21st CB Discussion

[Aaron]

My brother is addicted to Peacemaker. I'm starting to like Before the Lobotomy more now.

[budgie]

This has like maybe 3 good songs. The rest sucks.
AI = green days prime

harsh, man, harsh...

[Aaron]

This has like maybe 3 good songs. The rest sucks.
AI = green days prime

what songs did you like?

[geeinglat]

I think it's better than American Idiot...

[Muttweed182]

I think it's better than American Idiot...

It is my good sir.

I thought this was interesting and thought I would post here. This was done by someone on GDC a Green Day forum. It kinda finds a storyline in the album.

ACT 1

"Song of the Century/21CBD" - This serves an introductory piece, basically lays down the foundation for the story. It examines the life that Christian and Gloria are dealing with. The war, terrorism, and the fact that they have to learn to make it on their own – as even the adults that raised them cannot be trusted. “Raised by the bastards of 1969”.

"Know your Enemy” – this song serves as a narrative piece rather then talking specifically about the plot (the couple). It's asking them, and the listener who is the person they should be angry at. – who is the enemy. It also serves as a story device, because later on in the story we return to the question – “do you know the enemy?”

"¡Viva La Gloria!" - While it is never mentioned when Christian Gloria met, this is when he first notices her. He is inspired by her progressive spirit and ideals. It also shows how the two have banded together, as they are in the “fight of their lives” and “pushed to the edge”. He wants to stay with her since he feels she will keep him sane. It also shows a glimpse of how Christian views her. He calls her “the saint of all sinners”.

"Before the Lobotomy" – This song has two layers to it. On it’s surface, it’s about Christian slowly losing his mind. He has started to get involved in drugs to numb the pain. “Well I’m not stoned, I’m just fucked up, I get so high I can’t stand up”. It even shows how Christian is a bit in denial, as he proclaims he’s not really getting stoned. On a deeper level, the song also talks about themes of the 21st Century Breakdown world. Such as Bush's leadership, 9/11 and the Iraq war. Those events are what have pushed Christian to be so angry/destructive and mistrusting of his government - he dreams of the time before when he and the world was calmer. The title also says it all, it’s literally Christian dwelling on who he used to be – before he is about to have a Lobotomy (drugs etc).

"Christian's inferno" – This song is a look at Christian's personality. This is his biography on the album – and it shows how much rage and anger he has built up; he is a loose cannon. His drug uses is also briefly mentioned – “This bitter pill is chased with blood”. But it also brings Gloria into the equation, because he now feels like she is the spark that can ignite his fire. (Fire is a recurring theme to describe Christian) – “Maybe you're the chemical reaction, I am the Atomic Bomb, I am the chosen one. Toxin Your Reservoir”.

"Last Night on Earth" – This is Christian’s love letter to Gloria - Christian's confession to Gloria most likely via phone (I text a postcard sent to you, did it go through), of his love for her. This is their connection moment. It is a positive end to this act, and really serves as a calming point for Christian. No matter how fucked up things get, he knows he has their love. He also mentions that “if he loses everything in the fire” – he will “send all his love” to her. This is a foreshadow to the end of the story.

ACT 2

"East Jesus Nowhere" – This song tackles the hypocrisy in modern religions. It also serves as Christians and Gloria’s negative experiences with the church, although it’s mainly from Christian (there is irony in his name). This is his confession to how he feels about the state of religion, and the people who vote on religious reasons alone.

"Peacemaker" - Christian's destructive state is starting to become more organized and inspired thanks to how Gloria is having a positive effect on him. This also serves as splitting point between the couple. While they aren’t actually fighting, Gloria is more about changing things with voice and ideas/rebelling while Christian is more about physical action. This song depicts him buying a berretta.

"Last of the American Girls" – This is Christian’s take on Gloria, and her personality. He basically holds her to the highest regard, and praises her for everything she is, and he is not. “She's the last of the American girls.” He loves how she doesn’t “Cooperate” – and furthermore, he really looks up to her. She is his anchor.

"Murder City" - This song is about Christian’s insecurities, and how he feels worthless. This song is split up into two perspectives. The first part is Christian, as he stays awake after the riots not being able to sleep. - "I'm awake after the riots". He realizes he will never be as mobilized or as torch-bearing as Gloria. This also calls back to “Peacemaker” when he had a gun, and felt tough. But when push comes to shove, as they get deeper into the city, he realizes he is being overwhelmed by the evil and deceit that runs the city. Because of this, he feels useless, and wonders if anything he does makes a difference. This song also starts to show a crack in the couples relationship, and this part of the song is from Gloria's perspective: – “Christian is crying in the bathroom, and I just want to bum a cigarette”. It shows that Christian is emotionally venerable here, and Gloria is having a tough time dealing with it. The song is more about Christian being helpless, but it also ties Gloria into it when she says “We are the last call, and we're so pathetic”.

