Unpopular Green Day Opinions

[The Disappearing Boy]

At least it's fun to play along to.

[Spike]

I don't mind when unnecessary swearing is done well (see: Platypus), but LYG just seems to be solely constructed of Billie trying to fit as many swear words around the innumerable "LET YOURSELF GO LET YOURSELF GO LET YOURSELF GOOOOOOOOOOOOO"s. It just sounds lazy and poorly written.

As much as I hate Platypus, I agree with that. The chorus is very poor. I do like the bridge though, even if the only word is fuck.

[HolyHandGrenade]

I don't mind when unnecessary swearing is done well (see: Platypus), but Dos just seems to be solely constructed of Billie trying to fit as many superfluous swear words as possible It just sounds lazy and poorly written.

[Guest]

It's not just Dos, it's a problem on a lot of songs on Uno too.

[HolyHandGrenade]

It's not just Dos, it's a problem on a lot of songs on Uno too.

True, but I would argue that 90% of the subject matter on Dos is equivalent to (and including) those swears. Unnecessary, ill-fitting, and confusing.

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

I love the Kill the DJ video, if it wasn't for that fuckin motorcycle scene at the beginning.

Oh, but that video is so AWKWARD. The whole thing.

[walking_c0ntradicti0n]

the irony. i assumed i was never gonna like kill the dj, got into the dookiefied version, then listened to the regular version while trying not to laugh in my dad's car.

[The Disappearing Boy]

Green Day's riffs were much more intricate and interesting back in the old days. I'd never really though about it before, until I listened to Kerplunk and 1039 smooth today.

[Guest]

Green Day's riffs were much more intricate and interesting back in the old days. I'd never really though about it before, until I listened to Kerplunk and 1039 smooth today.

You mean before they discovered 4 chords = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?

[The Disappearing Boy]

You mean before they discovered 4 chords = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?

Yeah, basically

[Spike]

Green Day's riffs were much more intricate and interesting back in the old days. I'd never really though about it before, until I listened to Kerplunk and 1039 smooth today.

That's a good point. The most complex riff they've done since then is Redundant, or arguably the Homecoming intro.

[Z J]

The Homecoming intro just has the aura that I can't explain. The vocal reverb is perfect. The lyrics up until the second section were chill inducing the first few times I heard them. Beyond that I can't explain it. It is SO good, and even more casual fans that I know (people who couldn't name a song that wasn't on AI) think the intro to Homecoming is some of the best music they've ever heard.

Also just because a song has a similar hook or similar chords doesn't mean it is a "ripoff"

[Guest]

Also just because a song has a similar hook or similar chords doesn't mean it is a "ripoff"

Obviously. I only mentioned them because they were pretty much exactly the same.

[Spike]

The Homecoming intro just has the aura that I can't explain. The vocal reverb is perfect. The lyrics up until the second section were chill inducing the first few times I heard them. Beyond that I can't explain it. It is SO good, and even more casual fans that I know (people who couldn't name a song that wasn't on AI) think the intro to Homecoming is some of the best music they've ever heard.

Also just because a song has a similar hook or similar chords doesn't mean it is a "ripoff"

I agree. The verses of the first section are just magic. I have no idea how it hangs together, musically it should not work at all. But it does, and it's absolutely fantastic. I think the tripleted section of the riff and the fact that Mike harmonises every line is what makes it. The production sounds kind of dark too, which is perfect.

[Z J]

Obviously. I only mentioned them because they were pretty much exactly the same.

you do seem to think almost every green day song is the same as another. I've listened to some of the comps you've made and I don't get a fair amount of them. (Some have merit)

To me "ripoff" means they heard the song and decided to steal it. (Like Lupe Fiasco on Modest Mouse) I don't think they do that.

The similarities to me just come from a few things:

• They have a vast catalog
• They keep it relatively simple, so there are only so many places to go as far as simple chord progressions

And that's it to me.

[Guest]

you do seem to think almost every green day song is the same as another. I've listened to some of the comps you've made and I don't get a fair amount of them. (Some have merit)

To me "ripoff" means they heard the song and decided to steal it. (Like Lupe Fiasco on Modest Mouse) I don't think they do that.

The similarities to me just come from a few things:

• They have a vast catalog
• They keep it relatively simple, so there are only so many places to go as far as simple chord progressions

And that's it to me.

There are extraordinarily few GD songs that don't have a pattern or progression in common with another GD song. If there's any comparisons that you don't get I can be more specific.

