21 Gun Salute is a ceremonial ritual, the highest honor an officer receives at their funeral. The origin came from a signal during a war that one side gave to the other that they mean no harm. The side that was calling for peace would fire all of their cannons (which took a long time to reload) thus signalling that they were not poised to strike, as they were without ammo. As weapons progressed, they would empty their ammo into the air, and a fighter would lay his weapon on the ground as a symbol of peace. (Lay down your arms, give up the fight). It's the origins of the ritual that the song is referring to. The song is about inner conflict and finding your own humanity (according to Billy Joe). He doesn't go into much detail, so I'll try. The best recent reference I could give, that I know you would be familiar with, would be the ending monolog from Hi Ren. "It was never really a battle for me to win..." Back to the lyrics of 21 Guns, "do you know what's worth fighting for if it's not worth dying for." ("You've gotta kill you if you wanna kill me.") We are constantly at war with ourselves, trying to kill the parts that we don't understand or like, but when you realize that it's not a battle to win, but "an eternal dance," you lay down your arms as a sign of peace within yourself, and in doing so, you embrace your own humanity. Think about this: we consistently dehumanize ourselves when we strive for perfection, when we try to rid ourselves of our "darker side" rather than seek balance. Human beings are not perfect, and can never be. And when we try to control it all, we dehumanize ourselves and consistently feel inner turmoil. The more we fight, the more exhausted we are, the more we feel like giving up altogether. Back to the lyrics of 21 Guns, "when you're at the end of the road, and you've lost all sense of control, and your thoughts have taken thejr toll, when your mind breaks the spirit of your soul..." When you try to control it all, you will inevitability lose ALL control. It even further explores the theme of duality in the bridge: "Did you try to live on your own when you burned down house and home?" Essentially, did you get really close to actually killing that part of you that is undeniably essential? Did you actually try to live on your own? ("You think that you can amputate me? I am you, you are me, we are I, I am we...") Did you try to keep the superego without the id, leaving no room for middle ground? In doing so, you're only lying to yourself (like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone) because that part of you is still a necessity. "One 21 Gun (salute) lay down your arms, give up the fight (surrender)". The song is intentionally making a distinction between surrendering for the sake of peace and just giving up (quitting, be that through ending your life, or just succumbing to the pain and no longer trying anymore). We can lay down our arms, give up that fight (surrender), throw our arms into the sky and acknowledge the freedom that comes with embracing our humanity, ALL of it, and "learning to soften" and dance the dance that all humans must dance. It's the eternal pendulum, swaying from the dark to the light. The final verse is one last word of warning, going back to the lyrics of 21 Guns, "when it's time to live and let die and you can't get another try, something inside this heart has died. You're in ruins." If you've actually fought yourself so hard that you successfully kill a part of yourself, you're literally in ruins. But, as a sign of hope, the chorus repeats one final time, which lets us know it's not too late. We can still surrender and embrace our humanity in its fullest and learn to let go, stop trying to control it all and just "throw your arms into the sky, YOU AND I" (you and I would signify both parts of yourself). So, essentially, surrender to your own humanity, embrace your duality, and learn to dance. I hope that helps.
@hk45c62 No, you don't. It can be heads of state, royal family, president, former president, and I'm sure a few others I didn't list. I didn't say it's only given to officers, though that's the most common (officers of the military or police officers). I just said it's the highest honor that an officer can receive. I didn't find it necessary to dwell much on that part since it was the origin of the ritual that was more important to the story.
The great thing about music is that we can interpret the lyrics to mean something that fits into our life! Most lyricists say that is what they hope people get from their music, something everyone can relate it to their life.
Yes Wake Me Up When September Ends...one of their best...their live performance in Reading Festival in Britain really good...crowd was amazing...2014 ,I think.
I don’t think they’ve had a good song since the album twentieth century breakdown, the albums after that was terrible I think, I can’t listen to them, all their early stuff I still love from smoothed out slappy hours and kerplunk up to American idiot, I’ve even saw them on the bullet in a bible tour and they were amazing live and got an autographed set list from the twentieth century breakdown tour but it could just be me though as I started getting into metalcore bring me the horizon, electric callboy, asking Alexandria and heavy shit like slipknot doing a complete 180 from me pop punk love of green day, blink 182, bowling for soup, new found glory, sun 41 etc
Wikipedia-21 Guns" addresses the topic of patriotism. Frontman and chief songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong told Q, in May 2009: "It brings up 21st Century Breakdown in a lot of ways, and the 21-gun salute for someone that's fallen, but done in an arena rock 'n' roll sort of way." According to Q, the song is "a mammoth power ballad with a chorus like Mott the Hoople's 'All the Young Dudes'." William Goodman from Spin agreed, also comparing the song to "All the Young Dudes". Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson described it as a "sensitive arena rock cut that made us think of Toto's 'Africa'. While the chorus sounded more like ELO's 'Telephone Line.' A Rolling Stone article commented that it "has a dash of 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' to it." Spin's Goodman agreed, writing: "This track covers a lot of territory in its five minutes, from a solo acoustic guitar (reminiscent of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams") to Brian May-worthy electric riffage. But the chorus holds the killer hook, [because] Armstrong hits highs with his voice in a thrilling moment."
