Blasphemy & Genocide: Unpopular Green Day Opinions, Part 2

[Guest]

Kiss yer eardrums goodbye, laddy.

Did you accidentally snort a pot of gold and become a racist caricature?

Warning is good, but it's far from their best, and it's certainly not as good as GDC makes it out to be. Half of it is pretty rubbish/average, and the other half is amongst their best work. It's just too inconsistent.

[Sauli]

Did you accidentally snort a pot of gold and become a racist caricature?

Warning is good, but it's far from their best, and it's certainly not as good as GDC makes it out to be. Half of it is pretty rubbish/average, and the other half is amongst their best work. It's just too inconsistent.

the amazing thing about it is how it is not inconsistent like most of their other albums. Its pure gold from the start to the end

[Spike]

Warning is a great album but it's not very Green Day. If you're into classic English rock (the Kinks etc) then I can see why it'd be someone's favourite album. I like how it's something different, and the additional instrumentation makes for a brilliant listening experience. I find I have to be in the mood for it though, it's not the kind of record I can just throw on and really get into, with the exception of Church on Sunday, Castaway, Waiting and Minority.

[Guest]

the amazing thing about it is how it is not inconsistent like most of their other albums. Its pure gold from the start to the end

It's incredibly inconsistent. It opens with a semi acoustic pseudo-political rant about repression of free thought, and then dives into a weird shuffle beat song about BDSM. Then it switches to a dark love song in the classic Green Day vibe before jumping into an ode to a murdered fashion icon? And those are just the first four songs. It's an incredibly disjointed record, and for me it never really gets into any kind of groove. I can appreciate it because it's a step out of the comfort zone, but to call it their best album does albums like AI, Dookie, 21stCB, Insomniac, or even Kerplunk a massive disservice.

[Spike]

It's incredibly inconsistent. It opens with a semi acoustic pseudo-political rant about repression of free thought, and then dives into a weird shuffle beat song about BDSM. Then it switches to a dark love song in the classic Green Day vibe before jumping into an ode to a murdered fashion icon? And those are just the first four songs. It's an incredibly disjointed record, and for me it never really gets into any kind of groove. I can appreciate it because it's a step out of the comfort zone, but to call it their best album does albums like AI, Dookie, 21stCB, Insomniac, or even Kerplunk a massive disservice.

I think in terms of quality the songs are definitely consistent, but it's second only to Nimrod in terms of being an absolute clusterfuck. What really sets the albums you listed apart is that they're cohesive as albums rather than just being a collection of songs.

[Sauli]

If you're into classic English rock (the Kinks etc)

touche

But to me the thing about it is how its kinda mix of the later Green Day of AI and the older Green Day of Nimrod etc.

Also it is lyrically a good mix of more personal topics and political/social commentatory (not very original though but then again who is) and I personally like that retro element and more unusual (for them) arragements and stuff.

It is also maybe their least "heavy" album and given my musical background I tend to love that. Its a good mix of everything that the band is good at (expect multi-part compositions obviously)

[Guest]

I think in terms of quality the songs are definitely consistent, but it's second only to Nimrod in terms of being an absolute clusterfuck. What really sets the albums you listed apart is that they're cohesive as albums rather than just being a collection of songs.

Eh, not so much on the quality front either. Fashion Victim and Hold On are easily amongst Green Days worst/most forgettable songs for me. There's not many songs on it I'd ever listen to, really, even if the other songs are pretty good.

[Sauli]

Eh, not so much on the quality front either. Fashion Victim and Hold On are easily amongst Green Days worst/most forgettable songs for me. There's not many songs on it I'd ever listen to, really, even if the other songs are pretty good.

wut? The former has an amazing groove and the latter is just a lovely piece of traditional acoustic pop songwriting? You gotta love the harmonica

Fashion Victim's lyrics are rather bland and unoriginal though. But its still a good song.

[Spike]

Eh, not so much on the quality front either. Fashion Victim and Hold On are easily amongst Green Days worst/most forgettable songs for me. There's not many songs on it I'd ever listen to, really, even if the other songs are pretty good.

I'm not big on Fashion Victim myself but I actually like Hold On. It's hardly classic Green Day but it's nowhere near Dos territory. Overall I think the album's consistently pretty decent, with one or two standout tracks.

[Guest]

wut? The former has an amazing groove and the latter is just a lovely piece of traditional acoustic pop songwriting? You gotta love the harmonica

Fashion Victim's lyrics are rather bland and unoriginal though. But its still a good song.

FV is the same note and same rhythm for 3 minutes, with very boring lyrics that I can't recall a single word of. Does he even say "fashion victim" in the song?

Hold On is just boring as fuck. There's at least a dozen songs from the Trilogy which easily top it, and that says it all.

[Sauli]

the least great song on warning is the tittle track with its rather unimaginative lyrics and not very original riff. The melody, on the other hand,

is awesome.

[DookieLukie]

It's incredibly inconsistent. It opens with a semi acoustic pseudo-political rant about repression of free thought, and then dives into a weird shuffle beat song about BDSM. Then it switches to a dark love song in the classic Green Day vibe before jumping into an ode to a murdered fashion icon? And those are just the first four songs. It's an incredibly disjointed record, and for me it never really gets into any kind of groove. I can appreciate it because it's a step out of the comfort zone, but to call it their best album does albums like AI, Dookie, 21stCB, Insomniac, or even Kerplunk a massive disservice.

Was FV actually about a real person or just a general commentary?

[Todd]

Was FV actually about a real person or just a general commentary?

It's about how people jump from one trend to the next, and they are "victims" of fashion, buying all sorts of clothes and accessories to stay with the changing styles.

