21st Century Breakdown Green Day
Greenday
2009 Reprise Records
There are 2 versions of this song
The Demo Version and the Album version
Key: C# then G#
Tuning: Standard EADGBe
Chords used:
C# - x46664
[G#] [-] [466544]
[F#]Bbm[-] - [244322]x13321
G#/C - x365xx
[G#7] [-] [466574]
A. Demo Version
Intro:
Piano: C#--G#-F# x10
[C#] [G#] [F#]
e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16----------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18---| G|-18------------------|--------|-------------| D|---------------------|--------|-------------| A|-16------------------|--------|-------------| E|---------------------|--------|-------------|
| x2
C# G# F# |
e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16----------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18---| G|-18------------------|--------|-------------| D|---------------------|--------|-------------| A|---------------------|--------|-------------| E|---------------------|--------|-------------|
[C#] [G#] [F#]
e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16--------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18-| G|-18------------------|--------|-----------| D|---------------------|--------|-----------| x6 A|-16------------------|--------|-----------| E|---------------------|-16-----|-14--------|
Distortion: C#--G#-F# x2
Verse 1:
[C#] Born into Nixon I was [G#]raised in [F#]hell
[C#] A welfare child where the [G#]teamsters [F#]dwelled
[C#] The last one born and the [G#]first one to [F#]run
[C#] My town was blind from re[G#]finery [F#]sun
Refrain:
[Bbm] My generation is [F#]zero
[Bbm] I never made it as a [F#]working class [G#]hero
Guitar 2: Refrain
[Bbm] [F#] [Bbm] [F#] [G#]
e|---------|-6-----6h7p6---|---------|---------|------| B|---------|---7---------7-|---------|---------|------| G|-3-3-3-3-|-----6---------|-3-3-3-3-|---------|------| D|-3-3-3-3-|---------------|-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| A|-1-1-1-1-|---------------|-1-1-1-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| E|---------|---------------|---------|-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-|
Chorus 1:
[C#]21st [G#]century [F#]breakdown
I o[C#]nce was lost
but [G#]never [F#]was found
I [C#]think I'm losing
[G#]what's left of [F#]my mind
to the [C#]20th [G#]century [F#]deadline
Interlude: C#--G#-F#- x2
Guitar 2:
[C#] [G#] [F#]
e|------4----4---|-4--6-|-4------| B|----6----6---6-|------|----7-6-| G|-6-------------|------|--------| D|---------------|------|--------| A|---------------|------|--------| E|---------------|------|--------|
Verse 2:
[C#] I was made of [G#]poison and [F#]blood
[C#] Combination is [G#]what I un[F#]derstood
[C#] From Mexico to the [G#]Berlin [F#]Wall
[C#] Homeland security could [G#]kill us [F#]all
(Repeat Refrain and Chorus 1)
Interlude: Beat Changes from slow to fast
G#-- x8
Guitar 2:
[G#]
e|----------------------------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-| D|-6--------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|
Bridge:
[G#]We are the cries of the class of '13[C#]
[G#]Born in the year of humility[C#]
[G#]we are the desperate in the decline[C#]
G# C#--- x4
Raised by the bastards of 1969
Guitar 2:
[C#]
e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-6-| G|-6--------------------------------| D|----------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|
Verse 3:
[C#]My name is 'No one'
your [F#]long [G#]lost [C#]son
[C#]Born on the 4th of Ju[G#]ly
[C#]Raised in the barnyards
of [F#]he-[G#]roes and [C#]cons
[C#]Left me for dead or a[G#]live
Verse 4:
[C#]There is a war that's
in[F#]side [G#]my [C#]head
That [C#]questions the
results and [G#]lies
I'm [C#]breaking my back
till I'm [F#]better [G#]off [C#]dead
We are [C#]not payed
enough to sur[G#]vive
Interlude: C#---F#- x4
Guitar 2:
[C#] [F#]
e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---|---| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-|-6-| G|-6------------------------------|---| D|--------------------------------|---| x4 A|--------------------------------|---| E|--------------------------------|---|
Verse 5:
[C#]I am an engine
A [F#]worker [G#]A [C#]pawn
My [C#]debt to the status [G#]quo
The s[C#]cars on my hands
and a [F#]means [G#]to an [C#]end
It's [C#]all that I have to [G#]show
Verse 6:
I'm [C#]taking a loan on my [F#]sa-[G#]ni-[C#]ty
For the [C#]redemption of my [G#]soul
well [C#]I am exempt from this [F#]tra-[G#]ge-[C#]dy
And the [C#]21st century [G#]fall
Chorus 2:
I [F#]praise li[G#]ber[C#]ty the [F#]freedom to [G#]o--[C#]bey
It's a [F#]song that stran[G#]gles [C#]me
Well [F#]don't cross [C#]the [G#]line
F#-F#-C#-G# x3, G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#7(hold) Guitar Solo: C#--G#/C--Bbm--G#--F#--A--C#
Guitar 2:
[C#] [G#/C] [Bbm] [G#]
[A] [C#]
e|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|--------| B|-6---6-|-4--6--4-|-----|-4-----|-2--------|---------|--------| G|-------|---------|-6---|---5---|---3------|-2--1----|-1------| D|-------|---------|-----|-----6-|-----4--4-|-------4-|----3---| A|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|------4-| E|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|--------|
