Blasphemy & Genocide: Unpopular Green Day Opinions, Part 2

[Chin for a Day]

6 minutes ago, Jane Lannister said:

if it wasn't for the lyrics (which I find bad), I'd actually like it a lot. I like that it's different and I like the piano on it and the vocals.

I agree, the lyrics are the weakest part of the song. However, I can appreciate the fact that they tried to do something totally different. He does sound very pretty on it and I do find it soothing to listen to when I need something quiet. 

[DeJennsitized]

I love The Forgotten and I don't get why it being in Twilight would affect anyone's opinion on it. It sounds how it sounds no matter where it's been featured.  

[herewegoagain]

1 hour ago, pacejunkie punk said:

just plain B material (Prosthetic Head)

It's not often it happens on here but I am actually wiggered  Granted it's not a songwriting masterpiece or anything but I love Prosthetic Head. Agree it's kind of a weird choice to not end with GR but I think it works. 

Apart from Last Ride In and Take Back, which I admittedly usually skip, the album really doesn't feel too long to me. Every song has its qualities and I think the overall sound is a perfect mix of early, "angry" Green Day and the more complex Warning and onwards style. This is all completely subjective obviously 

[pacejunkie punk]

Too much orchestration on The Forgotten and the lyrics are god awful, I have no idea wtf it means. Pure cheese. 

[pouty bitch]

I love Take Back. It's one of the reasons why Nimrod is my favourite album.

[Hermione]

3 minutes ago, G-L-O-R-I-A said:

I love Take Back. It's one of the reasons why Nimrod is my favourite album.

Yeah . I love the variety of Nimrod with songs you wouldn't expect like that. The lyrics are so satisfyingly angry ("I'd love to break your fucking teeth"!) and I don't know how anyone doesn't love Billie's snotty attempt at growling  

[Christian's Inferno!]

2 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

*cough*theforgotten*cough*

Oh right yeah... The thing about that is if you ask someone why they hate The Forgotten, 90% of the time they'all say "Twilight". But I hear that Twilight actually has good music. I haven't listened for myself but that's what I've heard. I love Paramore's song Decode which is a Twilight song

Personally, my least favourite trilogy song is Drama Queen but I don't think it gets that much hate and I don't think the song is bad, it's just "meh"

[Hermione]

36 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Too much orchestration on The Forgotten and the lyrics are god awful, I have no idea wtf it means. Pure cheese. 

I like that it's too much orchestration , the beauty of the song is that they really went for it. I think the lyrics are sweet and make sense in the context of the albums, "don't look away from the arms of love"/embracing love is the important thing is a nice conclusion to come to at the end after the mid life crisis flings and partying etc.

3 minutes ago, MysticManiac said:

 

Personally, my least favourite trilogy song is Drama Queen but I don't think it gets that much hate and I don't think the song is bad, it's just "meh"

I really like the song but I wish it wasn't acoustic because that tends to make songs at least 50% more meh. I'd love to hear how it originally sounded on 21st CB.

[The Bellie]

3 hours ago, IrelandCalling said:

Havent visited GD forums enough to know if these are considered unpopular opinions but here goes -

Of the pre AI albums, Nimrod would be the one with more filler than killer. Some wonderful highlights offset with too many interchangeable generic pop punk up tempo tunes. Not enough variation or creativity to warrant 18 tracks lenght. Those highlights are exceptional though!

21stCB is the equal of AI. Instrumentally more varied, thematically similar, overall the songcraft shines and as classic a recording as AI is, 21stCB has an equal number of pop gems and standouts.

Bang Bang, despite hard hitting music, is lyrically well below par. For such a serious topic that destroys families and communities, the lyrics are at best misinformed, at worst offensively bad.

I don't agree about Nimrod, to me there are three times more highlights than fillers.

I kinda agree about 21st CB and AI, and as @pacejunkie punk, I love it a tiny bit more than American Idiot. Some songs are just too much what I feel! They are my 2nd and 3rd favorites after RevRad.

2 hours ago, MysticManiac said:

I agree with you about Nimrod and 21CB but not about Bang Bang. Can you give examples of why you think that about BB? I don't see how it is offensive at all

The lyrics in Bang Bang speak to me a lot, actually. Misinformed? Bad? I would say they describe something personal and mostly unnoticed, whereas so true, to my understanding.

1 hour ago, Jenn. said:

I love The Forgotten and I don't get why it being in Twilight would affect anyone's opinion on it. It sounds how it sounds no matter where it's been featured.  

27 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Too much orchestration on The Forgotten and the lyrics are god awful, I have no idea wtf it means. Pure cheese. 

I love The Forgotten and I love the lyrics in it! It speaks to me a lot as well.

 

8 minutes ago, Hermione said:

I really like the song but I wish it wasn't acoustic because that tends to make songs at least 50% more meh. I'd love to hear how it originally sounded on 21st CB.

on 21st CB ? Drama Queen?

[Christian's Inferno!]

7 minutes ago, Kuromignonne said:

 

on 21st CB ? Drama Queen?

