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