21st Century Breakdown (music): Difference between revisions

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21st Century Breakdown is a [[Rock Opera]] by the rock band [[Green Day]] released as a follow-up to their popular album [[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.

Several tracks, including "Know Your Enemy" and "21 Guns", are used in the [[Theatrical Productions|Broadway production]] of American Idiot.

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* [[Expy|Expies]]: Christian and Gloria can be seen as either these or [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute|Suspiciously Similar Substitutes]] for [[American Idiot|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.

* [["I Am" Song]]: Several, most obvious being the title track.

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

* [[Loudness War]]: As with ''American Idiot'', it's really badly clipped.

* [[Meaningless Meaningful Words]]: Tons. "American Eulogy" is nothing but this.

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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".

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

** And let's not forget the [[Arc Words|several mentions]] to [[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]].

** Perhaps in 21 Guns, the line "when it's time to live and let die" is a shout out to [[Paul McCartney]]'s song from the [[James Bond]] [[Live and Let Die (film)|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 the Microphone]]: Bassist Mike Dirnt sings most of "Modern World".

* [[Subdued Section]]: The two "Song of the Century" sections, "21 Guns," "Last Night on Earth," the beginnings of "Restless Hearts Syndrome", "¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)", and "Before the Lobotomy."