"¿Viva La Gloria?" - Surprise surprise, Gloria isn't as pure as Christian thought, as this song reveals that she is a drug addict and a wreck underneath all what Christian first saw in her. Christian now has doubts about her – as his whole life has been full of lies and deceit. Not necessarily Gloria’s fault, but Christian really held her up as inspiration, and she was the perfection that he was not. This song also serves as a “conscience” piece, as Gloria is starting to fall apart, and feel guilty for what she is doing. “Little girl little girl, you dirty liar, you’re just a junkie preaching to the choir.” “Runaway, to you’re lost tranquility, and find yourself with your face in the gutter.”

"Restless Heart Syndrome" - Drugs are affecting both characters destructively at this point. “ I got this really bad disease, it has me begging on my hands and knees. Please take me to Emergency”. “I’m elated, medicated”. They are both mad at each other and split angrily. This song acts as the big revelation in the story, and calls back to “Know Your Enemy”. The twist is that they are their own worst enemy. This whole time they were trying to fight deceit – yet they were deceiving themselves. “I'm a victim of my symptom, I am my own worst enemy, You're a victim of your symptom, You are your own worst enemy – Know Your Enemy”. As a result both characters finally realize who their enemy is (their destructiveness and the drugs they take). Unlike the last act, this one ends in a negative theme – and serves as the protagonist “lowest points”. Restless Heart is also a stab at the pharmaceutical companies, who now seem to prescribe you drugs for whatever “ails you”.

ACT 3

"Horseshoes and Handgrenades" - This is basically part two to “Christian’s Inferno”. It serves as Christian's angry rant about life, himself, and Gloria. He has reached a destructive peak. Some of this song is actually about him being physically destructive. He has become a mess. “So don't you fuck me around, Because I'll shoot you down, I'm gonna drink, fight and fuck , And pushing my luck., All the time now”. “Well, you missed me kissed me Now you better kick me down” - I'm not fucking around G-L-O-R-I-A”.

"Static Age" - Both characters, now both in shambles and living on their own realize that the media has corrupted them, and all of society. They both wonder what life would be like without all the mainstream media. This is social commentary about how bogged down/saturated the media has become. – and as a result, they can longer see or hear what is going on, because of all the static. "All I want to do is i want to breathe, Batteries are not included”.

"21 Guns" - Christian and Gloria, both (at the end of the road), the road being, their will to live, meet up again and make peace again (lay down your arms give up the fight). –“Did you try to live on your own? When you burned down the house and home? Did you stand too close to the fire? Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone ” – the fire is a reference to Christian, and calls back to “Last Night on Earth” when he said if I “lose everything in the fire”. They also take a look at the fighting in the wars and are inspired to start helping others. This song also serves as a perspective of a soldier who has lost his faith in a fight – that is not his fight - a fight that has no purpose. This really sums up how Christian and Gloria have been feeling – have they been fighting a fight worth fighting?

"American Eulogy" - The two characters become inspired by what is going on and look at all the events that have happened during the Bush years, Hurricane Katrina being a main one. They are unhappy with the class war and how the rich are looked at as higher people. There is so much going on in their world that they realize it is out of their control. The song also serves as a swipe at the mainstream media, as they like to use scare tactics to cause “Mass Hysteria”. The conclusion of the song (and pretty much the album) is that they decide they have had enough, and realize the modern world is too much for them to live in. It’s too corrupted, and they don’t think they can do anything to change it. “'Cause I don't give a shit about the modern age!” – “I don’t want to live in the modern world!”.

"See the Light" - Christian and Gloria decide to settle down away from the city, working through hardships to help those in need. They still strive for people to be happy and for there to be peace. They are doubtful, but they still try to (see the light) at the end of a deep and dark tunnel. The ending is very open-ended, and does not offer solutions. Because the current climate is still going on today, there is no answer. It’s left up to the listener to think for a solution.

Summary -

Act 1- The two meet up in the post bush years and fall in love
Act 2- The two work together, but realize each other's downfalls and angrily split up
Act 3 - Angered at modern society, they reunite and move away from the city to help others and try to make it through life together.

[Pedro]

Peacemaker sounds like Misery from Warning.

thats what i said.
only much much better

You did? I cant see it.

[Druska]

I think it's better than American Idiot...

from my pov 21stCBD and Ai are too different you cannot compare them

[Emil]

None of the songs really stands out actually according to me. Really like see the light though.