Yes, Drama Queen was going to be on 21CB but was replaced by Murder City. I think that was a good decision as that is a much better song imo. I don't think DQ belongs on 21CB

[Hermione]

To me Bang Bang is biting satire on media sensationalization of tragedy. And a relatable wish to attempt to make sense of what the reasoning behind doing something so unthinkable could be....an attempt which ultimately exposes the reasoning as ridiculous. I think it's one of the cleverest songs they've written. Can't really see where it would be offensive, I'd also be interested to hear more on that POV.

[The Bellie]

10 minutes ago, Hermione said:

To me Bang Bang is biting satire on media sensationalization of tragedy. And a relatable wish to attempt to make sense of what the reasoning behind doing something so unthinkable could be....an attempt which ultimately exposes the reasoning as ridiculous. I think it's one of the cleverest songs they've written. Can't really see where it would be offensive, I'd also be interested to hear more on that POV.

I agree, expect for me, ultimately it exposes the reasoning as a dead-end. The reasoning features the parents' figures, and at some point we all look for our parents' acknowledgment. Especially when we're young and can't yet figure that out alone. In the song, becoming a "celebrity martyr" comes back to being "daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier". That would be a dead-end because parents will never get what world you've entered at that point.

[Hermione]

21 minutes ago, Kuromignonne said:

I agree, expect for me, ultimately it exposes the reasoning as a dead-end. The reasoning features the parents' figures, and at some point we all look for our parents' acknowledgment. Especially when we're young and can't yet figure that out alone. In the song, becoming a "celebrity martyr" comes back to being "daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier". That would be a dead-end because parents will never get what world you've entered at that point.

 Oh wow I'd overlooked that part. I was thinking of "I wanna be a celebrity martyr", "give me death or give me head" and "the hero of the hour" and the other motives that are just plain ridiculous. But you're right, it comes back to wanting parental approval. 

I think it's clever that it doesn't spell out that what he's doing and how he's justifying it is beyond reason/ridiculous/a dead end or spend time stating the obvious that it's horrible and reprehensible. It just states the murderer's reasoning in such a way that it's exposed as all those things on its own.

And then there's the media sensationalism satire aspect and black humour in statements like "give me death or give me head" (maybe that's where it could be considered offensive? but I don't think it is because it serves to show the ridiculousness of the murderer's justifications). So much going on in this song.

[The Bellie]

6 minutes ago, Hermione said:

in such a way that it's exposed as all those things on its own.

Exactly.

[MillenniumFan]

4 hours ago, IrelandCalling said:

Havent visited GD forums enough to know if these are considered unpopular opinions but here goes -

Of the pre AI albums, Nimrod would be the one with more filler than killer. Some wonderful highlights offset with too many interchangeable generic pop punk up tempo tunes. Not enough variation or creativity to warrant 18 tracks lenght. Those highlights are exceptional though!

21stCB is the equal of AI. Instrumentally more varied, thematically similar, overall the songcraft shines and as classic a recording as AI is, 21stCB has an equal number of pop gems and standouts.

Bang Bang, despite hard hitting music, is lyrically well below par. For such a serious topic that destroys families and communities, the lyrics are at best misinformed, at worst offensively bad.

Well, what can I say. I guess this is the right place to post that, because I literally do not agree with anything you said...

It's certainly a different opinion though, as it's usually Insomniac that's deemed the more ''filler album'' (which incidentally, I don't agree with at all) and there are a few people that think 21CB is a terrible album (which I don't agree with either, I actually think they should play more of it live). 

[IrelandCalling]

Like peacejunkie I will say I would go one farther and say I prefer 21stCB, much as I love AI. Watching VH1 Storytellers recently where they played AI in full I'm reminded how well the album transfers into the live arena. An equally great youtube concert 2009 in france I think has them gping through 11 or so 21stCB tracks and I have to say its one of my favourite GD pro shots. Every song has a melodic hook that increases the albums quality and at 18 tracks thats quite an achievement. I suppose what gives it the edge for me are the varied arrangements which are so well done.

Another unpopular opinion perhaps would be my favourite trilogy track, Kill the DJ. On a three album collection with quite a few similar songs, anything different will stand out, for better or for worse. In this case, for the better. Love the groove and guitar interplay; very Stones' "Miss You". On first hearing this stood out for me as one of the trilogy's highest highs.

Regarding Bang Bang, it comes from a blog discussing the song and the overly simplistic lyric addressing a very complex issue. I do not feel they are offensively bad though the blogger did, but I do feel GD could have handled this in a far more meaningful way than boiling it down to its sensationalist bottom line. Doesnt mean words are objectively bad, lyrics, like music, are subjective. When adressing more shocking topics you either relate to the words or you don't. A lot do identify or understand, and others don't. Motivation being to be a celebrity martyr even in this media age undersells it. I can see why people do identify with the words, but I can also see why I've seen other opinions that echo my own. What I do think is that it is better to address a problem rather than not, whether people agree with the way you do or not, and that is something to admire in the song and the band.

[The Bellie]

1 hour ago, Hermione said:

And then there's the media sensationalism satire aspect and black humour in statements like "give me death or give me head" (maybe that's where it could be considered offensive? but I don't think it is because it serves to show the ridiculousness of the murderer's justifications). So much going on in this song.

