21st Century Breakdown (music): Difference between revisions

{{quote| ''They're playing the song of the century<br />

''Of panic and promise and prosperity<br />

''Tell me a story into that goodnight<br />

''Sing us a song for me }}

'''''21st Century Breakdown''''' is a [[Rock Opera]] by the rock band [[Green Day (Music)|Green Day]] released as a follow-up to their popular album [[American Idiot (Music)|American Idiot]]. The plot follows [[Battle Couple|two lovers]] named [[Meaningful Name|Christian]] and [[Theme Naming|Gloria,]] who are followed in the story as they witness the many new trials faced by the common man in the recent years of America (Mainly told in first-person from the point of Christian).

Several of the themes looked at by [[Anti-Hero|Christian]] (Who is [[Alternative Character Interpretation|most definitely]] [[Sarcasm Mode|not]] [[Western Terrorists|a terrorist]]) include [[Corrupt Church|religion,]] [[American Political System|politics,]] and [[Best Served Cold|vengeance,]] along with being heavily involved in his relationship with Gloria. He is very cynical about most large organizations, and feels he and Gloria must stand up for [[The Everyman]]. Gloria, meanwhile, is trying to hold onto her original beliefs while trying to help Christian as well.

{{quote| 1. Song of the Century<br />

Act I: Heros and Cons-<br />

:2. [[Title Drop|21st Century Breakdown]]<br />

:3. Know Your Enemy<br />

:4. ¡Viva la Gloria!<br />

:5. Before the Lobotomy<br />

:6. Christian's Inferno<br />

:7. Last Night on Earth<br />

Act II: Saints and Charlatans- <br />

:8. East Jesus Nowhere<br />

:9. Peacemaker<br />

:10. Last of the American Girls<br />

:11. Murder City<br />

:12. ¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)<br />

:13. Restless Heart Syndrome<br />

Act III: [[Idiosyncratic Episode Naming|Horseshoes and Handgrenades]]- <br />

:14. Horseshoes and Handgrenades<br />

:15. The Static Age<br />

:16. 21 Guns<br />

:17. American Eulogy<br />

::A. Mass Hysteria<br />

::B. Modern World<br />

:18. See the Light }}

* [[Expy|Expies]]: Christian and Gloria can be seen as either these or [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute|Suspiciously Similar Substitutes]] for [[American Idiot (Music)|Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername]], although there are [[Your Mileage May Vary|shades of difference]]: Christian is smarter and more insane; Gloria is more world-weary.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: "Know Your Enemy," echoed near the end of "Restless Heart Syndrome."

{{quote| ''I want to take a walk to the great divide<br />

''Beyond the up-to-date and the neo-gentrified <br />

''The high-definition for the low resident<br />

''Where the value of your mind is not held in contempt }}

{{quote| ''Well, violence is an energy, oh ay, oh ay<br />

''Well, from here to eternity, oh ay, oh ay<br />

''Well, violence is an energy, oh ay, oh ay<br />

''Well, silence is the enemy<br />

''So gimme, gimme '''[[Big Word Shout|REVOLUTION!]]''' }}

* [[Precision F-Strike]]: See [[Sex, Drugs and Rock Andand Roll]].

* [[Sex, Drugs and Rock Andand Roll]]: Many references to "pills and alcohol," along with the following part in "Before the Lobotomy"

{{quote| ''I'm not stoned<br />

''I'm just fucked-up<br />

''I got so high<br />

''I can't stand up }}

* [[Shout -Out]]: As listed in the [[Homage]] trope-page, the line "I once was lost, but never was found" is a shout-out to [[Amazing Freaking Grace|"Amazing Grace"]].

** "Last of the American Girls" could be a shout-out to the [[Tom Petty (Music)|Tom Petty]] song "American Girl".

** And let's not forget the [[Arc Words|several mentions]] to [[John Lennon (Music)|John Lennon]]'s "Working Class Hero" (which the guys happened to do a cover of themselves, so this one was more obvious).

** The line "Last one born and the first one to run" is a shout-out to [[Bruce Springsteen (Music)|Bruce Springsteen]].

** Perhaps in 21 Guns, the line "when it's time to live and let die" is a shout out to [[Paul McCartney (Music)|Paul McCartney]]'s song from the [[James Bond]] [[Live and Let Die (Filmfilm)|movie]].

** Also "My Generation is zero" that precedes "Never made it as a Working Class Hero" may be a shout out to the Who's My Generation, which they covered in their Kerplunk album.

* [[Step Up to Thethe Microphone]]: Bassist Mike Dirnt sings most of "Modern World".

* [[Three Chords and Thethe Truth]]: It's [[Green Day (Music)|Green Day]]. You should expect this by this point. However, not as much as previous works.

* [[Wham! Line]]: "Restless Heart Syndrome" changes Gloria's entire image with the line: "Know your enemy."

[[Category:Twenty First21st Century Breakdown (music)]]