and the title is an irony, how it's the era of technology and information, and how it should help us be more connected and informed and aware, but in the end the 'airwaves' are filled with stuff that at the end of the day, it's nothing, it's just pure 'static' going around in between people; this era it's sort of an illusion. If I forgot to say something, I'll add it later. On 1/12/2011 at 2:33 PM, November said: I love Billie's intro to this song live. I'm assuming its been the same all around the world, and the 2 I heard were basically Billie calling on everyone to put down their cameras and phones. Not just at that very gig but in general. Not to waste away behind a screen but to realize there are others out there just like you and to connect in a real and personal way. Plus his line "we're all in this together, as Ireland and Green Day!" really gets the crowd going. Although they didn't play the song here in SA, Billie did keep the speech, only that the did it in Letterbomb, before 'where will all the martyrs go...'. Don't know why I felt the need to add this, though
November's Storms Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 "All I wanna know is a goddamn thing, not whats in the medicine." This is a standout line for me. Yeah the next line is great too but its been mentioned, this one hasn't had as much light shone on it. Not going into too much detail, but I think its pretty self explanatory. TV ads give you what medicine contains, all these nutritional information, stuff like that that people don't really care about, while people nowadays have a basic lack of knowledge of every day things.
J'net Posted January 12, 2011 Author Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 4:14 PM, justcause said: K, this one thing about the lyrics - in the booklet, it's 'conscious on a cross', not 'conscience'. I don't know which Billie Joe sings - it's hard to tell - and maybe he could've changed it, by fyi, anyway. Thanks for pointing that out! I'm not sure if the lyric changed from the time they were first published (I believe we still have the same lyrics on GDA that were originally published on the official web site), or if we got it wrong from the start, or maybe Billie sings it either way depending on how he's feeling. It could be either way and still be meaningful (as with so many of his lyrics!). And I enjoy thinking of what it would mean with either word there .
Xoram Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 Great choice for Song of the Week! I think "The Static Age" is an essential song in 21st Century Breakdown. First of al the titles resonate with each other: What can cause one to experience a 21st Century Breakdown? What is it about this today, about this day and age that's causing so many people's hearts and souls to break? This song is the medium Billie found to express his discontent for technology and the scary way in which it's shaping the world's lifestyle today. Sure, technology makes our lives easier, faster, more practical, but for most people, it's also a curse that makes them forget how to live. Everybody nowadays is living their lives through screens and internet connections. Having the latest, most expensive gadget has become more important that having something to eat, a HD screen has become more beautiful that a clear, azure sky in the summer, Facebook status updates have become more beautiful and important that words of love. I spoke above of hearts and souls being broken by this, and you can definitely tell that Billie's heart is broken. It broke little by little every night of the tour when he was trying to bond with an audience in which more than half of it's members were pointing a camera at him and living the show through a screen. "Put away those fucking cellphone and cameras! Live! You are here right now! Tonight's our moment Tonight's our night!" he pleaded over and over again while interpreting THIS song live. People of Lima, Peru can testify about those agonizing cries that claimed that "technology is ruining everything". J'net once told me that sometimes you can have a favorite lyric that's purely based on the way it is sang. This holds true to me in this case. There's just something about hearing Billie's desperate voice singing "The silence of the rotten, forgotten, screaming at you!" that moves me to the verge of tears. It is a truly amazing call wake-up call to all the living-dead, the victims of The Static Age. This song will always be a remainder to me that no matter how fast today's world is spinning, I have to find the moment to breathe, to see, to live, to love. A moment to disconnect.
J'net Posted January 12, 2011 Author Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 5:14 PM, Xoram said: This song will always be a remainder to me that no matter how fast today's world is spinning, I have to find the moment to breathe, to see, to live, to love. A moment to disconnect. Awwwww, I love all your thoughts, but this last one is something we should all take to heart!
Clayish Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 When the album first dropped, this had to be in the bottom 3 for me. The song just didn't do it for me AT ALL. Thought it was leftovers from American Idiot and shouldn't have been on the album. This all changed when I saw them in 09. WOW. Static Age had to be one of the best songs performed that entire night. The place was going crazy, and Billie made the best speech of the night. and by far the best "hey oh" of the night. Something about the beat and his heyoh has a perfect combination. Lyrically, it speaks the truth. I LOVE this song now, and the bridge is absolutely incredible.
clayish10 Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 Static age has always been one of my favorite green day songs. The first time I heard it, i loved it. So up tempo, uplifting song in my opinion. Its definitely one of my favorite songs by green day over all, Static Age and Horseshoes are by far the best off 21st. Arguable, yes. But for me, those two are such fun up-tempo loud songs. They should both be played live, and I'm hoping for at least one of them at my next concert. Great song of the week.
