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Finally got my copy of Kerrang today and had the chance to read it properly rather than squinting at the pics on the Kerrang thread and read that Billie got the inspiration for the song from the shooter (Elliot Rodgers) in San Diego in 2014 which I actually found many of the lyrics fit perfectly with/reminded me of before he had said that. I watched a documentary on the guy and it was scary as hell. His mentality and the way he documented his behaviour and ideas on social media both in YouTube videos and in a detailed blog "broadcasting from my room" and his obsession with guns "playing with my toys". As it transpired in the case of Rodgers police had searched his apartment a week before the mass shooting looking for guns as his parents had been concerned but the police did not search Rodgers bedroom hence failed to find the weapons later used in the attack. Also his entire reason for killing people was because he couldn't get girls "give me death or give me head" and he also craved attention "I wanna be a celebrity martyr". I guess given the intro with the various news reports the song grew to be about the wider culture of mass shootings not just one case and that would account for lines like "I testify like a lullaby of memories, Broadcasting live and it's on my radio". To me that sounds like a shooter testifying at trial and the memory of the shooting is like a lullaby for him and while it's being broadcast live, giving him more "fame" which is what he so desperately seeks it's on his radio in his cell in prison. My favourite line though is "I got my photo bomb, I got my Vietnam" It's just so screwed up like oh well, you're all dead but I got my photo op and my chance at playing soldier or zombie apocalypse for thirty minutes. And you know that there are people out there that have thought and do think like this and scarier yet they have access to weapons. Anyway I really love the lyrics. So brilliant. So many clever references and metaphors. Sorry for the long post

Me reading that MTV article

Judging from that facebook live video Billie says if you enjoy bang bang you'll love the rest of the album looks like you'll probably have to skip this one budday. bummer

Are people really interpreting this song as meaning "fuck men"? Jesus. I agree with your interpretation but I haven't seen much in this thread that contradicts it, maybe it's a good thing I haven't been reading many elsewhere.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. In the world we live in today, terrible things like mass shootings and the social-media-hype (turning the actor into a celebrity martyr) are so close together; the one can't exist without the other one anymore, so it seems. That's why my favourite line in the song is "Hurrah - bang bang - hurrah - bang bang - The hero of the hour". For me, that line shows perfectly how a horrible attack like that gets perverted into a mass-media-event, and it also encompasses the sensationalism of all of us. And it's not only about the USA. We had a mass shooting in Munich some months ago, and when I listenend to "Bang Bang" for the first time, I couldn't stop thinking that Billie wrote the song right after the Munich shooting. Really scary shit. God I love that song.

Press quote.

There actually is a psychological link with mass shooters and sexual frustration. They replace their lack of sex with destruction. I think that line is just brilliant.

I'm glad you said this because I was actually wondering if that was an issue. As someone who was affected by a mass shooting (not with people very close to me, but affected none the less), I thought the lyrics were so accurate and true it was creepy. Really, just brilliant.

1. What don't you like about it, other than "shitty"? It sets up the topic of the song. 2. These kinds of swings is what I love about Green Day. 3. Bull shit. 4. Cool. 5. Lyrics make no sense to YOU. Again, like I said to the last person, you're not from the US (according to your profile here) and might not pay too much attention to the affairs of this country so I wouldn't expect you to understand the lyrics. In the last 15 years, Billie hasn't been too direct with his lyrics, he's always using metaphors and sarcasm to convey his point. You have to really read between the lines and connect the dots to understand his lyrics. And in this song, if you're not in the US or paying close attention to what's happening here, then you're just not going to get it.

What BJ said actually made sense (can't we just appreciate this fact? :P) I kind of think it's bs to expect a group of conservative people to accept his opinion. Groups of people who share same views tend to assure itself about being right and aren't likely to collectively question whether their beliefs are flawed or not when someone comes up and begs to differ - they are more likely to write off differing opinions. And proving that the minority/disagreeing person is not only wrong opinion-wise but a complete waste of human flesh is a common mechanism. One person goes: don't listen to him, he's unqualified, someone else goes: you can't play violin, your opinion is invalid!!! Etc etc. That's the way it works. Most people surround themselves with people who agree with them, especially online. That makes emotions grow stronger when it comes to disagreements.

American Idiot was the album the world needed in that post 9/11 era, now I hope Revolution Radio becomes that album we need in this chaotic and messy world we live in.

THANK YOU. This is exactly what I've been saying the entire time, only you've put it more eloquently. Billie is just speaking up about his worries and you can't really roast him for that, especially when his worries are justified. Trump and Pre-WW2-Hitler share a lot of similarities, and it's not wrong to compare them.