[Certified Nimrod]

Did you accidentally snort a pot of gold and become a racist caricature?

Flattery will get you nowhere.

[DookieLukie]

It's about how people jump from one trend to the next, and they are "victims" of fashion, buying all sorts of clothes and accessories to stay with the changing styles.

That's what I thought. Ceadog's use of the phrase "ode to a murdered fashion icon" led me to ask the question.

[Guest]

That's what I thought. Ceadog's use of the phrase "ode to a murdered fashion icon" led me to ask the question.

I'm almost certain I read in an interview that it was about an Italian guy who was so good at fashion they had to shoot him.

Oh no wait, I'm getting interviews confused with episodes of Father Ted.

[Z J]

Warning has some damn good songs. Castaway and Macy's Day Parade are top 10 GD songs for me. Church On Sunday and Minority are up there as well. Then there's the solid group of Deadbeat Holiday, BS&B, and Jackass. The rest isn't incredible for me. I only recently started liking Jackass. It's a very good album but I wouldn't say it should be considered better than AI,21CB, or Insomniac.

But Macy's Day Parade and Castaway are pure magic. MDP is excellent vocally. The slow rise in key and some of the runs are just magical. Castaway has by far GD's best melody coupled with very good lyrics and a killer bass line.

And I'm not a huge Nimrod fan, but Walking Alone is fucking fantastic and idk why it has taken me so long to realize it.

[Spike]

Warning has some damn good songs. Castaway and Macy's Day Parade are top 10 GD songs for me. Church On Sunday and Minority are up there as well. Then there's the solid group of Deadbeat Holiday, BS&B, and Jackass. The rest isn't incredible for me. I only recently started liking Jackass. It's a very good album but I wouldn't say it should be considered better than AI,21CB, or Insomniac.

But Macy's Day Parade and Castaway are pure magic. MDP is also a top 5 vocal GD song for me. The slow rise in key and some of the runs are just magical. Castaway has by far GD's best melody coupled with very good lyrics and a killer bass line.

And I'm not a huge Nimrod fan, but Walking Alone is fucking fantastic and idk why it has taken me so long to realize it.

I'm pretty sure you have more than five top five vocals at this point But yeah, MDP is fantastic, and one of my funeral songs.

Walking Alone is also brilliant, and generally massively overlooked. It has some great lyrics.

[Z J]

I'm pretty sure you have more than five top five vocals at this point But yeah, MDP is fantastic, and one of my funeral songs.

Walking Alone is also brilliant, and generally massively overlooked. It has some great lyrics.

Shhh.

1. Last Night On Earth

2. Macy's Day Parade

2. Before the Lobotomy

3. Give Me Novocaine

4. Wake Me Up When September Ends

5. Church On Sunday

There… top 5

[Spike]

Shhh.

1. Last Night On Earth

2. Macy's Day Parade

2. Before the Lobotomy

3. Give Me Novocaine

4. Wake Me Up When September Ends

5. Church On Sunday

There… top 5

No Restless Heart Syndrome or Jesus Of Suburbia?

[Z J]

No Restless Heart Syndrome or Jesus Of Suburbia?

I actually wrote RHS and then erased it b/c the runs in Church On Sunday are perfect ….. it's a very difficult list to make. I could see JOS up there for Dearly Beloved and Tales from Another broken Home but as far as lead vocal goes it doesn't quite make it up there

I probably should stop saying "top: whatever" without at least thinking out a list from now on

[Spike]

I actually wrote RHS and then erased it b/c the runs in Church On Sunday are perfect .. it's a very difficult list to make. I could see JOS up there for Dearly Beloved and Tales from Another broken Home but as far as lead vocal goes it doesn't quite make it up there

I probably should stop saying "top: whatever" without at least thinking out a list from now on

I'd actually put the opening of JOS up there, it's an odd one though because it sounds so much better when isolated it's unreal.

And honestly, your top five list makes my top five list of your top five lists.

[PleasedToMeetMe]

I love Warning. It might not be their best album but it has some of the bands best songs on it (Blood Sex and Booze, Church on Sunday, Waiting, Macy's Day Parade among them) and I love the way Billie's voice sounds. I can see what the band was going for with that record and it's a shame that they never really took that sound any further.

[Sauli]

It's about how people jump from one trend to the next, and they are "victims" of fashion, buying all sorts of clothes and accessories to stay with the changing styles.

IMO the only song the humankind needs about that topic was written as early as 1966 by Raymond Douglas Davies

And its lyrically fat superior to Fashion Victim. But Fashion Victim as a song is good if those bland lyrics do not count

[Fuzz]

It's incredibly inconsistent. It opens with a semi acoustic pseudo-political rant about repression of free thought, and then dives into a weird shuffle beat song about BDSM. Then it switches to a dark love song in the classic Green Day vibe before jumping into an ode to a murdered fashion icon? And those are just the first four songs. It's an incredibly disjointed record, and for me it never really gets into any kind of groove. I can appreciate it because it's a step out of the comfort zone, but to call it their best album does albums like AI, Dookie, 21stCB, Insomniac, or even Kerplunk a massive disservice.

Warning is easily my favorite album, and I'd argue it's one of their best. I might put it on par with American Idiot. For me, it's the lyrics. There's some real poetry on that album that doesn't exist in any other Green Day album. I agree the music is disjointed, but lyrics have always mattered to me much more than music. So if you put some awesome lyrics in with some good music, I'm sold. Dookie is great for its music (lyrics are alright, but not much that makes me think "wow you actually need to analyze this a bit to understand it"), and American Idiot is a combination of the two (good music, meaningful lyrics).