Laura! Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 I've always loved this song. It always has been and always will be one of my top favorite songs off of 21CB. I thought that this song would have made an excellent single because of how it relates to how things are today. I love how this song and many of their other songs can make you really think, I find not many other artists can have that effect on me.
The Snark Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 I admit that I didn't like this song at first. I thought it was too poppy/radio-friendly and would skip it everytime. When I actually decided to sit down and read the lyrics, I was blown away. I'm almost ashamed at how long it took me to realize this. And then when I saw it performed live...the drum intro, the emotion it's sung with, the gas mask backdrop...instant favorite! It's hard to chose a favorite lyric, but "What's the latest way that a man can die, Screaming hallelujah?" never fails to send chills down my spine. The lyrics encompass everything I feel about technology. How sad it is that there is no such thing anymore as 'face time' and that even if you do somehow manage to get together with people, they will most likely be on their phones the entire time. And I'm not even going to get into how I feel about the mass of celebrity/advertising bullshit that seemingly has taken over everyone's minds. People are no longer valued for their abilities, but for the kinds of entertainment that can be had from their vices. Now, don't get me wrong. I do love the internet for providing me access to people I would have never met in my life, but I'm not going to get it installed on my phone so I can update my FB/Twitter every ten minutes. I'm a little bit scared about what the future holds: are we all going to be wired into machines that only allow us virtual contact with each other while we lie unconscious in climate controled pods at home? On 1/12/2011 at 5:04 AM, ParadoxAndPlaid said: I even has a perfect music video idea for it, I made storyboards too. ((film nerd)) I would love to see these too!
ParadoxAndPlaid Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 6:14 PM, two_ways said: Now, don't get me wrong. I do love the internet for providing me access to people I would have never met in my life, but I'm not going to get it installed on my phone so I can update my FB/Twitter every ten minutes. I'm a little bit scared about what the future holds: are we all going to be wired into machines that only allow us virtual contact with each other while we lie unconscious in climate controled pods at home? I would love to see these too! If I can find the notebook I doodled it in I'll scan it all and share for sure. I have so many that I'll have to look through. I agree with you whole heartedly. I bothers me with people think that this song, and album are 100% anti-technology and anti-modernism. I think that's a huge misconception. To me; they are just striving to break away from the dependency we have on all the technology we have. "All I want to do is I want to breathe, batteries not included" is the perfect line to sum it up. We can survive without all our gadgets, they are just tools, we can't let ourself get tangled up in it all.
beejeezee Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 Finally The Static Age is the song of the week. I just love this song sfm. Best lyric is "All I want to know is a god damn thing, not what's in the medicine." I love 21CBD so much, and not only because it came out 3 days before my B-day.
euphoric-pareidolias Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 i love this song and i think the lyrics are absolutely brilliant! It's such a great song live. The intro is brilliant and the little speech Billie gives beforehand is just awesome and so so true. It's such a great song to get the crowd going and...it's just great!! The music and change in it is so good! They really capture the way tv and radio and just technology in general impacts peoples' lives and play on their weaknesses and can so easily take advantage of the vulnerable. Billie really conveys the strong sense of corruption that are present in ads/tv etc and how they affect people and can so easily take control of their mind without a person even realising. Advertisements for example, people who are trying to sell you something know exactly how to pull at heart strings or convince you with clever wording and so many people then trust the person on the ad and automatically are enticed to buy the product/service, whether they even needed it in the first place but they are made think that it's a 'must have'. I think the best example of that in the song is "conscience on a cross and you're hearts on a vice, squeezing at your state of mind". It shows that it can really play on your emotions and corrupt the way you think and affect the way you would normally analyse things, as if it's almost brainwashing. In the lyrics it shows exactly what power technology etc has over people and their daily lives and that most of us don't even realise it, but that instead we should step back from it all and just appreciate what we have and having more conversations face to face with someone rather than by text etc. I much prefer meeting up with someone and having a great long chat with them rather than a half hearted conversation typed out in a rush and having to decode the words which are texted in a jumbled mess. We have to remember that there was life before technology and people can manage without it and it's not a 'basic need'..we don't need to update status on fb or tweet our every move and thought. We need to enjoy life as we see it and not let technology take over our lives and loose sight of things that are truly important in life.. even though this isn't all worded in the song, the lyrics have the same strong message and that's the impression I get from them. It's a song that is a real eye opener to the way the world has changed and what it has become in the last decade or so and how we shoud try and change the way we think before every single thing, including basic living, becomes dependant on technology etc .. rant over
J'net Posted January 12, 2011 Author Posted January 12, 2011 On 1/12/2011 at 7:23 PM, kingforadaySHOUT said: They really capture the way tv and radio and just technology in general impacts peoples' lives and play on their weaknesses and can so easily take advantage of the vulnerable. Sad and scary ...
Sanity Loan Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 One of my favorites off of 21CB. I don't necessarily agree with the message but it has great lyrical content. A well written song.
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