Has always been one of my top, all-time favorite Green Day songs for multiple reasons. Ine of those reasons is my parents. Who are both Vietnam Veterans- a 21 gun salute is something reserved for the funeral of a military member/veteran. Just a great song on so many levels.
BP, if you wanna dive down the Green Day rabbit hole, I think it kind of branches off into two different directions. Their older stuff was pure pop punk... and arguably some of the best of that genre... Like, the whole Dookie album (yes it's called Dookie), as well as super older more underground stuff like Kerplunk... but then as they got older, the music changed... American Idiot it one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time. It is a total rock opera, and in fact they turned it into a Broadway show. It came from them having a whole album ready to go, and then someone stole it. Like, broke in and stole all the stuff for that album... so Green Day said screw it, and ended up writing American Idiot. I would love to see you react to some of that... especially "Jesus of Suburbia" But again, it's an amazing album form beginning to end, so even if you just listened to it yourself, that would also be great. It's not to be missed is what i'm saying.
Dookie is the BEST. That's the green day I love personally. Not the things after the direction changed lol thanks for putting this info - definitely two "types" of green day songs. My vibe is the stuff I expected to see on American history x or slc punk 🤘
You want to get a whole new group of viewers, go down the Twenty One Pilots rabbit hole. And, turns out, it's one of those rare occasions when there is substance behind the hype.
Hey....just for fun...veiw 21 Guns from the cast of American Idiot...the Broadway Cast was Amazing....went 3 times and my daughter 6 times.....this show left me in tears even now
I think it intertwines with their other anti-war songs saying we should lay down our arms and give up these global wars we find ourselves in. At that point being the war in Afghanistan and now somewhat indirectly in Ukrain and Israel.
There's a great live video of Green Day at the Reading Festival in 2013 singing 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams', well actually the crowd are doing most of the singing and it's amazing!
Verse 1) Is it really worth putting yourself to sleep over? Put it down and get some help. 2) If you're caught, you're caught, it's not worth it. Put it down and let them arrest you. 3) If you're in a relationship, lower your defenses and let them in. 4) When it's time for peace, put down your pews and be open to it.
Can never go wrong with Green Day man, most every single song they put out is a banger for sure. Also I consider them (most do) more on the pop punk side of things nowadays tbh.
From what I can tell, many GreenDay songs (this included) are quite open to interpretation and often mean different things to different people. For me personally I think this song is about endurance but there are many other ways to interpret it as well. There are however also songs that very much have a clear message and which show GreenDays standing (socially and politically) like "American Idiot". That combined with their actions puts them very much in the left political spectrum of America (to generalize though there is obviously a lot more distinctions than just "left", "right" and "center" in politics)
the beauty of music is how you interpret it. There really is no wrong because it works with you reason & opinion. Nobody's really right and nobody's really wrong. Take it in how you prefer.
I think this is likely one of those lyrically broad enough in scope songs that can be applied to so many contexts giving it widespread appeal. When artists do this, it doesn't even matter what might have inspired it at the time. Sometimes it is better not to have the specifics so listeners/viewers can interpret in ways that relate to them.
When September ends is a must my friend. If you want to see something cool check out The Fans singing Queens's Bohemian Rapsody at the Greenday concert. So cool. Peace out ✌️ ☮️
This is a stunner of a song, weird this is the first time I have thought about the lyrics and the meaning. I gathered it was tied to the video but it actually isn’t. Green Day took a lot of flak from their fans because this song was such a commercial success. They were called sell outs which is really not fair. Saw them live in New Zealand, outstanding, my 46 yr old self dancing and singing like I was 18. They treat their audience with such respect. Going to see them again in January when they come to SA can’t wait! Thanks for the reaction, I love listening to you 💜
My favorite and most hated song is Time of Your Life. Our youngest daughter LOVED this song (favorite), when she passed away at 7yrs 11months , her siblings wanted this played at her funeral along with other songs that they could remember her by (hated) now when i hear it, it makes me cry even more
I have always loved this song. If you listen to the words it talks about the shift from young adult to adult reality. Time to bury the childhood rebellion…salute and ‘grow up’
I always felt it was saying some things AREN’T worth fighting for. Whether a relationship that isn’t working, a belief you used to hold that is being challenged, a dream you had that no longer fits, etc. He talks about brain vs heart, and pain vs pride. Sometimes we cling to things out of habit, pride, or simply to not get hurt. Those are the times to question whether it’s worth the fight. Or if it was even your fight to begin with.
The secret to this song is in the first few verses. You are asked what's worth fighting for if it's not worth your life. How much are you willing to sacrifice for pride? Can you simply surrender and accept that you lost without escalating a problem to life or death?
I'm seeing them this year, and they're just as relevant today as they message of yesterday. I think this song is about radicalism on both espectrums! Right and left! It's not worth the pain left of or with your loved ones!
