21st Century Breakdown (music): Difference between revisions
m (remove unneccessary quote box template) |
m (Mass update links) |
||
Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
21st Century Breakdown is a [[Rock Opera]] by the rock band [[Green Day (Music)|Green Day]] released as a follow-up to their popular album [[American Idiot (Music)|American Idiot]]. The plot follows [[Battle Couple|two lovers]] named [[Meaningful Name|Christian]] and [[Theme Naming|Gloria,]] who are followed in the story as they witness the many new trials faced by the common man in the recent years of America (Mainly told in first-person from the point of Christian). |
21st Century Breakdown is a [[Rock Opera]] by the rock band [[Green Day (Music)|Green Day]] released as a follow-up to their popular album [[American Idiot (Music)|American Idiot]]. The plot follows [[Battle Couple|two lovers]] named [[Meaningful Name|Christian]] and [[Theme Naming|Gloria,]] who are followed in the story as they witness the many new trials faced by the common man in the recent years of America (Mainly told in first-person from the point of Christian). |
||
Several of the themes looked at by [[Anti |
Several of the themes looked at by [[Anti-Hero|Christian]] (Who is [[Alternative Character Interpretation|most definitely]] [[Sarcasm Mode|not]] [[Western Terrorists|a terrorist]]) include [[Corrupt Church|religion,]] [[American Political System|politics,]] and [[Best Served Cold|vengeance,]] along with being heavily involved in his relationship with Gloria. He is very cynical about most large organizations, and feels he and Gloria must stand up for [[The Everyman]]. Gloria, meanwhile, is trying to hold onto her original beliefs while trying to help Christian as well. |
||
Several tracks, including "Know Your Enemy" and "21 Guns", are used in the [[Theatrical Productions|Broadway production]] of American Idiot. |
Several tracks, including "Know Your Enemy" and "21 Guns", are used in the [[Theatrical Productions|Broadway production]] of American Idiot. |
||
Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
* [[Epic Rocking]]: "American Eulogy" |
* [[Epic Rocking]]: "American Eulogy" |
||
* [[Expy|Expies]]: Christian and Gloria can be seen as either these or [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute|Suspiciously Similar Substitutes]] for [[American Idiot (Music)|Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername]], although there are [[Your Mileage May Vary|shades of difference]]: Christian is smarter and more insane; Gloria is more world-weary. |
* [[Expy|Expies]]: Christian and Gloria can be seen as either these or [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute|Suspiciously Similar Substitutes]] for [[American Idiot (Music)|Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername]], although there are [[Your Mileage May Vary|shades of difference]]: Christian is smarter and more insane; Gloria is more world-weary. |
||
* [[I Am Song]]: Several, most obvious being the title track. |
* [["I Am" Song]]: Several, most obvious being the title track. |
||
* [[Ironic Echo]]: "Know Your Enemy," echoed near the end of "Restless Heart Syndrome." |
* [[Ironic Echo]]: "Know Your Enemy," echoed near the end of "Restless Heart Syndrome." |
||
* [[Loudness War]]: As with ''American Idiot'', it's really badly clipped. |
* [[Loudness War]]: As with ''American Idiot'', it's really badly clipped. |
||
Line 71: | Line 71: | ||
** Used more so during "Horseshoes and Handgrenades." |
** Used more so during "Horseshoes and Handgrenades." |
||
* [[New Media Are Evil]]: "The Static Age" |
* [[New Media Are Evil]]: "The Static Age" |
||
* [[Precision F |
* [[Precision F-Strike]]: See [[Sex, Drugs and Rock And Roll]]. |
||
* [[Protest Song]]: Pretty much everything that's not a love song or a [[BSOD Song]]. |
* [[Protest Song]]: Pretty much everything that's not a love song or a [[BSOD Song]]. |
||
* [[Rebellious Spirit]] |
* [[Rebellious Spirit]] |
||
* [[Recurring Riff]]: Several, being one of the main differences between this and American Idiot (Along with the fact that several songs were [[Subdued Section|written for piano]]). The "Song of the Century" parts, along with the guitar pattern at the beginning of [[Book Ends|"21st Century Breakdown" and "See the Light."]] |
* [[Recurring Riff]]: Several, being one of the main differences between this and American Idiot (Along with the fact that several songs were [[Subdued Section|written for piano]]). The "Song of the Century" parts, along with the guitar pattern at the beginning of [[Book Ends|"21st Century Breakdown" and "See the Light."]] |
||
** The tune to the "Restless Heart Syndrome" chorus is also played at the beginning of "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)", which is the song before it. |
** The tune to the "Restless Heart Syndrome" chorus is also played at the beginning of "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)", which is the song before it. |
||
* [[Sex Drugs and Rock And Roll]]: Many references to "pills and alcohol," along with the following part in "Before the Lobotomy" |
* [[Sex, Drugs and Rock And Roll]]: Many references to "pills and alcohol," along with the following part in "Before the Lobotomy" |
||
{{quote| I'm not stoned<br /> |
{{quote| I'm not stoned<br /> |
||
I'm just fucked-up<br /> |
I'm just fucked-up<br /> |
Revision as of 12:01, 9 January 2014
They're playing the song of the century |
21st Century Breakdown is a Rock Opera by the rock band Green Day released as a follow-up to their popular album American Idiot. The plot follows two lovers named Christian and Gloria, who are followed in the story as they witness the many new trials faced by the common man in the recent years of America (Mainly told in first-person from the point of Christian).
