Follow You Around - From 'These Paper Bullets' written by Billie Joe Armstrong

[Fuzz]

2 out of like 200 songs? I can name you 20 songs that DO sound similar.

You can do that with any band. I feel like you're arguing just to be confrontational, not because you've really thought this through.

[BraedonHorbacio]

Guys, we're not seeing the big picture. The front man of one of the world's biggest punk bands wrote a British invasion-styled song for a musical. That's just about as original as it gets.

[BullwinkleCheech]

You can do that with any band. I feel like you're arguing just to be confrontational, not because you've really thought this through.

Green Day's genre of choice is just not one that you can necessarily reinvent yourself in. I honesty couldn't do it with ANY band. Reinventing your own music also means taking risks, which they did with Nightlife and Peacemaker for example. It's an observation. To me, Green Day has been lacking originality lately, if that differs from your opinion, fine with me, but don't tell me I'm wrong.

[Fuzz]

Green Day's genre of choice is just not one that you can necessarily reinvent yourself in. I honesty couldn't do it with ANY band. Reinventing your own music also means taking risks, which they did with Nightlife and Peacemaker for example. It's an observation. To me, Green Day has been lacking originality lately, if that differs from your opinion, fine with me, but don't tell me I'm wrong.

I didn't say you're wrong, I said you're arguing for the sake of being confrontational and not because you're presenting some logical argument. Yes there are Green Day songs that sound alike. There are Weezer songs that sound alike, there are Beatles songs that sound alike, there are Alkaline Trio songs that sound alike. While to the most observant fan you can find and appreciate the small differences even when something sounds similar, to someone else they might all just sound the same with such a minor difference that it feels stale or uninspired. That's not a wrong observation, but it's an inherently naive observation to make, because songwriters who create music constantly pool from the same breadth of musical inspiration for much of their lives. So the different stuff stands out the same way that a still-life by Picasso can be instantly picked out from his dozens of other work when someone mostly recognizes him for his cubist paintings. To someone who closely studies Picasso they might be able to highlight the differences in his cubist work, to the random passer-by they might all look exactly the same.

[BullwinkleCheech]

I didn't say you're wrong, I said you're arguing for the sake of being confrontational and not because you're presenting some logical argument. Yes there are Green Day songs that sound alike. There are Weezer songs that sound alike, there are Beatles songs that sound alike, there are Alkaline Trio songs that sound alike. While to the most observant fan you can find and appreciate the small differences even when something sounds similar, to someone else they might all just sound the same with such a minor difference that it feels stale or uninspired. That's not a wrong observation, but it's an inherently naive observation to make, because songwriters who create music constantly pool from the same breadth of musical inspiration for much of their lives. So the different stuff stands out the same way that a still-life by Picasso can be instantly picked out from his dozens of other work when someone mostly recognizes him for his cubist work. To someone who closely studies Picasso might be able to highlight the differences in his cubist work, to the random passer-by they might all look exactly the same.

You just made the exact point I tried to make a minute ago. As much as I love Green Day, or Weezer for that matter, there are bands that have always succeeded in reinventing themselves and that's good to me. Green Day's last three albums just weren't as original as I thought they would be. I know pretty much every Green Day song by heart so I don't think it is an EXACT rip-off of his own work, but it's just that Billie tends to stay within his genre too much making some songs sound repetitive. The trilogy could have been brought back to 1 single album and still be half-decent rather than good, but that's a whole different point of discussion.

[BraedonHorbacio]

I didn't say you're wrong, I said you're arguing for the sake of being confrontational and not because you're presenting some logical argument. Yes there are Green Day songs that sound alike. There are Weezer songs that sound alike, there are Beatles songs that sound alike, there are Alkaline Trio songs that sound alike. While to the most observant fan you can find and appreciate the small differences even when something sounds similar, to someone else they might all just sound the same with such a minor difference that it feels stale or uninspired. That's not a wrong observation, but it's an inherently naive observation to make, because songwriters who create music constantly pool from the same breadth of musical inspiration for much of their lives. So the different stuff stands out the same way that a still-life by Picasso can be instantly picked out from his dozens of other work when someone mostly recognizes him for his cubist paintings. To someone who closely studies Picasso they might be able to highlight the differences in his cubist work, to the random passer-by they might all look exactly the same.

Sorry to jump in, but I agree totally. The fact that you can find traces of some songs within others shows that the band has it's own sound nailed down. It seems so obvious, but it's something that a lot of bands, or artists in general, lack. You'll hear more "(fill in the blank) sounds like Green Day" than "Green Day sounds like (fill in the blank)". It doesn't mean they can't be original within that, but I don't think there's a problem there. They've already challenged and established a new norm twice in the careers. It takes a while to get there.

[death_or_glory]

It seems like some people are listening to this song and thinking "Billie just ripped off The Beatles, and more specifically 'Please Please Me'"... but isn't that the whole point? I thought "These Paper Bullets" was a play about a band that is heavily based on The Beatles, and that the music is supposed to sound really really similar to The Beatles, without actually being Beatles songs. Billie said a bunch of times that this project was essentially him "rewriting Beatles songs". Knowing all of that, this song makes perfect sense to me. It's like a couple different Beatles songs mixed, with a hint of Billie's own spin/voice in there. It's not meant to be the most inventive or original music in the world, it's meant to sound like The Beatles.