I think Beej was drawing upon comparisons to post-WWI, pre-WW2 Hitler. A man who loved his country, and saw that many Germans (who were recently bitch-slapped by WWI) were in need of a leader who restored a sense of pride to his countrymen. Much like what Trump and his followers post-9/11 are currently experiencing. It was very easy for Germans to get caught up in all the propaganda, they didn't even realize what was happening before it was too late. My family that lived there at the time were terrified once they realized that anything they said could be misinterpreted and have them killed. They had to watch neighbors who were not "real Germans" be dragged away and they couldn't say anything against it for fear of being labeled as sympathizers. Anyway, I think Billie kind of sees this happening in the States as well, where anyone with dark skin and dark eyes are labeled as terrorists, and standing up for them makes you un-American and on "their side". By building a wall, by excessively killing people of color, by condemning a group of people based on their religion.....all in the name of restoring a country to its former glory.....that is very Hitler-esque. Anyone with an education will be able to see these comparisons without letting personal bias interfere. Trump, as well as Hitler, did not originally have such crazy intentions. They were just in love with who they were, and where they came from, and wanted to share this pride with their fellow citizens. There are going to be radicals of any ideology, be it far-right or far-left. The Nazis were just a reflection of what could happen when a particular party begins to snowball.

That made me think of the Orlando PULSE club shooter.... the shooter had mention he hated gays and the LGBT community, yet, the shooter was on gay websites looking for hookups. His own father said he was gay and the shooter had also has been known to hit on men at this club. Good catch JJ1964.

411 Music Fact or Fiction: Is Green Day’s New Song a Good One? Green Day’s new song “Bang Bang” was worth listening to. Joseph Lee: FACT – I haven’t soured on Green Day quite like everyone else seems to, as I enjoyed several songs from their last album trilogy. That said, “Bang Bang” was a fun little song that promises an enjoyable new album from the band. Jeremy Thomas: FACT – “Bang Bang” is a nice, rambunctious throwback effort that contained some of the energy missing from the Uno, Dos and Tres era. It’s not their most memorable song by any stretch, but it’s infections pop-punk which is what the band does best. It’s nice to see the group back in their comfort zone and it did its job in making me look forward to their upcoming album a little more. http://411mania.com/music/411-music-fact-or-fiction-is-green-days-new-song-a-good-one/

Yeah, I agree 100% and its the reason why they are my favorite band too. Their sound really speaks to me on an emotional level that no other band can reach. People like to say that GD are completely different to what they used to be but when you compare the change to a band like Fall Out Boy and that they now just sound like every other pop artist out there, you really begin to appreciate how close to their roots Green Day have stuck over the years while evolving naturally. You can't help but notice that Green Day seem to genuinely love what they do, unlike a lot of other bands who would completely change genres to make a quick buck and and as a fan I feel like one of the luckiest people alive to have such an awesome, genuine band in my life. They really do feel like family to me.

I haven't checked this thread for a couple of days.

For real, a rational criticism of the song is very welcome especially when I think back to the many "lol it's shit, lol at you for liking it" comments posted to shut down any appreciation of the trilogy that were actually annoying. There's going to be negative as well as positive comments posted about any song (as there should be, people have different opinions and different likes and dislikes) and I know which kind of negative comment I prefer to read! Be thankful for intelligent and polite posts like Tom's that can lead to interesting discussions and don't prevent anyone else from sharing their enjoyment of the song, it would be boring if everyone's opinion was identical.

Best lead single since American Idiot. Yes, that's my opinion. No, I won't dig up a fuck to give if you disagree.

Also I'm sorry but the song is catchy as fuck. I got various lines going over and over in my head at various times of the day.

To be fair, I don't think the song 'perfectly captures' the mindset of a shooter, because do we really know that mindset? And are all those mindsets the same? But I think Billie Joe was just exploring the possibilities of it - because of course he has no genuine connection with a mass shooter, come on! Some of the lyrics are jarring, contradictory, maybe even a bit clumsy, but I'm pretty sure that's intentional. That's not me trying to change anyone's mind - just explaining why I personally love the lyrics. I love the song. There've been songs I haven't liked, and I don't think it's fair to insinuate that because people love this song, they love everything the band put out. Though even if they do, lol who even cares? Good for them, whatever. It doesn't affect my opinions of the music. Edit: @Comrade, I don't question your love of the band btw. I'm a huge fan of a TV show that could do better a lot of the time and I rag on it a lot, but it's my show, y'know? I want what's best for it. And I can see it's the same for you and GD. I just don't agree with your assessment of the song on this occasion. And that's totally fine!

I'm confused that some don't find the "I wanna be a celebrity martyr/The leading man in my own private drama" to be a super catchy chorus. But whatever. This is an EXCELLENT lead single in my opinion—after not being in a great place as a fan after the Trilogy, I've been so wanting them to win me back. They won me back and then some with this song. It mixes their older sound and their newer sound. It's smart and it's loud and it's catchy. It is, without question, exactly what I hoped it would be and maybe even a bit more. They make me really, really proud.

1. Opinion 2. Opinion. Maybe you don't understand the the lyrics behind the song, which is possible since you're not in the US. To me, as a resident of the US and someone who pays a little attention to the happens in the country, the lyrics are actually quite clever and very true. 3. I'd argue "Daddy's little nightmare and mommy's little soldier" 4. Compared to what? It sounds incredible actually. 5. And how do they do this? Your blanket statement provides no example(s).

