I hate it. But I hate 99.9% of Green Day music and everything they stand for, so I'm the exception again.
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My 2009 review of their song "21 Guns" covers some of my feelings about them. It's a start...
Green Day – 21 Guns
Green Day is arguably the king of modern-day plagiarism. Every time I hear a new song from this band, I feel like a contestant on the game show "Name That (Other Band's) Tune." Their latest single, "21 Guns," is no exception.
The band's list of artistic infringement goes back almost two decades. Their 1992 song "Christie Road" made a not-so-subtle swipe from one of the biggest rock songs in history – Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Sure, the pattern of Cobain's famous four-chord riff has been inverted from "low-high-low-high" to "high-low-high-low." Otherwise, the riffs, and ensuing drumbeats, are identical.
The list goes on. To name a few: "Walking Contradiction" is a sped-up, slightly-modified version of the "Always Coca Cola" song from Coke's old TV commercials. "Warning" is an almost exact copy of the 1968 Kinks' song "Picture Book." "Waiting" mugged Petula Clark and ran off with the hook from her 1964 hit "Downtown." And, the band pick-pocketed a riff from Dillinger Four while touring with them in Japan to score their first Hot 100 hit "American Idiot" (which also filches its chorus from Korean musician Jo Young Nam's song "Dosiyo Annyung.")
But their worst offense is their 2005 single "Jesus Of Suburbia." I nearly drove off of the road the first time I heard it. A couple of minutes into the track, "Suburbia" unmistakably pilfers the melodies from both Motley Crue's "On With The Show" and Bryan Adams' mega-hit "Summer of '69" – one right after the other. Every time I hear it, I get the uncontrollable urge to attach 12" records of Too Fast For Love and Reckless to vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong's head with a nail gun.
So it comes as no surprise that "21 Guns" is another bag of stolen goods. Not only has Green Day copied the opening of Avril Lavigne's single "Complicated" and pasted it onto the beginning of this song, but while repeatedly humming the hook of "21 Guns" on the way to the restroom a few days ago, it finally hit me which song they pillaged: a Mott The Hoople track, penned by David Bowie, named "All The Young Dudes." Simply replace Green Day's "Twenty-one guns" lyric with "All the young dudes." Then replace "Lay down your guns. Give up the fight" with "Boogaloo dudes. Carry the news." Ta-da! It's the same damn song.
It's scary that people actually use the word "punk" to describe this band. *Snore* Wake me up when "21 Guns" ends, if you know what I mean.
Green Day – 21 Guns
Green Day is arguably the king of modern-day plagiarism. Every time I hear a new song from this band, I feel like a contestant on the game show "Name That (Other Band's) Tune." Their latest single, "21 Guns," is no exception.
The band's list of artistic infringement goes back almost two decades. Their 1992 song "Christie Road" made a not-so-subtle swipe from one of the biggest rock songs in history – Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Sure, the pattern of Cobain's famous four-chord riff has been inverted from "low-high-low-high" to "high-low-high-low." Otherwise, the riffs, and ensuing drumbeats, are identical.
The list goes on. To name a few: "Walking Contradiction" is a sped-up, slightly-modified version of the "Always Coca Cola" song from Coke's old TV commercials. "Warning" is an almost exact copy of the 1968 Kinks' song "Picture Book." "Waiting" mugged Petula Clark and ran off with the hook from her 1964 hit "Downtown." And, the band pick-pocketed a riff from Dillinger Four while touring with them in Japan to score their first Hot 100 hit "American Idiot" (which also filches its chorus from Korean musician Jo Young Nam's song "Dosiyo Annyung.")
But their worst offense is their 2005 single "Jesus Of Suburbia." I nearly drove off of the road the first time I heard it. A couple of minutes into the track, "Suburbia" unmistakably pilfers the melodies from both Motley Crue's "On With The Show" and Bryan Adams' mega-hit "Summer of '69" – one right after the other. Every time I hear it, I get the uncontrollable urge to attach 12" records of Too Fast For Love and Reckless to vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong's head with a nail gun.
So it comes as no surprise that "21 Guns" is another bag of stolen goods. Not only has Green Day copied the opening of Avril Lavigne's single "Complicated" and pasted it onto the beginning of this song, but while repeatedly humming the hook of "21 Guns" on the way to the restroom a few days ago, it finally hit me which song they pillaged: a Mott The Hoople track, penned by David Bowie, named "All The Young Dudes." Simply replace Green Day's "Twenty-one guns" lyric with "All the young dudes." Then replace "Lay down your guns. Give up the fight" with "Boogaloo dudes. Carry the news." Ta-da! It's the same damn song.
