Unpopular Green Day Opinions

[Z J]

1) The majority of 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour is terrible and poorly written, especially Rest and I Was There, the only two songs I really listen to on there are Green Day and At the Library.

2) One of My Lies is boring.

3) Chump is one of the worst Green Day songs of all time, it's so boring and repetitive, it's really just an album-filler.

4) Insomniac isn't great, most of the songs sound the same and have the same structure as one another. Oh, and I despise Geek Stink Breath.

5) Nimrod is there beat album, but Last Ride In is pointless.

6) Warning should never have been released, there are some good songs but altogether it's pretty poor.

7) Minority bores me.

8) Shenanigans is dreadful!

9) Extraordinary Girl makes me cringe and WMUWSE bores the living daylight out of me!

10) Most of 21st Century Breakdown is below average and I seems like they were just trying to make another American Idiot.

3) The trilogy is awesome, except Baby Eyes and Little Boy Named Train, I can't listen to those two songs!

Peace.

• 39/Smooth was written when they were teenagers. Naturally quality is lower
• One of my lies is better live, same for almost any song of pre-dookie albums
• Chump isn't repetitive considering it's like half a song. The beginning is really good IMO, but it's really just a lead in for Longview
• Insomniac is one of those albums I'll listen to in one sitting. Wall to wall fast and underrated lyrics
• Nimrod is solid, but it's long and a lot of the songs just aren't as meaningful to me personally
• Warning produced Castaway, Blood Sex and Booze, Minority, Macy's Day Parade. Has their best base lines for sure.
• Minority I can understand to an extent, I disagree however. The live version, especially if you're there in person, is absolutely spectacular
• Shenanigans was a B-Side album.....of course it's not great but better than any other bands' b-sides.
• Extraordinary Girl is bad. WMUWSE is incredibly great, perhaps overplayed and ruined by little 12 yr old girls for some, but for me, it's excellent.
• 21CB has some of their most epic songs. The title track being one of them. 21 guns fits in to the same category as WMUWSE for me. Viva La Gloria! is great. Static Age also good, has some lows and gets a little crazy at times, however.

[Cob]

I firmly disagree with this. The lyrics on Dookie and in general the pre-American Idiot label were underrated and some were most definitely deep. For example: J.A.R, Basket Case wasn't "straight forward", She, Coming Clean, Castaway, Armatage Shanks, Good Riddance, and almost all of American Idiot. How were they not "deep" on American Idiot?

I disagree with your point that Dookie has underrated lyrics, since that album established Billie Joe as a pretty fantastic song writer.

Anyways, in my opinion, American Idiot is only deeper if you equate depth with metaphor. But in a sense of meaning, a sense of subject, Green Day has always been a fairly "deep" band because they always sing about real, human experiences in a way that is involving, immediate, and relatable. Musically, their depth has always been placed in that they can make powerful pieces using relatively simple (yet beautifully crafted) music and they can hide sad or negative subject matter in gorgeous melodies and high energy (like Good Riddance and Basket Case). I was stating that The Trilogy wasn't lacking this quality, which was something that was being said. I'm not belittling Green Day's catalog, if anything I'm trying to support it or offer a new perspective.

Also, I agree with on of your points. The lyrics of Insomniac, from a songwriting and grammar perspective, are hugely underrated. Some of Billie Joes best lyrics are on that album. I think that has something to do with having toured with Bad Religion around that time.

[justcause]

Many of the trilogy lyrics are vague, trite or utterly forgettable. Even X Kid, one of the most powerful tracks the whole project has to offer, feels extremely clumsy in places: "here goes nothing, the shouting's over" doesn't express some of ideas in the song very clearly or fully. I know it's supposed to be about suicide, but it doesn't capture the fear of growing old or mourning at all.