[Hermione]

It seems like some people are listening to this song and thinking "Billie just ripped off The Beatles, and more specifically 'Please Please Me'"... but isn't that the whole point? I thought "These Paper Bullets" was a play about a band that is heavily based on The Beatles, and that the music is supposed to sound really really similar to The Beatles, without actually being Beatles songs. Billie said a bunch of times that this project was essentially him "rewriting Beatles songs". Knowing all of that, this song makes perfect sense to me. It's like a couple different Beatles songs mixed, with a hint of Billie's own spin/voice in there. It's not meant to be the most inventive or original music in the world, it's meant to sound like The Beatles.

Exactly this. And he's done it beautifully!

[burnout_blast]

I love this sounds fab! Hope we can hear BJ singing em one day.

[Jax Teller]

I love how it sounds sweet and creepy at the same time. I'm looking forward to hear the other songs.

[iScottie]

I really enjoy the song.

It has a Beach Boys sound to it, which fits perfectly, in my opinion.

[DTH]

billies love songs lyrics lately remind me of these guys. but here the creepieness is intended. i'm afraid billie really thinks his songs are romantic...

p.s.: doesn't mean i dont like follow you around. i love his beatleesque melodies, like on "warning".

[beejeezee]

It would be sooo amazing

I love how productive he is.

Makes me excited for the other seven songs and, of course, for the next album.

IM PUMPED

Everything this man does gets me so god damn pumped. He is art in every sense of the word. I wish I had that much creativity and talent.

[AngelBlue_]

Everything this man does gets me so god damn pumped. He is art in every sense of the word. I wish I had that much creativity and talent.

I wish I had at least 1% of his creativity

[Z J]

You just made the exact point I tried to make a minute ago. As much as I love Green Day, or Weezer for that matter, there are bands that have always succeeded in reinventing themselves and that's good to me. Green Day's last three albums just weren't as original as I thought they would be. I know pretty much every Green Day song by heart so I don't think it is an EXACT rip-off of his own work, but it's just that Billie tends to stay within his genre too much making some songs sound repetitive. The trilogy could have been brought back to 1 single album and still be half-decent rather than good, but that's a whole different point of discussion.

the point is this song IS NOT IN HIS GENRE. Ain't even in his zip code.

[beejeezee]

I wish I had at least 1% of his creativity

If I had as much creativity as he has in his left thumb I would be happy.

[Todd]

Green Day's genre of choice is just not one that you can necessarily reinvent yourself in. I honesty couldn't do it with ANY band. Reinventing your own music also means taking risks, which they did with Nightlife and Peacemaker for example. It's an observation. To me, Green Day has been lacking originality lately, if that differs from your opinion, fine with me, but don't tell me I'm wrong.

What's wrong with Green Day songs sounding predictable? That's what keeps people buying their albums. They expect new songs to sound like Green Day. If Green Day released a whole album full of Nightlife songs, people would hate that.

[Lu_S]

the point is this song IS NOT IN HIS GENRE. Ain't even in his zip code.

Loved the zip code thing

[Alan86]

Is the soundtrack for this going to be available to buy?

[Heather.]

While I fully believe that Billie IS 'crazily gifted,' I don't think this song represents that. He almost entirely copped the Please Please Me melody and put in his own simple lyrics. I think many people with a knack for parody and some kind of musical ear do the same adaptations of Beatles songs on YouTube. This is obviously higher production quality but the talent that went into it isn't that impressive. I do hope that the other songs featured are more original melodically, but if the goal was just to re-write Beatles songs (which it may well have been), then I won't see this as Billie's greatest feat, just a very lovely tribute (a la Foreverly). If the songs wind up Beatles-esque but still original, like Last Night on Earth style, I will be more impressed.

Either way I will be proud and enjoy the songs. I do love this.

[Alan86]

Billie said himself that his job was to rewrite The Beatles. This song fits perfectly to that description.

[Heather.]

Billie said himself that his job was to rewrite The Beatles. This song fits perfectly to that description.

Agreed. Sadly I think it's more interesting when he's doing more original work. It will still be equally good music, it just won't feel like it's truly HIS music, ya know? And given how quickly he seemed to produce these 8 songs, I doubt it was quite the soul-searching experience we're used to with the stuff that really 'comes from the heart.' That doesn't make it bad, it's just a different kind of job.

[Lu_S]

It would be pretty cool if it was a warm up to a new musical. Not a Green Day thing a real musical.

[beejeezee]

Billie said himself that his job was to rewrite The Beatles. This song fits perfectly to that description.

He didn't just rewrite the Beatles though, it has his own personal touch in there.

[AngelBlue_]

It would be pretty cool if it was a warm up to a new musical. Not a Green Day thing a real musical.

Didn't he say he want to write a musical?? Cant remember exactly when but it was last year...