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06 - 1981 - Song Discussion


Liam

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Much better than the live debut, but still think this is on the lower end for me. It's high energy and lots of fun though. And it's hard to resist that hook. 

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What @The Grohl said.  Possibly a weaker track for me which is not to say it is weak but the lyrics.  She is a Cold War and I’m East Berlin…  crimes from another time, champagne and party lines, it’s a fun romp with serious lyrics against division to me.  Being as the Cold War was in full swing in 1981 and we really hope we don’t go back that way. A little punk rock explosion.

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Just now, jengd said:

What @The Grohl said.  Possibly a weaker track for me which is not to say it is weak but the lyrics.  She is a Cold War and I’m East Berlin…  crimes from another time, champagne and party lines, it’s a fun romp with serious lyrics against division to me.  Being as the Cold War was in full swing in 1981 and we really hope we don’t go back that way. A little punk rock explosion.

I also like the lyrics! It seems like another standard Green Day punk rock stomper, but it's actually quite dark with the references to the cold war. That keeps the song interesting at least.

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This song is such a banger, clear example of why not to judge a song from crappy smartphone recording from a festival. Comment to myself as well as I had mixed feelings from those videos. 

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Amazing how much better this song sounds! I think the ‘so long farewell’ backing vocal really elevates it. Also really like the lyrics. 

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Listened to this on repeat a few times while driving today and noticed an absolute beauty of a bass line just prior to the chorus starting. This song absolutely bangs!

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I like this song much more than the live debut last years. It sounds really good, and the bridge is well done.

However, I wish the lyrics and arrangement were a little more straightforward and simple. It’s trying too hard to be different. It would be better song if it were all just a little simpler.

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Still remember being front row in Québec City last july when they played this song. What a journey we had since then.

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Was trying to find a "war" reference in the lyrics and found something else.   East Berlin, which is mentioned in this song - it's representatives got full voting rights in that year. 

 

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I’m listening to SiriusXM with headphones and you can really hear the amazing production of Saviors with this one. 1981 played and it was banging in my ears loud and upfront, then they play Fire, Ready, Aim and even though it’s a banger the sound got much more quiet and samey with no dynamics. 

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Great bridge, catchy melody. I do find it repetitive though. I wish there was just a bit more variation in the chorus. 

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This song rules and while I can understand some people finding it repetitive and the chorus not being strong enough on its own, I couldn't disagree more. It's such an earworm and I find myself going back to this track and Coma City the most at the moment.

On 1/20/2024 at 12:39 PM, dirnt286 said:

I like this song much more than the live debut last years. It sounds really good, and the bridge is well done.

However, I wish the lyrics and arrangement were a little more straightforward and simple. It’s trying too hard to be different. It would be better song if it were all just a little simpler.

Curious what you mean by this, brother. This song is arguably the most straightforward and simplistic lyrically on the entire record, and musically it's pretty by the books as well.

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14 hours ago, Malleus said:

This song rules and while I can understand some people finding it repetitive and the chorus not being strong enough on its own, I couldn't disagree more. It's such an earworm and I find myself going back to this track and Coma City the most at the moment.

Curious what you mean by this, brother. This song is arguably the most straightforward and simplistic lyrically on the entire record, and musically it's pretty by the books as well.

Thanks for asking. I feel like the arrangement has too many different "parts", and the melodies and lyrics for me that it feels like it is trying too hard to be just a little different... just to be different. It's hard to explain, it's just a feeling I get.

I see Strange Days as the most straight ahead / classic Green Day song on the record. Though I would put 1981 in second place to that category of song.

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I really like this one (3rd most favorite, after Fancy Sauce and Goodbye Adeline) due the fact they had really pushed their formula with the arrangements. Still got a catchy chorus but the verses are nicely crafted. Probably the best representation of an 90's Green Day song with updated production:)

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I think someone else mentioned it but the so long farewell part is starting to remind me of Foo Fighters Monkey Wrench when he sings fall in, fall out.

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I really like how the first and second verses have entirely different melodies, I feel like that's not too common in this genre 

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  • 1 month later...
On 1/24/2024 at 11:20 PM, tdlyon said:

I really like how the first and second verses have entirely different melodies, I feel like that's not too common in this genre 

Agreed about the choruses and different melodies. 

I have this completely stuck in my head today as I did after hearing the debut on the crappy livestream. Honestly everything Billie writes is so catchy. You can hear the smallest part of something he's written and get it stuck in your head for days! 

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9 minutes ago, Rumpelstiltskin2000 said:

D'accord sur les refrains et les différentes mélodies. 

J'ai cela complètement coincé dans ma tête aujourd'hui, comme je l'ai fait après avoir entendu les débuts sur le livestream merdique. Honnêtement, tout ce que Billie écrit est tellement accrocheur. Vous pouvez entendre la moindre partie de quelque chose qu’il a écrit et la garder en tête pendant des jours ! 

i would not be that far excited, would rather say 90-95% of whatever he writes is awesome, but there are stains to his discography such as those lyrics in "Makeout Party" (which are balanced by the very attractive instrumental), the choruses in "Outlaws", the entirety of "Fire, Ready, Aim" and "Take The Money And Crawl" and the verses in "Look Ma, No Brains".

"1981" is amazing, though. Represents the album's great quality and creativity. The pre-chorus, specifically, is my favourite in the last 12 years. i only think it needed bigger instrumental outro.

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