Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Boulevard of Broken Dreams was realesed on the album "American Idiot"

 Two contrasting reviews of this record

"The observations don't always dig as deep as they're meant to, and buzzwords occasionally stand in for insights, but American Idiot finds Green Day both shaking up its formula and applying it in novel and unexpected ways." 

"Green Day's PR manager walks up to them one day and says "You guys are has-beens, but you're under contract for one more album, and I've got just the thing to make you hits, even at your old age! See, everybody hates President Bush now, and you guys can just ride that to the bank, right?" The band convened and decided they could by ripping off everything that made their 1994 album Dookie a success, then loading it with political bullpucky. Kids ate it up, adults praised it, and three men who made their fortunes writing songs about masturbation and marijuana became the sages of the 21st century. God help us all." 

  
Short biography of the band. 

Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Amstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For much of their career the band has been a trio with drummer Tré Cool. In 2012 guitarist and backing vocalist Jason White became a full member after playing in the band as a session and touring guitarist for 13 years. Cool replaced former drummer John Kiffmeyer in 1990, prior to the recording of the band's second studio album, Kerplunk (1992).

They are one of the world's best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide. The group has won five Grammy Awards: Best Alternative Album for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot, Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", Best Rock Album for the second time for 21st Century Breakdown and Best Musical Show Album for American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording. In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway. The musical was nominated for three Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design, losing only the first. Also in 2010, Green Day were ranked number 91 in the VH1 list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". In 2014, the band were announced as nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their first year of eligibility.

Do you like it or not?

I've always enjoyed listenning to this song when I was younger but I never really paid attention to the lyrics or the video.  I just really appreciated the rhythm and melody. But now that I understand the song I really like it even more because it means a lot to me and I can really relate to it. However, I won't put it on my phone and listen to it on a daily basis because I'll easily get sick of it.


Do you know what it really means?
I guess I know what it means but I could be wrong. I think it is about this constant feeling of loneliness and how a person walks this path that is life,all alone, that no one's here for him. He realizes how lonely he is and it's his lifestyle because it's the only one he's ever known But he looks for someone to walk this path with him and make him feel something other than the two feelings he constanly has. This Boulevard of Broken Dreams is his new home and he accepts it. This song also reflects the theme of emptiness that kind of completes the feeling of loneliness which together create a complete situation of despair. This song in all could be about depression.


My shadow's the only one that walks beside me- My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

The impact of new technologies on our lives

This is a video called "Youtubers react to Look up" where a group of YouTubers react to the viral video called "Look up" which has more than 48 million views on YouTube which is huge!
In this videos, various opinions are shared but most of them agree with the idea that we should shut down our electronic devices and "look up" so we can enjoy what is around us before it's too late. But they say that they wouldn't be where they are without the Internet. Most of them "preach" the idea of technology surrounding us. But how somehow the Internet gives us everything and at the same time it's ruining everything because of course some people take it too far like being on a date but being on the phone or having a conversation and how at the same time the person you talk to is on their device.
However, some of them say that this video is contradictory because the main message is to let our phones but at the same time it gained all these views because people watched it from their electronic devices (phone, tablet, laptop...) and shared it and/or comment on it. If it wasn't for these new technologies no one would've known who Gary Turk was and what message was. Also nobody can really say that they will let their phones forever after seeing this footage. It shows how difficult it is today to just let go of everything that is technology related because it is all around us, it's everywhere, it's like the "thing" of this generation and it will go on for a very long time. We live in this era where children and teenagers are raised with electronic devices. It is true that it makes us less sociable and make us feel more lonely. But on the other hand it helps people meet each othee through online dating, keep in touch with the viewers (in a Youtuber's case). Let's not forget that the technology generartion also created a lot of jobs that consists in working with/on all things that concern cybernetic. 
One of the YouTubers strongly believes that the message in the video is wrong because he thinks that selling your computer for a engagement ring is "the stupidest thing ever" and that his childhood would've been so much better with an iPad, which shows a clear opposition between the two opinions.