Green Day

Lyrics

[Intro]
Hey, Gloria, are you standing close to the edge?
Look out to the setting sun, the brink of your vision
Eternal youth is a landscape of a lie
The cracks of my skin can prove, as the years will testify
Say your prayers and light a fire, we're gonna start a war
Your slogan's a gun for hire, it's what we waited for...
Hey, Gloria, this is why we're on the edge
The fight of our lives' been drawn to this undying love

[Chorus]
Gloria! ¡Viva la Gloria!
You blast your name in graffiti on the walls
Fallin' in broken glass that's slashing through your spirit
I can hear it like a jilted crowd!
Gloria! Where are you, Gloria?
You found a home in all your scars and ammunition
You made your bed in salad days amongst the ruins
Ashes to ashes of our youth!

[Bridge]
She smashed her knuckles into winter (Gloria!)
As autumn's wind fades into black
She is the saint of all the sinners (Gloria!)
The one that's fallen through the cracks
So don't put away your burnin' light!
[Chorus]
Gloria! Where are you, Gloria?
Don't lose your faith to your lost naiveté
Weather the storm, and don't look back on last November
When your banners were burnin' down!
Gloria! ¡Viva la Gloria!
Send me your amnesty down to the broken hearted
Bring us the season that we always will remember
Don't let the bonfires go out!

[Outro]
So, Gloria, send out your message of
The light that shadows in the night
Gloria, where's your undying love?
Tell me the story of your life, your life!

Green Day has been a household name in punk rock music for over 30 years, and there’s no doubt that they’ve released some of the biggest anthems in the history of rock n’ roll. One of their most iconic and celebrated albums is “21st Century Breakdown”, which was released in 2009 as a conceptual piece with a storyline that explores the lives of two characters named Christian and Gloria. “¡Viva La Gloria!” is the fourth track on the album and marks the point where the album's storyline truly kicks in.

About ¡Viva la Gloria!

The song begins with a gentle acoustic guitar riff accompanied by a distant drumbeat, which sets a somber tone for the beginning of the song. Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer and main songwriter of Green Day, delivers a powerful vocal performance that captures the burning passion of Christian’s love for Gloria. The song progressively picks up the pace until it reaches a full-speed, high-energy chorus that’s quintessentially Green Day. The band’s signature sound is fueled by punk rock guitar riffs, frenzied drumming, and high-octane vocals, making “¡Viva La Gloria!” a perfect representation of their music style.

Lyrically, “¡Viva La Gloria!” is a love song that takes the listener through the highs and lows of Christian’s tumultuous relationship with Gloria, a woman who is viewed as a rebellious figure. Through the song’s verses, Green Day tells Gloria’s story, portraying her as a fiercely independent woman who is constantly in search of something greater. Christian, on the other hand, is represented as a man who is looking for something to believe in, someone to guide him through life.

In the chorus, Armstrong belts out Gloria's name with the same energy that's present in the guitar riffs and drum beats. In doing so, he gives the listener the impression that there’s a divine quality to Gloria that Christian can’t help but believe in. It's as though she has been elevated to the status of a messiah that he worships.

Despite the song’s anthemic choruses and catchy guitar riffs, there's a sense of vulnerability that’s present in the song’s lyrics. Armstrong’s gentle delivery during the intro and the verses is a departure from his typically more aggressive vocal style. This makes the song sound more emotionally charged and intimate, as though Green Day is inviting the listener to ride along with Christian and Gloria as they journey through their complex and passionate relationship.

“¡Viva La Gloria!” also serves as an important function in the album’s narrative because it introduces us to Christian and Gloria, the two main characters of “21st Century Breakdown”. We get to see an insight into their personalities through the song's lyrics and how they navigate through their conflicts and emotions. As the story progresses, we see how their individual struggles and triumphs culminate into one unified storyline that has Green Day's signature political commentary woven throughout it.

Overall, “¡Viva La Gloria!” is an iconic song that captures everything that has made Green Day one of the biggest punk rock bands to ever grace our earbuds. The song's catchy hooks, its anthemic chorus, and its passionate lyrics are what make it a standout on “21st Century Breakdown” and a hallmark of Green Day's music genre.

• Release Date: May 12, 2009
• Artist: Green Day