Several of the themes looked at by Christian (Who is most definitely not a terrorist) include religion, politics, and vengeance, along with being heavily involved in his relationship with Gloria. He is very cynical about most large organizations, and feels he and Gloria must stand up for The Everyman. Gloria, meanwhile, is trying to hold onto her original beliefs while trying to help Christian as well.
Several tracks, including "Know Your Enemy" and "21 Guns", are used in the Broadway production of American Idiot.
The Album is Seperated into three acts.
Track list:
1. Song of the Century |
This Rock Opera provides examples of:
- Action Girlfriend
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: In Last of The American Girls - "She's a sucker for all the criminals breaking the laws"
- Author Avatar: Word of God has confirmed that both Christian and Gloria are author avatars.
- Bittersweet Ending
- Book Ends: Pulled off excellently.
- Broken Bird: Gloria, possibly. She certainly sounds like one in "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)".
- Cool People Rebel Against Authority
- Dark Reprise: "¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)" is obviously one on "¡Viva La Gloria!"
- Epic Rocking: "American Eulogy"
- Expies: Christian and Gloria can be seen as either these or Suspiciously Similar Substitutes for Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername, although there are shades of difference: Christian is smarter and more insane; Gloria is more world-weary.
- "I Am" Song: Several, most obvious being the title track.
- Ironic Echo: "Know Your Enemy," echoed near the end of "Restless Heart Syndrome."
- Loudness War: As with American Idiot, it's really badly clipped.
- Meaningless Meaningful Words: Tons. "American Eulogy" is nothing but this.
I want to take a walk to the great divide |
- Metal Scream: "Know Your Enemy" has one:
Well, violence is an energy, oh ay, oh ay |
- Used more so during "Horseshoes and Handgrenades."
- New Media Are Evil: "The Static Age"
- Precision F-Strike: See Sex, Drugs and Rock And Roll.
- Protest Song: Pretty much everything that's not a love song or a BSOD Song.
- Rebellious Spirit
- Recurring Riff: Several, being one of the main differences between this and American Idiot (Along with the fact that several songs were written for piano). The "Song of the Century" parts, along with the guitar pattern at the beginning of "21st Century Breakdown" and "See the Light."
- The tune to the "Restless Heart Syndrome" chorus is also played at the beginning of "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)", which is the song before it.
- Sex, Drugs and Rock And Roll: Many references to "pills and alcohol," along with the following part in "Before the Lobotomy"
I'm not stoned |
- Shout Out: As listed in the Homage trope-page, the line "I once was lost, but never was found" is a shout-out to "Amazing Grace".
- "Last of the American Girls" could be a shout-out to the Tom Petty song "American Girl".
- And let's not forget the several mentions to John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" (which the guys happened to do a cover of themselves, so this one was more obvious).
- The line "Last one born and the first one to run" is a shout-out to Bruce Springsteen.
- Perhaps in 21 Guns, the line "when it's time to live and let die" is a shout out to Paul McCartney's song from the James Bond movie.
- Also "My Generation is zero" that precedes "Never made it as a Working Class Hero" may be a shout out to the Who's My Generation, which they covered in their Kerplunk album.
- Step Up to The Microphone: Bassist Mike Dirnt sings most of "Modern World".
- Subdued Section: The two "Song of the Century" sections, "21 Guns," "Last Night on Earth," the beginnings of "Restless Hearts Syndrome", "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)", and "Before the Lobotomy."
- Three Chords and The Truth: It's Green Day. You should expect this by this point. However, not as much as previous works.
- Troubled but Cute
- Wham Line: "Restless Heart Syndrome" changes Gloria's entire image with the line: "Know your enemy."
- Normal chorus for "Last Night on Earth": "My beating heart belongs to you/I walked for miles 'til I found you/I'm here to honor you/If I lose everything in the fire/I'm sending all my love to you" Final chorus: "...I'm here to honor you/If I lose everything in the fire/Did I ever make it through?"
- Write Who You Know: Mike Dirnt has speculated that Armstrong wrote "The Last of the American Girls" about his wife, Adrienne.