When it comes to punk ballads there are not all that many
out there. Punk is a hard and driven form of music that prohibits
it from being well-suited to conveying softer emotions – that
is, it has been, until now. Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken
Dreams is another undeniable hit from a trio that has consistently
shown that despite their punk roots, they are versatile musicians
who can produce more down-beat music while still keeping their
sharp edge.
Green Day is decidedly the world’s premier punk band at the
moment and rightfully so. There album American Idiot which
was released in 2004 cemented the band as a force to be reckoned
with in the music industry. It showed a nice maturing of the
band’s sound, image and content. Although they have managed
to retain their youthful exuberance and sarcastic sense of
humour they have proven themselves capable of writing songs
that are not only poignant but musically rich as well.
Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams is a clear example
of the significant growth that the band has shown since they
first hit the mainstream scene with Dookie. Since then this
prolific and always entertaining band have released five records
including a new live album which hit stores earlier this year.
They have certainly withstood the test of time by not flaming
out in a blaze of glory or simply becoming another in a long
string of one-hit-wonders. These original punks understood
that with age should also come some form of wisdom – and have
they ever delivered!
Boulevard of Broken Dreams is an eerily touching song about
alienation and our society’s disconnect. Most of us do not
even realize what insular and separate lives we lead until
we need someone on whom we can rely for help. The lyrics of
this pessimistic song can easily be interpreted in a number
of ways, but the one thing that no one can argue with is that
the song speaks to every person’s loneliness and sense of
isolation. Boulevard of Broken Dreams is also a song about
the paths we follow and where they lead – sometimes to places
that we may have never imagined for ourselves.
The video for Boulevard of Broken Dreams starts off where
the video for Holiday ends. It is a nice segue-way that emphasizes
the themes of disconnection and alienation. The viewer is
taken from a frivolous and burlesque romp through the pleasure
palaces of the urban landscape where debauchery reigns every
night to a lonely and dusty street where few people connect
even though they stand right next to each other.
With the album American Idiot Green Day has cemented their
name as a band for the ages. They have gone from a band of
fun but brash music to a collection of songs that are hard
to take lightly. A trio of tough and talented musicians who
have shown as sensitive a side as a punk band is allowed to
show without losing face or credibility and with Boulevard
of Broken Dreams they have achieved a great song that will
speak to generations to come.
About The Author
Svein Urnes has been a Green Day fan for years. Visit his
Green Day website at http://www.green-day-fan.com
for audio, video, lyrics.