[stevie486]

I've just managed to hear whole album, I have to say WOW, but there's few tracks that are like ok, an couple that sound like other songs in bits but really like.

- my thoughts

21 guns there's another song out there with exact same verse chords, cant think or know what hell it is, but ave heard it before and the start bit to it sounds like bit taken from a U2 song although I like the song.

Horseshoes and Handgrenades sounds like they copied from, Blur - song 2 and ooh quite offspringish

Restless Heart Syndrome sounds simular to song "Perfect Day" and something else but Pefect Day is way much slower, lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2JXy1Z9ovs

Last Of American Girls - sounds simular to something ave heard before dunno what though

21st Century breakdown - there's something simular to chours way they sing it out there, reminds me something dunno what, but I like the song, it's very good.

Before The Labotomy - dreaming i was only dreaming, lol again sounds familaur melody to something I though ave heard simular but starting to love the song

On a whole I was blown away with first part of the album, amazing

songs i like are:

21st Century Breakdown
Know Your Enemy
Viva La Gloria - (beautiful song)
Before The Labotomy
Christians Inferno
Last Night On Earth (I'll add to this song there's sorta oasis sound in it, but good song)
East Jesus Nowhere
Peacemaker
Last Of American Girls
Murder City
Horseshoes And Handgrendes (cool song but not mad about cos it's quite un-original)
The Static Age
21 Guns
American Eulogy (quite old GD sound to it, really like it)
see the light - just seems like cliffhanger nothing amazin


I would actually give the record 10 out of 10 but 9 out of 10 for bit bad on kinda copying bits on some songs not all but am going to give them 10 out of 10, very good record guys

Can't wait until the CD comes in post!

[Queso Man]

I've just managed to hear whole album, I have to say WOW, but there's few tracks that are like ok, an couple that sound like other songs in bits but really like.

- my thoughts

21 guns there's another song out there with exact same verse chords, cant think or know what hell it is, but ave heard it before and the start bit to it sounds like bit taken from a U2 song although I like the song.

Horseshoes and Handgrenades sounds like they copied from, Blur - song 2 and ooh quite offspringish

Restless Heart Syndrome sounds simular to song "Perfect Day" and something else but Pefect Day is way much slower, lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2JXy1Z9ovs

Last Of American Girls - sounds simular to something ave heard before dunno what though

21st Century breakdown - there's something simular to chours way they sing it out there, reminds me something dunno what, but I like the song, it's very good.

Before The Labotomy - dreaming i was only dreaming, lol again sounds familaur melody to something I though ave heard simular but starting to love the song

On a whole I was blown away with first part of the album, amazing

songs i like are:

21st Century Breakdown
Know Your Enemy
Viva La Gloria - (beautiful song)
Before The Labotomy
Christians Inferno
Last Night On Earth (I'll add to this song there's sorta oasis sound in it, but good song)
East Jesus Nowhere
Peacemaker
Last Of American Girls
Murder City
Horseshoes And Handgrendes (cool song but not mad about cos it's quite un-original)
The Static Age
21 Guns
American Eulogy (quite old GD sound to it, really like it)
see the light - just seems like cliffhanger nothing amazin


I would actually give the record 10 out of 10 but 9 out of 10 for bit bad on kinda copying bits on some songs not all but am going to give them 10 out of 10, very good record guys

Can't wait until the CD comes in post!

wtf bud, you can't just say it sounds similar and degrade it for that. You gots to have more research to back yo self up

[geeinglat]

wtf bud, you can't just say it sounds similar and degrade it for that. You gots to have more research to back yo self up

[Peterr]

This has like maybe 3 good songs. The rest sucks.
AI = green days prime

what songs did you like?

Viva la Gloria (little girl)
21 Guns
Before the lobotomy

This is ok:
21st Century Breakdown


yeah... I guess my standers were too high after a (to me) perfect album in american idiot

[Bass Cone]

I got through 2 and a half songs. Shit.

[Hentaiman]

Am I the only one who hated 21st Century Breakdown (the song)? Everyone seem to like that one... I thought it was pretty boring...

[Aaron]

anyone see them on SNL last night. They did a too-fast performance of Know Your Enemy then kind of a nice one of 21 guns.

[peacock41]

albums one of there best much beter than AI

[Pedro]

anyone see them on SNL last night. They did a too-fast performance of Know Your Enemy then kind of a nice one of 21 guns.

twas cool

[Peterr]

albums one of there best much beter than AI

no. just no

[Hentaiman]

Know Your Enemy on SNL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26tWkuYj ... annel_page

21 Guns on SNL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y7HLGpVDWw

The 21 Guns performance is cool :D

[geeinglat]

21 Guns *-*