21st Century Breakdown is Green Day’s second concept album after American Idiot. It tells the story of an American couple of lovers, Christian and Gloria, living in the United States after the presidency of George W. Bush. Since this is a rock opera, the song “¡Viva La Gloria!” should be considered only in the general context of the work.
The album is divided into three acts: “Heroes and Cons”, “Charlatans and Saints” and “Horseshoes and Handgrenades”. “¡Viva La Gloria!” is the third track of the first part of plastics. In previous songs, listeners get to know Christian and his views. It becomes clear that the guy is categorically dissatisfied with the situation in society and calls for radical changes. In his opinion, they can be achieved only by revolutionary means.
Directly at “¡Viva La Gloria!” the main character meets Gloria and falls in love with this honest girl. He convinces her to join him in the fight, assuring her that she can light a fire in the hearts of their generation, who share the same ideals and are ready to fight.
Billie Joe Armstrong admitted that in many songs of the album he shared his personal life experience with the listeners. He described the main idea of the composition in question as follows:
It’s like, the older you get, the more you move away from the naivete you had when you were growing up. How to keep this spark?
Q, 2009
And what happened next with the heroes of the punk opera “21st Century Breakdown”, you will find out by listening to the album to the end and reading all the tracks. By the way, one of the songs of the second act of the disc received a similar name – “¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)”.
The album was released in May 2009. This song was not released as a single.
Music video for “¡Viva La Gloria!” We didn’t film it, so let’s watch the video with the text.
Lyrics of ¡Viva La Gloria! by Green Day
Hey Gloria, are you standing close to the edge?
Look out at the setting sun
Brink of your vision
Eternal youth
Is the 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 going to 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 has been drawn to
This undying love
Look at the sun setting
Wherever your eyes go
Eternal youth
It’s a panorama of lies
The cracks in my skin can testify
And the years will prove
Say your prayers and light the fire
We start a war
Your motto is guns for hire
That’s what we’re waiting for
Hey Gloria
That’s why we’re on the edge
The battle of our lives has led to
To this immortal love Gloria, viva la Gloria
You blast your name
In graffiti on the walls
Falling in broken glass and
Slashing through your spirit
I can hear it like a jilted crowd
you leave your name
In graffiti on the walls
In the sound of breaking glass
that cut the soul
I hear it in the noise of the deceived 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 Gloria, where are you, Gloria?
You have found a home
In their scars and ammunition
In your youthful days you found a bed
Among the ruins
Ashes to ashes of your youth, she smashed her knuckles into winter
As autumn wind fades into black
She is the saint of all the sinners
The one that’s fallen through the cracks
So don’t put away, your burning light
When the autumn winds are gone
She is the saint of all sinners
The one who fell through the cracks
So do not put out your blazing fire Gloria, where are you are Gloria
Don’t lose your faith
To you lost naivety
Weather the storm and don’t look
Back on last November
When your banners were burning down Gloria, where are you, Gloria?
Don’t lose faith
Together with the lost naivety
Stand in the storm and don’t look back
For the last November
When your banners burned Gloria, viva la Gloria
Send me your amnesty down
To the broken hearted
bring us the season
That we will always remember
Don’t let the bonfires go out Gloria, hail Gloria
Send forgiveness
To all the unfortunate
Lead us to the times
that we will forever remember
Don’t let the fires go out 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! So Gloria
Send your message
Light that creates shadows in the night
Gloria, where is your immortal love?
Tell me the story of your life, your life!