Ive been listening to this song since I was a kid and I just didn't pay attention to its lyrics until now and I think this song is about the topic of patriotism, on how a person is having conflicted thoughts whether he'll serve his country or succumb to his own ideals and pride.. as the lyric states about having a choice to fight or not about something that's not worth fighting for, talking about if the pain you'll get is better than your own pride etc. and 21 gun or also known as 21 gun salute is a kind of a ceremonial procedure given to a fallen soldier who served his country
I absolutely love this song... Tbh forgot all about it I'm so glad to hear this today ❤️🤗 I prefer their old old old songs versus things like when Sept ends (basket case for example or when I walk around)
If you want an amazing song that is deep AF and touches a sensitive subject (self sleep), "Ghost" by Badflower. Badflower is definitely one of those amazing bands that more people need to know.
I would love for you to react to the song "Rise above this by Seether" It is about shaun morgan's (the singer) brother eugene who committed suicide and the song is just so beautiful.
You can look at the direct link in the hook! Is 1 twenty one gun solute worth a life on both ends! They person who gives his life & the person who takes your life! Devastation on both ends! This is so New Testament!
I really enjoyed this album. it's kind of a short story following a central character. And while he is named, it's sort of the antithesis of that, he's meant to represent the faceless youth; think James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. There were plans to make a movie out of it, i think HBO was gonna pick it up, but it fell through twice, and sadly, i think that dream has died for now.
This isn't really a typical song from them. But low key, if listened to from start to finish, 21st Century Breakdown is their best album. It's absolutely beautiful. Due to coming after the huge success of American Idiot, it didn't get the praise it should have.
I think "put up your arms and give up the fight" is symbolic of a relationship. I know from personal experience that if you are going to fight in a relationship it is going to be rocky. That's not saying you shouldn't fight FOR the relationship, but in a relationship you have to work together to make it a lasting thing. Fighting against it only causes hurt and conflict as represented by the girl in the beginning of the video. She stood off distant and unsure of what was going to happen. Sometimes people need reassurance that everything is going to be okay and that is represented by her throwing the phone into the fish tank and walking towards him and embracing him.
Also Jesus said cast the first stone! There's no righteousness in the one who cast that 1st stone! I asked my Aunt Penny if there is such a thing as Modern Day profits! Modern for the exact times we live in! She was soooo spot on with that interpretation!
This song is always awesome live when they play it. The album this song is on is so incredibly underrated. But other Green Day songs worth listening to is the entirety of Dookie and American Idiot. Songs for sure Jesus of Surburbia. Good Riddance Dilemma Look Ma, No Brains Minority Brain Stew/Jaded Some obscure ones that I personally love: Viva La Gloria! Back in the USA Too Dumb To Die Before the Lobotomy Last American Girls Way back machine must watch is their Woodstock ‘95 set. Set that actually made them blow the fuck up. There’s so many songs to suggest. I mean they didn’t get a first ballot induction in to the RnR Hall of Fame for nothing.
Veterans, 0 > 22 🙏🏻💙🙏 Though it's never going to be enough, thank for the many sacrifices. Love y'all. Land of The Free BECAUSE of The Brave! #22NoMore
Being overseas and in the military when they hit - it was walking political edge, but in the end when we’d listen we all took different meanings away. And at least back then the consensus was - that meant it was good music. Because it spoke to everyone differently.
Getting into a fight is easy, sometimes you don't even realise you got into one. Fight could be within you, with a partner or even all the way up to a war. Every now and then you should ask if the fight is worth fighting for, is it worth dying for? If not maybe you should consider laying down your arms put your hands in the air and give up that fight. It is far harder to give up a fight after expending effort in it though.
For your own listening pleasure, or as a reaction, you should check out 21 Guns Cast Version ( cast of stage play American Idiot). It’s actually waaaay better than this original version imo.
On a real note, this is the opposite of what our mentality needs to be as Americans right now! Do NOT let them take your pews. Criminals don't obey laws, hence the name.
This is not an anti-gun anthem. It's not even about actual war. It's about internal struggle to find your own humanity and surrendering the need to constantly fight for control of everything, and realizing that letting go of the things we can't control and embracing our own duality is a path to peace...it's a metaphor, not literally urging anyone to give up their guns...
@@justicedelayed I know. I actually have a whole other comment breaking down my interpretation of each verse. However, we are simultaneously being invaded and disarmed, the more people that stop being woke and wake tf up to what is happening, the better. Love, Appreciation, Respect & Good Energy (LARGE) to you and yours, fam. 🐱💙🙏🏻👊🏻🌚
@IvIidnight Being "woke" isn't a problem in and of itself. Forgoing common sense is the problem, and common sense says that with the way things are going, we're better off exercising our 2nd Amendment rights to the fullest. I consider myself to be "woke" (though not in the extreme context in which that term has been weaponized) and I've taken a concealed carry class, own my own personal protection, and frequently practice with it out at the range...just in case. Lots of respect, love, and peace to you and yours as well. ❤️
I don’t know what it’s about but maybe it’s with giving up on something and finding peace within yourself.? Never really dove into the lyrics like this before aha