I definitely don't find Bang Bang to show that the murderer has a ridiculous way of thinking. In some way, it is very efficient, because it's so extreme and tragic, there's almost always no return from that path. The murderer will have head and most often then death. He's prepared for it like an "I don't care" very dark way of thinking. We are all in prey to some anger and loneliness, which is I think not so different from a person to another, and there are many ways to deal with it. What makes it that some choose the terrorism way? I think Bang Bang alerts us on the easiness of slipping into that for the young people nowadays, because notably of the media and the "Internet that's become a home for assholes" to quote Billie on a recent show.

Interestingly, in Bang Bang : "Broadcasting live and it's on my radio" and in Forever Now : "I want to start a revolution / I want to hear it on my radio". You want to hear something on your radio, that's for sure.

[pacejunkie punk]

I'm curious to know how everyone would compare Bang Bang to Having A Blast, lyrically speaking? Both are written from the point of view of mass murderers. Was Having A Blast more successful for those who don't care for BB?

[IrelandCalling]

32 minutes ago, MillenniumFan said:

Well, what can I say. I guess this is the right place to post that, because I literally do not agree with anything you said...

It's certainly a different opinion though, as it's usually Insomniac that's deemed the more ''filler album'' (which incidentally, I don't agree with at all) and there are a few people that think 21CB is a terrible album (which I don't agree with either, I actually think they should play more of it live). 

That's okay and thats why we are here, voicing opinions that will prompt debate. Everyone has different songs and albums among favourites and least liked, goes to show the strenght of catalogue as it is not a case of definite poor works being disliked by everyone.

Nimrod is a grand album overall, as the highs are exceptionally so.

[MillenniumFan]

1 minute ago, IrelandCalling said:

That's okay and thats why we are here, voicing opinions that will prompt debate. Everyone has different songs and albums among favourites and least liked, goes to show the strenght of catalogue as it is not a case of definite poor works being disliked by everyone.

Oh yeah of course, I agree!

[walking_c0ntradicti0n]

1 minute ago, pacejunkie punk said:

I'm curious to know how everyone would compare Bang Bang to Having A Blast, lyrically speaking? Both are written from the point of view of mass murderers. Was Having A Blast more successful for those who don't care for BB?

I have known this song for like 6 years and you JUST made me realize it was about mass murderers oh my god

 

It does look like Having a Blast has more straightforward lyrics though

[pacejunkie punk]

1 minute ago, walking_c0ntradicti0n said:

I have known this song for like 6 years and you JUST made me realize it was about mass murderers oh my god

It does look like Having a Blast has more straightforward lyrics though

And yet it took you six years! 

[walking_c0ntradicti0n]

Just now, pacejunkie punk said:

And yet it took you six years! 

Ikr 

I never paid much attention to the lyrics I remember once I listened to this song while reading lyrics and still forgot them almost immediately
I haven't listened to it in a while either 

[The Bellie]

12 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

I'm curious to know how everyone would compare Bang Bang to Having A Blast, lyrically speaking? Both are written from the point of view of mass murderers. Was Having A Blast more successful for those who don't care for BB?

Funnily, musically, Having A Blast is one of the songs I love a lot in Dookie.

It is from a murderer's point of view, but a mass murderer? "the shit you put me through"... This murderer seems to know his victims. Though the same reasoning would still be available for a mass shooter, because he's convinced he's in his right anyway.

To me, Having A Blast is the moment when the killer is going to complete his act, while Bang Bang describes what happens while he's only becoming that killer. So it takes place before. 

I think both songs are very well written. HAB has more a "trying to make some sense of it/ trying to make the other one understand" side, while in Bang Bang it's the expression of a strong will of becoming a celebrity killer - and a martyr - as if it was worth as such, without caring if you know your enemies personally. Trying to live your "private drama" at global scale.

[pacejunkie punk]

30 minutes ago, Kuromignonne said:

It is from a murderer's point of view, but a mass murderer? "the shit you put me through"... This murderer seems to know his victims. Though the same reasoning would still be available for a mass shooter, because he's convinced he's in his right anyway.

Yes, no one straps on a suicide vest to kill just one person. And the lyrics are in the plural:

I'm taking all you down with me
Explosives duct taped to my spine
Nothing's gonna change my mind

I won't listen to anyone's last words
There's nothing left for you to say
Soon you'll be dead anyway

Well no one here is getting out alive
This time I've really lost my mind and I don't care
So close your eyes
And kiss yourself goodbye
And think about the times you spent and what they've meant
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing

I'm losing all my happiness
The happiness you pinned on me
Loneliness still comforts me

My anger dwells inside of me
I'm taking it all out on you
And the shit you put me through

Well no one here is getting out alive
This time I've really lost my mind and I don't care
So close your eyes
And kiss yourself goodbye
And think about the times you spent and what they've meant
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing

Do you ever think back to another time?
Does it bring you so down that you thought you lost your mind?
Do you ever want to lead a long trail of destruction
And mow down any bullshit that confronts you?
Do you ever build up all the small things in your head?
To make one problem that adds up to nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing
To me it's nothing