Just want to say I too think these are some of the best lyrics Billie has ever written. He perfectly captures how these mass shooters develop a god complex as their actions are amplified by social media. Even going beyond the typical mass shooter in America (sad that I have to say that), just look at how terrorist organizations are now using social media as a means to spread fear—releasing execution videos and the like. I'm more than capable of being critical of Green Day, but this is a brilliant song in my eyes (and ears!). I think is very much the point Rolling Stone was trying to make when they put that Boston Marathon Bomber on their cover—whether you agree with them doing that or not, the point was that these people become as notorious as rock stars in this digitally-charged world. I appreciate this song because I haven't heard any songs about the gun problem in my country. They might be out there, but they're not being played on major radio stations, to my knowledge. But as an American, I've become increasingly frustrated with the fact that these shootings continue and yet so many are against getting more comprehensive gun control laws. It's probably the biggest issues I take with the U.S., so this song really just hit home for me. I'm lucky to live here for a lot of reasons, but I'm tired of having it cross my mind that I could get shot in a mall or a movie theater. It shouldn't be a regular problem, and yet it is.

I don't agree with you at all, but the biggest that stuck out was the uninspired lyrics. I actually think this is some of the best lyrics Billie has ever written. It is really difficult to capture the how manic a mass shooter must feel and the thought process they go through and I really feel that the lyrics capture that.

I love "hurrah hurrah" its like we are celebrating something atrocious & I feel such guilt saying those words.

Imagine how awesome it'll be the first time you hear it with the album and the title track will come right after.

I think the trilogy started out very successfully, but then after the iHeart incident things started to fall apart, promotion wise. And Oh Love is still more radio friendly than the other singles, I guess that's why.

To be fair if you don't want mindless hate there's probably better things to read than a thing written by Milo Yiannopoulos

Based on the guys bio, it looks like an interview for an Argentinian TV channel / radio station

We've already got a topic for it here

I happened to be in Valparaiso when the song premiered and heard it on KQX the next day. It had a fun taped intro from the band!

SHITE

Just a reminder that this thread is for discussing Bang Bang, not for discussing Steven Seagull (however much more interesting you may find him ).

Man, reading Seagull's contrarian, attempt at coolness posts is going to be pure torture for the next month. #fortydaysinthedesert PS - Is Comrade Tom the old mod Tom?

HANDSOME AF

#fans

Your first post on this thread was "I wrote this on Twitter. It's like Kerplunk, Trilogy, Dookie and Insomniac had a baby. Kewl song." Now it seems you hate it just because mostly everyone else likes it. What's this obsession you have with being in the minority? Hating AI and 21CB, loving the trilogy and now disliking this song

No worries. I don't tend to bother expanding a point unless called to. Bad habit! But y'know guys, I'd not have stuck around on a Green Day forum for 8 years if I didn't like the band. I just don't like everything they do. As I say, most critical of the things I love. It's what gives value, for me.

I find it a little ironic that people complain that song X sounds like song Y when there are a ridiculous amount of songs out there, even in this genre alone. You are always going to get songs that sound like other songs, but the best thing about it is when a particular band tries to change or update their sound to make it fresh again, people complain that it sounds too different to their older material. There really is no way to win, no matter what.

I'm am so ridiculously excited for this album. I'm excited to go out and buy it and play it over and over. I kinda didn't get that excitement around the trio so this time I'm totally ready for Green Day back at their best. And I love Bang Bang. I'm taking it at face value, as an angry song about a shitty situation. Fans have and will continue to constantly set their own expectations for Green Day's music. It's expected that every single song they release will either be something radically new or something alike to the Dookie era. Sometimes I think you just gotta take what comes, and appreciate that our band are still releasing music and loving it. We're kinda lucky in that respect!

Well we can agree to disagree, I think the lyrics are brilliant

I've only listened to it about 5 times. I don't want it to get overplayed by the time the album comes out. I may not listen to the second single at all - it bugs me that I already know two songs out of 12. No need for more. Holy fuck! You average at 92 minutes of Bang Bang a day Damn, off to listen to Jinx

Sounds like it comes later, as they mentioned that this is the highest debut in a year.

One thing that helps a bit is FLAC if you have players that support it. Less compression than CD/AAC/MP3, you can play it louder, and you get a slightly richer sound out of it (hell, even Horseshoes & Handgrenades kicks up a half-notch when you listen to its FLAC copy). American Idiot, 21st CB, and the Trilogy are all available on FLAC and you can bet your ass I'll buy RevRad when it's released in that format. P.S. Thanks to Matt for introducing me to that format.

Well, considering the official site only has the Facebook video up (which has 6 million as the other person pointed out), 1.6 isn't too bad. If you think about it, a lot of casual fans would follow this pattern: Hey, Green Day has a new song out, let me check their website.

I went walking with my phone and headphones and listened to Bang Bang over and over for my entire walk, LOL. The tempo is perfect for walking and it sounds GORGEOUS through headphones.

I kinda can't get over how good the lyric video is?! Like, take away the lyrics and it's an amazing music video. No pressure for the actual music video or anything.