'Bombs away', ' here goes nothing' - the kind of things you might shout out when you're downing shots with your friend, words that are bravado and reckless and badass, jovial, fuck-the-world and we're the kings of it. Then suddenly this friend is gone in a terrible and shocking way, and those words come back, but they have a different ring, they mean something else - you see looking back at some near-yesterday when it seemed like you were both having fun, but under it, your friend was falling apart. Everything that went before is shadowed with what happened next -

and so you talk to your friend, because you want to say that you understood all of their pain, that you saw, that you loved them - 'hey, little kid' - so much loved. The words - maybe 'clumsy' is right, because they come stumbling out of such a place of grief, blunted, feelings seeking for comprehension and form, to be somehow voiced. Little words, kid-words - 'didn't catch your fall / then I crashed into a wall', broke like a nursery-rhyme. Little kid falling down, getting a kick to the head - all this sense of somehow-innocence and vulnerability, little kid that woke up late and unready, life messy. X-Kid is being suddenly at the place of seeing the arc of someone's life, and raising it up from anonymity, insignificance, to say 'I saw you, you mattered to me'.

It's punchdrunk, the one-two of sorrowing for this friend, and being hit by the blow of their death; it reels between 'I' and 'you', identifying and differing, trying to make sense of it.

The intro guitar comes in drained of color, sharp-defined - the way the world looks when that kind of news breaks. The vocals are somewhere drowning in tears. First hearing it and I knew this is the one - the song of the Trilogy, true and perfect and valuable, something to take and to keep.

[GaxnorianLiberator]

Personally hope a new album doesn't come out for a good 4-5 years. Mostly because as I have stated I didn't like UNO or TRE. DOS was great. Carpe Diem was purely the reason I wanted UNO and then when I got home and listened to it I found out they fucked it up from the secret shows. TRE too many long drawn out songs including the Twatlight song The Forgotten that I get bored a minute in due to they're all too depressing. Even 21st CB was better then TRE. Well that and I wanted a NEW sound not them trying to mimic their old sound or their AI/21st CB sounds.

[ZSebs]

I hate that they are playing Dookie in full. Yeah, it was the album that brought them their fame, but they need to mix in some more songs. I don't care what albums the songs are from, but I don't want them to all be from one album.

[Awesompawsome]

My favorite line is "Yeah, you're crying on Michael Jordan"

I'm pretty sure it's crying on my cold shoulder

[Flyingdonutz]

1) The majority of 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour is terrible and poorly written, especially Rest and I Was There, the only two songs I really listen to on there are Green Day and At the Library.

2) One of My Lies is boring.

3) Chump is one of the worst Green Day songs of all time, it's so boring and repetitive, it's really just an album-filler.

4) Insomniac isn't great, most of the songs sound the same and have the same structure as one another. Oh, and I despise Geek Stink Breath.

5) Nimrod is there beat album, but Last Ride In is pointless.

6) Warning should never have been released, there are some good songs but altogether it's pretty poor.

7) Minority bores me.

8) Shenanigans is dreadful!

9) Extraordinary Girl makes me cringe and WMUWSE bores the living daylight out of me!

10) Most of 21st Century Breakdown is below average and I seems like they were just trying to make another American Idiot.

3) The trilogy is awesome, except Baby Eyes and Little Boy Named Train, I can't listen to those two songs!

Peace.

How can Minority bore you? I could understand not liking it (barely) but to the point that it BORES you? How?

[munns6691]

Unpopular Opinion- I love One of My Lies and whenever they make their next album I think It will be what they wish the trilogy was

[Awesompawsome]

I hate that they are playing Dookie in full. Yeah, it was the album that brought them their fame, but they need to mix in some more songs. I don't care what albums the songs are from, but I don't want them to all be from one album.

It's probably because that was the first time they'd been to those countries and it was a treat and also it might have been for 2014

[munns6691]

Also, I think they should play different albums end to end to mix it up. Nimrod or Kerplunk front to back would be awesome

[Awesompawsome]

How can Minority bore you? I could understand not liking it (barely) but to the point that it BORES you? How?

