San Miguel Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 To the outside world i would say Basket Case or American Idiot best represent Green Day
EggMong Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 I had one shot to convince my brother Green Day were better than just a few hit songs when I played him Nimrod; he said they all sounded the same (except for a few like King for a Day and Take Back, etc, obviously)! Gaar! Anyway, thinking about it I think Minority would be a great choice, as you've already said. I'd also say Basket Case as well for sure. To be honest any of their really well-known songs would be good as clearly the reason their well-known is because a lot of people like them!
The Governator Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 I would say, "Dirty Rotten Bastards" because It's got the happy, catchy part at the beginning, slows down a bit after that, has a sweet bass solo and gets fast and punky, and has an epic ending. It shows what Green Day can do, and the lyrics, I think, sums up what Green Day is about.
DookieLukie Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 Structurally speaking, Green Day is known for catchy hooks and verses that compliment the chorus. Songs like Basket Case and When I Come Around are the true entity of what Green Day is known for and what they made a name for themselves with. Later songs like Letterbomb and Blvd. of Broken Dreams (which is much less poppy but still) also demonstrate this idea. I'd also like to say that Missing You from Tre perfectly summarizes Green Day's style. Vocal hooks in the verses, a catchy chorus, and a memorable guitar riff. However, Green Day has expanded their style and their best songs are ones like JOS and Homecoming. Green Day will forever be known for songs structured like Basket Case, though.
Cob Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 Basket Case. Absolutely Basket Case. That or Nightlife.
Eva Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 Basket Case, to me, will always be the one song that represents Green Day the best. Mostly because it was the first Green Day song I heard.
She is Amanda Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 American Idiot, Holiday, Letterbomb.... Honestly though, If i were to introduce them to my friends, I would show them live video. I think the way green day present themselves live is unbelievable
StuckWithInsomnia Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 Nice Guys Finish Last, its uptempo, simplistic and has good lyrics
Hanzala Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 I think Jesus of Suburbia is the perfect song to describe Green Day.
VisionsofGreenDay115 Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 Their self-titled song, Green Day. Duh. I beat you to it. #winning
ellarose Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 this really depends on how you see Green Day, for me nimrod is the typical Green Day sound and I would say Nice Guys Finish Last is the most typical Green Day song.. just my opinion
Jude O'Reilly Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 it really depends on the person if you want to show them the more "punk" stuff or their more "rock" stuff. To be honest f**k picking one song just show them a live video like Awesome as F**k or BIAB. Problem solved. If they don't like that they won't like anything.
blue eyed grass Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 I think it depends on the person that listens. For everyone Green Day means something and has a place, but that meaning and place is different in everyone. For me, the song that best represents Green Day is 21st Century Breakdown. But I think that for most people who are familiar with Green Day it would be songs like Basket Case, Jesus of Suburbia, Homecoming, Minority...... The list goes on. But to me the magic is in this song, because it was the first Green Day song that I really listened to, and understood.
tubbyfox Posted March 21, 2013 Author Posted March 21, 2013 Well, this worked on the work group. 8.30am six people slumped over PCs drinking coffee. No movement for 2 hours. 10.32 I put on Whatsername. Some movement: head bobbing, body swaying. Song ends, murmurs of, "That was good, what was that?" I then put on Give Me Novacaine, followed by When I Come Around (bear in mind it's a office of middled aged women/one man who like Robbie Williams and Girls Aloud). Evidence of more meaningful head bobbing. Feeling confident I have to notch it up to Holiday and to my surprise there is actual dancing! Then I totally blow it by putting Horseshoes and Handgrenades on and I am left with pursed lips and tutting. Oh well, it was fun trying! Pub group next. btw as much as I think JOS and Homecoming are their masterpieces and represent them well, they can be a bit overwheming the first time you hear them. Might go with Basket Case as being the essence of Green Day. Nice to know all your opinions x
Bastard of 1969 Posted March 21, 2013 Posted March 21, 2013 Huh, it depends on their age. Song "Green Day" perfectly describes them in youth. Just see the lyrics. "Burnout" also says about their teenage boring life. So, in early years we can say that they are just "kids" who love to smoke pot, and they have the boring teenage lives (see the song "Longview"), but, there's song "When I Come Around", which has more like "realistic" look on the life. That's what can we say while they were like 20 years old. On Insomniac, there is also "boring teenage life", but not a lot. There's a lot of songs which describe Billie's panic attacks (Panic Song, Stuck With Me), kids crying (Brain Stew, Jaded), and masturbation (Armtage Shanks). So, in Insomniac, they are much more serious, but still having loads of fun. In Nimrod, they are more serious than ever. But, they are having fun still. Songs about alcohol, how in punk rock Nice Guys Finish Last, another songs about Billie's panic (Worry Rock), and about Billie's ex (Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). In Warning, they are... ...well, i can't describe it. However, Bob Dylan had influence on them , and some of the songs meanings are mainly about politics. So, in American Idiot, some songs are about St. Jimmy, Whatsername, some thinking about politics, and about Billie's father. And about 21st Century Breakdown, the songs are about church's today influence, calling for a riot.... In trilogy, they are crazier than ever.
localinsomniac Posted March 22, 2013 Posted March 22, 2013 It's really hard to choose one song that's most representative of a band that's been continuously evolving for 25 years. And even then, the answers you get will probably depend on the age of the person you're asking. Most people I know will associate Basket Case with Green Day, singing the first couple words intentionally off-key with an exaggeratedly-faux Brit accent. Then they'll say something to the effect of, "Don't you mean Gay Day lulz" and then I kill them with a snow shovel but anyway. If we're talking about a single song that encompasses a quarter-century's worth of music, I might just say Green Day and/or Sex, Drugs & Violence. Teen angst, boredom, drug use, love and longing; it's all there. You could look at those two songs as bookending the band's career with those similar themes. One is far more in-the-moment, and the other could be considered retrospective. They may not be stoners or speed freaks anymore, but that certainly doesn't mean Billie can't write about the experience.
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