Why does Green day don’t play Many 21st Century Breakdown Songs live anymore?

[Christian's Inferno!]

8 hours ago, Tre's Busted Drumkit said:

The line as written is not my favorite choice of word, but it absolutely has to make reference to Black people somehow, and not in a positive light, for the first half of the song to carry the punch it does. Meanwhile, in Holiday, the word "fag" adds literally nothing beyond shock value to the song. Kill all the ones, kill all the folks, kill all the pigs, kill all the snots, all words I've heard used instead of "Kill all the fags", and the song lost nothing for it. "Just a bunch of losers throwing gas into the hysteria"? That robs the first half of American Eulogy of its meaning. Does that mean the song should just be left to rot? Maybe you could make that argument, but if American Eulogy shouldn't be played again because of that one line, then I don't see why Billie Joe wouldn't have stopped telling audiences to "kill all the fags" long, long ago.

So maybe "just a bunch of faggots throwing gas into the hysteria", then? It makes as much sense there as it does in Holiday, tbqh.

 

It's kind of a lackluster intro just watching it on YouTube or the MTV special, but seeing it live was a different animal. Not the best show opening I've ever seen (Roger Water owns that spot forever), but definitely so much better live than it is on a screen.

I'm not complaining about the use of the n word in American Eulogy. I honestly don't care at all and don't enjoy the song any less because of its inclusion in the song. But the n word is like the no. 1 "don't use" word, especially in 2023. You're right that the line in Holiday is arguably way worse than the line in American Eulogy. But because Billie is bisexual, most people who would have an issue with that kind of line will be ok with that. Additionally, the use of the word in American Idiot first implies that "Maybe I am a f*****. But that's ok. At least I'm not part of a redneck agenda", so when it comes up again in Holiday (along with the Sieg Heil) we can see that this is the other side talking, the bigoted/redneck agenda side. While these are obviously edgy lines, I don't think the intention in Holiday was JUST shock value. We can argue about which line sounds worse but I really don't think American Eulogy is ever going to be played live again, and I wouldn't want them to just replace the lyric either because I don't think they could replace it with anything that hits as hard. I'm not saying American Eulogy shouldn't ever be played live, just that it won't ever be played live

[Lenny]

11 hours ago, Tre's Busted Drumkit said:

The line as written is not my favorite choice of word, but it absolutely has to make reference to Black people somehow, and not in a positive light, for the first half of the song to carry the punch it does. Meanwhile, in Holiday, the word "fag" adds literally nothing beyond shock value to the song. Kill all the ones, kill all the folks, kill all the pigs, kill all the snots, all words I've heard used instead of "Kill all the fags", and the song lost nothing for it. "Just a bunch of losers throwing gas into the hysteria"? That robs the first half of American Eulogy of its meaning. Does that mean the song should just be left to rot? Maybe you could make that argument, but if American Eulogy shouldn't be played again because of that one line, then I don't see why Billie Joe wouldn't have stopped telling audiences to "kill all the fags" long, long ago.

So maybe "just a bunch of faggots throwing gas into the hysteria", then? It makes as much sense there as it does in Holiday, tbqh.

 

It's kind of a lackluster intro just watching it on YouTube or the MTV special, but seeing it live was a different animal. Not the best show opening I've ever seen (Roger Water owns that spot forever), but definitely so much better live than it is on a screen.

I would keep the lyrics of Eulogy the same. It was written that way for a reason. 
 

and the way it’s written is not offensive it’s literally a quote.

It’s in the same vein as going over the words of a threat in court. The court is not going to censor what was said as that affects the ability to get an accurate verdict.

[Schindi_25]

On 12/2/2023 at 10:31 PM, Rumpelstiltskin2000 said:

Me too. I've said it before but close my eyes listening to it and I'm back in Hanover 2010! Specifically Hanover, I'm not sure why! 

I am in Berlin this year. Maybe they bring some back, like I another User, Said 21st cb is a Perfect opening Song, other than American idiot