Lets be honest minority is only good live

Also, I think they should play different albums end to end to mix it up. Nimrod or Kerplunk front to back would be awesome

Anything front to back would be great

[munns6691]

Nuclear Family is American Idiot with different lyrics, which makes me like the song a little less

[ZSebs]

Nuclear Family is American Idiot with different lyrics, which makes me like the song a little less

Whoa, I never thought it like that....But HOLY SHIT YOU'RE RIGHT

[HolyHandGrenade]

I'm pretty sure it's crying on my cold shoulder

I know, I was kidding. It's a pretty common misheard line from the trilogy

[Hermione]

I think it probably takes quite a lot of practice time to be able to play an album back to back live, relearning all the songs to a good enough standard. They've spent the time doing it with Dookie so they probably want to make the most of it!

But yeah it's just a special little thing they're doing for a few shows, it's not going to be permanent so just enjoy it for the special little treat that it is.

[musso_kn]

I get the feeling even if Billie Joe hadn't gone to rehab, we wouldn't have had very full US and European tours. Compare the American Idiot Tour to the 21 Century Breakdown tour. They really didn't play a great variety of dates during the latter, and it's hugely disappointing considering that they are sensational live. I know they've done a lot of secret shows in between, but those are hardly practical for people with busy lives, and hardly accessible with a limited number of tickets. I don't what has caused this decline in touring, but I had brief conversation about it earlier today, and it was suggested that the band is getting a little... lazy. I don't know. But it's frustrating how little they're touring. I know he's not well, but...I can't shake off the feeling it would have made any difference if Billie Joe was totally healthy the whole time.

[Florence]

It's probably because that was the first time they'd been to those countries and it was a treat and also it might have been for 2014

Noooo lol

GD has been to Austria several times and played concerts there. For Serbia I would say it was because they have been there for the first time, but Dookie front to back in Austria was a spontaneous thing

My unpopular opinion:

• Baby Eyes is my favorite song off the trilogy among Stray Heart, X-Kid, Brutal Love and DRB.
• I love Billie's "HEYYY- OOOOH"s at concerts

[Hermione]

I get the feeling even if Billie Joe hadn't gone to rehab, we wouldn't have had very full US and European tours. Compare the American Idiot Tour to the 21 Century Breakdown tour. They really didn't play a great variety of dates during the latter, and it's hugely disappointing considering that they are sensational live. I know they've done a lot of secret shows in between, but those are hardly practical for people with busy lives, and hardly accessible with a limited number of tickets. I don't what has caused this decline in touring, but I had brief conversation about it earlier today, and it was suggested that the band is getting a little... lazy. I don't know. But it's frustrating how little they're touring. I know he's not well, but...I can't shake off the feeling it would have made any difference if Billie Joe was totally healthy the whole time.

They played 10 shows (plus a Foxboro one) on the first leg of the 21st CB tour in the UK alone! Plus a few more big ones the next year. They also played countries they'd never played before and more shows than most bands manage in a longer tour than most bands manage, playing much longer shows than most bands manage. It was a HUGE tour.

I'm pretty sure they're just taking things a bit easier because it's best for Billie. But it's not like they're at a lazy level, more just a normal level compared to before. Most bands really don't tour as long and hard as Green Day have until now, at some point they were going to have to start taking things more slowly. They're gonna be back here next year I'm sure, seems like they're just spacing stuff out a bit more and doing the "easier" festival part of the tour first instead of the other way round this time.

[musso_kn]

I'm pretty sure they're just taking things a bit easier because it's best for Billie. But it's not like they're at a lazy level, more just a normal level compared to before. Most bands really don't tour as long and hard as Green Day have until now, at some point they were going to have to start taking things more slowly. They're gonna be back here next year I'm sure, seems like they're just spacing stuff out a bit more and doing the "easier" festival part of the tour first instead of the other way round this time.

Mmm, I do hope so. As you can probably tell, I'm not going to the Emirates gig tonight, so hopes for my first Green Day concert lie on the whatever comes in the second leg.