It's scary that people actually use the word "punk" to describe this band. *Snore* Wake me up when "21 Guns" ends, if you know what I mean.
This is no doubt well researched, and likely 100% accurate. But I think each individual's sensitivity to this depends on what's in your own memory. For you, it's clear and direct. For me, it's a distant feeling.
And if they are copying Smells Like Teen Spirit, it should be noted that that song rips-off More Than a Feeling. My larger problem with Green Day is them ripping-off themselves. There's only so many variations of a garage rock guitar riff one can have.
True, but different to me. Cobain was parodying the basic vibe of "Peace Of Mind" (not MTAF) to be the anti-rock rocker. Green Day simply said "Oh that's a big hit? Let's do the exact same thing except flipping the chords".
Here's one more (of several) reasons I hate Green Day
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
2008
30 27 Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come
29 22 Playaz Circle f/ Lil Wayne - Duffle Bag Boy
28 29 Linkin Park - Shadow of the Day
27 - - Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
26 21 Taylor Swift - Our Song
25 20 Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson - The Way I Are
24 15 Trey Songz - Can't Help But Wait
23 24 Taylor Swift - Teardrops on My Guitar
22 26 Mary J. Blige - Just Fine
21 - - Britney Spears - Piece of Me
20 17 Kanye West - Stronger
19 13 Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
18 19 Natasha Bedingfield f/ Sean Kingston - Love Like This
17 14 Plies f/ Akon - Hypnotized
16 25 Chris Brown - With You
15 18 Sean Kingston - Take You There
14 10 Kanye West f/ T-Pain - Good Life
13 12 Baby Bash f/ T-Pain - Cyclone
12 23 Wyclef Jean f/ Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia - Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
11 11 Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
10 09 Rihanna f/ Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You
09 16 Sara Bareilles - Love Song
08 08 Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
07 06 Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
06 07 Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
05 05 Fergie - Clumsy
04 04 Chris Brown f/ T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
03 03 Timbaland f/ OneRepublic - Apologize
02 01 Alicia Keys - No One
01 02 Flo Rida f/ T-Pain - Low
30 27 Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come
29 22 Playaz Circle f/ Lil Wayne - Duffle Bag Boy
28 29 Linkin Park - Shadow of the Day
27 - - Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
26 21 Taylor Swift - Our Song
25 20 Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson - The Way I Are
24 15 Trey Songz - Can't Help But Wait
23 24 Taylor Swift - Teardrops on My Guitar
22 26 Mary J. Blige - Just Fine
21 - - Britney Spears - Piece of Me
20 17 Kanye West - Stronger
19 13 Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
18 19 Natasha Bedingfield f/ Sean Kingston - Love Like This
17 14 Plies f/ Akon - Hypnotized
16 25 Chris Brown - With You
15 18 Sean Kingston - Take You There
14 10 Kanye West f/ T-Pain - Good Life
13 12 Baby Bash f/ T-Pain - Cyclone
12 23 Wyclef Jean f/ Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia - Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
11 11 Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
10 09 Rihanna f/ Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You
09 16 Sara Bareilles - Love Song
08 08 Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
07 06 Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
06 07 Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
05 05 Fergie - Clumsy
04 04 Chris Brown f/ T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
03 03 Timbaland f/ OneRepublic - Apologize
02 01 Alicia Keys - No One
01 02 Flo Rida f/ T-Pain - Low
Good 1
Okay 4
Bad 1
? 24
BEST I RECOGNIZE
07 06 Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
WORST I RECOGNIZE
11 11 Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
25 20 Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson - The Way I Are
I only know it because my son took hip hop dancing in 2013 and this was one of their songs
Okay 4
Bad 1
? 24
BEST I RECOGNIZE
07 06 Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
WORST I RECOGNIZE
11 11 Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
25 20 Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson - The Way I Are
I only know it because my son took hip hop dancing in 2013 and this was one of their songs
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
I get zero, but if I had one, this would be it. However, the classic alt rock stations killed it for me.
I wonder if people born in 1990 see that list of songs and are like "Yeah! 10 good and 12 okay! Woo what a great year!"
Not based on my daughters, born in '88 and '93. Although the count would be higher than my zero.
I'm willing to bet more of you know this song that you realize (just don't recognize it by name). It's that "crinkle my nose" song. My wife loves it.