The problem with the vast catalog argument is that they use exactly the same chord progression on 3 songs within the first 11 songs of 1039/Smoothed out thingy. Also, like I've said, simple is all well and good until you've beaten every combo to death so badly you have no choice but to reuse riffs and progressions.

[Spike]

Has no one learned anything from John Fogerty? You're not allowed to rip yourself off, you end up suing yourself and owing yourself a load of money. Terrible idea.

[HolyHandGrenade]

There are extraordinarily few GD songs that don't have a pattern or progression in common with another GD song. If there's any comparisons that you don't get I can be more specific.

The problem with the vast catalog argument is that they use exactly the same chord progression on 3 songs within the first 11 songs of 1039/Smoothed out thingy. Also, like I've said, simple is all well and good until you've beaten every combo to death so badly you have no choice but to reuse riffs and progressions.

I think including Jason in the true writing process could do wonders to shake things up.

[Guest]

I think including Jason in the true writing process could do wonders to shake things up.

Having not heard much of his stuff outside of a few PHGP songs I can't really comment on his creative skills.

[Z J]

There are extraordinarily few GD songs that don't have a pattern or progression in common with another GD song. If there's any comparisons that you don't get I can be more specific.

The problem with the vast catalog argument is that they use exactly the same chord progression on 3 songs within the first 11 songs of 1039/Smoothed out thingy. Also, like I've said, simple is all well and good until you've beaten every combo to death so badly you have no choice but to reuse riffs and progressions.

But honestly having to reuse riffs and progressions doesn't matter to me. I don't listen to the songs with a music sheet in front of me. Are there songs that sound similar? Yes. Mother Mary and Stray Heart (I like Stray Heart, better production) is an example you use. That is a fine one. But take BOBD and say Wonderwall. They might look the same on a music sheet but they are two completely different songs that are great for their own reasons. 39/Smooth was created when they were teens for the most part. So those songs do sound similar. However after that album there aren't really that many that do anything more than borrow some riffs or chords

I think the similarities are overstated, there are ways to make a song different outside of chords.

Bass lines, vocals, lyrics, tempo, melody. There are so many ways.

[HolyHandGrenade]

Having not heard much of his stuff outside of a few PHGP songs I can't really comment on his creative skills.

I think the merit here is that he's just someone other than Billie

[WhiteTim]

But honestly having to reuse riffs and progressions doesn't matter to me. I don't listen to the songs with a music sheet in front of me. Are there songs that sound similar? Yes. Mother Mary and Stray Heart (I like Stray Heart, better production) is an example you use. That is a fine one. But take BOBD and say Wonderwall. They might look the same on a music sheet but they are two completely different songs that are great for their own reasons. 39/Smooth was created when they were teens for the most part. So those songs do sound similar. However after that album there aren't really that many that do anything more than borrow some riffs or chords

I think the similarities are overstated, there are ways to make a song different outside of chords.

Bass lines, vocals, lyrics, tempo, melody. There are so many ways.

What about Warning? Which is pretty much a direct copy of Picture Book by The Kinks

[Guest]

However after that album there aren't really that many that do anything more than borrow some riffs or chords

Except for a solid chunk of the Trilogy

I never really got the whole Wonderwall thing, different strum pattern, different mood of song, not really the same at all. But they repackage songs all the time. Jaded is the same exact chord progression as Paper Lanterns, The end of Christie Road is the same as 16. The intros to 2,000 LYA and Scattered are so similar my brother often gets confused while jamming them.

There's a lot more but you get the idea.

[Spike]

To me, if a song sounds good in isolation, what's the problem? I don't listen to Scattered and think "Oh, it's just a 2000 LYA ripoff, therefore it sucks and I refuse to listen to it." Both are good songs, and when I'm listening to a song it doesn't really matter to me what other songs the band have written. The problem with the Trilogy isn't that it's unoriginal, it's just that most of the songs are plain bad. If I cared about originality I'd never have got into Green Day in the first place.

Although frankly if you get Scattered and 2000 LYA mixed up you can't have ears

[Guest]

To me, if a song sounds good in isolation, what's the problem? I don't listen to Scattered and think "Oh, it's just a 2000 LYA ripoff, therefore it sucks and I refuse to listen to it." Both are good songs, and when I'm listening to a song it doesn't really matter to me what other songs the band have written. The problem with the Trilogy isn't that it's unoriginal, it's just that most of the songs are plain bad. If I cared about originality I'd never have got into Green Day in the first place.

Although frankly if you get Scattered and 2000 LYA mixed up you can't have ears

Same starting chord, I think that throws him off a bit

Also, remember how Green Day stole She's A Rebel off Jawbreaker? That's not all they stole.