[GaxnorianLiberator]

I don't know why people expected GD to produce something completely different from anything they'd ever done before with these new albums. They did come up with some completely new sounding stuff, and tons of fans hated it (Nightlife and KTDJ, anyone?) I mean, really! I think it's unreasonable to dislike the trilogy just because it's not a complete and total departure from the rest of their work.

I was hoping for the Garage rock sound like they said they were aiming for. They got it with Dos!.

[DannyDirnt]

Well it's a phrase that usually means you're agitated or upset, maybe even a little pissed about something. Here it's used as a tongue in check reference to parting, maybe even sexuality.

But then it's weird that he thinks he's not straight because he's pissed off?

[Cob]

But then it's weird that he thinks he's not straight because he's pissed off?

It's figurative, not literal. He's using the phrase as word-play. Here are my ideas for what it could mean:

1. Tongue in cheek reference to sexuality: We all know that Billie is bisexual. So the line could be him simply stating that he's not straight.

2. He's frustrated, thus needs to party.

3. "Straight" could be reference to straight edge, a punk idealism that encourages people to not smoke, drink, use drugs, or have promiscuous sex. He could be joking that he's "bent out of shape" so he's not a straight edge person, thus fitting the party tone of the song.

[Awesompawsome]

I know, I was kidding. It's a pretty common misheard line from the trilogy

Ok good

[Flyingdonutz]

Lets be honest minority is only good live

Anything front to back would be great

I couldn't possibly disagree more.

[Eva]

Well it's a phrase that usually means you're agitated or upset, maybe even a little pissed about something. Here it's used as a tongue in check reference to parting, maybe even sexuality.

I've always taken it to be a tongue in cheek reference to his bisexuality and drug/alcohol use.

Also, I agree with on of your points. The lyrics of Insomniac, from a songwriting and grammar perspective, are hugely underrated. Some of Billie Joes best lyrics are on that album. I think that has something to do with having toured with Bad Religion around that time.

Insomniac is my favorite Green Day album. The lyrics are extremely underrated. Most of the lyrics are very funny, metaphorical, a great analysis of society, or commentary on the increase of elitism in the punk scene, which is something really affected the band after their rise to fame in the 90s.

I get the feeling even if Billie Joe hadn't gone to rehab, we wouldn't have had very full US and European tours. Compare the American Idiot Tour to the 21 Century Breakdown tour. They really didn't play a great variety of dates during the latter, and it's hugely disappointing considering that they are sensational live. I know they've done a lot of secret shows in between, but those are hardly practical for people with busy lives, and hardly accessible with a limited number of tickets. I don't what has caused this decline in touring, but I had brief conversation about it earlier today, and it was suggested that the band is getting a little... lazy. I don't know. But it's frustrating how little they're touring. I know he's not well, but...I can't shake off the feeling it would have made any difference if Billie Joe was totally healthy the whole time.

I'm not too sure on what the touring situation would have been if Billie had been sober, but I remember when they first released tour dates (before the whole Radio/drunk Billie scandal) and I was extremely disappointed. Even though I only went to the Nashville show when they were touring for 21st Century Breakdown, I could have gone to at least three more if I had wanted, because they played two shows in North Carolina (I believe) and a show in Atlanta.

With the tour dates the band had released, even before Billie had gone rehab, the close tour date to me was still seven hours away.

I don't know why people expected GD to produce something completely different from anything they'd ever done before with these new albums. They did come up with some completely new sounding stuff, and tons of fans hated it (Nightlife and KTDJ, anyone?) I mean, really! I think it's unreasonable to dislike the trilogy just because it's not a complete and total departure from the rest of their work.

Plus, if they had done something completely different, everyone would have gotten pissed and would have been like, "What the fuck? This isn't Green Day? Where's 21st Century Breakdown? That was so much better than this!"

Or, if they hadn't done something completely different and had made another rock opera, the fans would have been like, "What the fuck? Not another rock opera! What the hell's wrong with you, Billie Joe?"

Green Day can't win.