Outro:
Oh, [C#]dream, A[G#/C]merican [Bbm]dream
I [G#]can't even s[F#]leep
[A] [C#]
Oh, [C#]bleed, A[G#/C]merica [Bbm]bleed
Be[G#]lieve what you [F#]read
A(hold)
B. Album Version
Intro:
Piano/Acoustic Guitar: Same Intro to the song See The Light
C#--G#-- x8
Guitar 2:
e|-11-----11-----11-----11-----11-------| B|----9------9------9------9------9---9-| G|------8------8------8------8------8---| D|--------------------------------------| x8 A|--------------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------|
Distortion: C#--G#-F# x2
Verse 1:
[C#] Born into Nixon I was [G#]raised in [F#]hell
[C#] A welfare child where the [G#]teamsters [F#]dwelled
[C#] The last one born and the [G#]first one to [F#]run
[C#] My town was blind from re[G#]finery [F#]sun
Refrain:
[Bbm] My generation is [F#]zero
[Bbm] I never made it as a [F#]working class [G#]hero
Guitar 2: Refrain
[Bbm] [F#] [Bbm] [F#] [G#]
e|---------|-6-----6h7p6---|---------|---------|------| B|---------|---7---------7-|---------|---------|------| G|-3-3-3-3-|-----6---------|-3-3-3-3-|---------|------| D|-3-3-3-3-|---------------|-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| A|-1-1-1-1-|---------------|-1-1-1-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| E|---------|---------------|---------|-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-|
Chorus 1:
[C#]21st [G#]century [F#]breakdown
I o[C#]nce was lost
but [G#]never [F#]was found
I [C#]think I'm losing
[G#]what's left of [F#]my mind
to the [C#]20th [G#]century [F#]deadline
Interlude: C#--G#-F#- x2
Guitar 2:
[C#] [G#] [F#]
e|------4----4---|-4--6-|-4------| B|----6----6---6-|------|----7-6-| G|-6-------------|------|--------| D|---------------|------|--------| A|---------------|------|--------| E|---------------|------|--------|
Verse 2:
[C#] I was made of [G#]poison and [F#]blood
[C#] Condemnation is [G#]what I un[F#]derstood
[C#] Video games to the [G#]tower's [F#]fall
[C#] Homeland Security could [G#]kill us [F#]all
(Repeat Refrain and Chorus 1)
Interlude: Beat Changes from slow to fast
G#-- x8
Guitar 2:
[G#]
e|----------------------------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-| D|-6--------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|
Bridge:
[G#]We are the cries of the class of '13[C#]
[G#]Born in the year of humility[C#]
[G#]we are the desperate in the decline[C#]
G# C#--- x4
Raised by the bastards of 1969
Guitar 2:
[C#]
e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-6-| G|-6--------------------------------| D|----------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------|
Verse 3:
[C#]My name is 'No one'
your [F#]long [G#]lost [C#]son
[C#]Born on the 4th of Ju[G#]ly
[C#]Raised in the barnyards
of [F#]he-[G#]roes and [C#]cons
[C#]Left me for dead or a[G#]live
Verse 4:
[C#]I Am A nation
A [F#]worker [G#]of [C#]pride
My [C#]debt to the status [G#]quo
The s[C#]cars on my hands
And the [F#]means [G#]to an [C#]end
Is [C#]all that I have to [G#]show
Interlude: C#---F#- x4
Guitar 2:
[C#] [F#]
e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---|---| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-|-6-| G|-6------------------------------|---| D|--------------------------------|---| x4 A|--------------------------------|---| E|--------------------------------|---|
Verse 5:
I s[C#]wallowed my pride
And I [F#]choked [G#]on my [C#]faith
I've [C#]given my heart and my
[G#]soul I've [C#]broken my fingers
And [F#]lied [G#]through my [C#]teeth
The [C#]pillar of damage con[G#]trol
Verse 6:
I've [C#]been to the edge
And I've [F#]thrown [G#]the bou[C#]quet
Of [C#]flowers left over the [G#]grave
I [C#]sat in the waiting
room [F#]Wasting [G#]my [C#]time
And [C#]waiting for judgement [G#]day
Chorus 2:
I [F#]praise li[G#]ber[C#]ty the [F#]freedom to [G#]o--[C#]bey
It's a [F#]song that stran[G#]gles [C#]me
Well [F#]don't cross [C#]the [G#]line
F#-F#-C#-G# x3
G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#(hold)-------| G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#7(hold)--G#7-|(hold)
Guitar 2:
[G#] [G#7]
e|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---------------4-4--------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-----5-5-5------5-5-5-|-------------| D|-6---------------------------------6-------------------|-------------| A|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| E|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| Guitar Solo: C#--G#/C--Bbm--G#--F#--A--C#
Guitar 2:
[C#] [G#/C] [Bbm] [G#]
[F#] [A] [C#]
e|-13---13-|-11--13--11-|----|-11-------|-9-----------|-----------|----------| B|---------|------------|-14-|----13----|---11--------|-10--9-----|-9--------| G|---------|------------|----|-------13-|------11--11-|--------11-|----10----| D|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|-------11-| A|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|----------| E|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|----------|
Outro:
Oh [C#]Dream A[G#/C]merica [Bbm]dream
I [G#]can't even s[F#]leep
[A] [C#]
Oh S[C#]cream A[G#/C]merica s[Bbm]cream
Be[G#]lieve what you [F#]see
A(hold)
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