Green Day's '21 Guns' is a rock song that talks about the struggles of life. The song starts off with the narrator asking the listener if they know what is worth fighting for and if it is worth dying for. The narrator then talks about how life can take away someone's breath and make them feel suffocated. The narrator then talks about how the pain of life can weigh out the pride, and how someone might look for places to hide. The chorus of the song talks about laying down arms and throwing up arms into the sky. The second verse talks about how life can leave someone at the end of the road and make them lose control. The narrator then talks about how faith can walk on broken glass and how nothing is ever built to last. The final verse talks about how someone might try to live on their own when they have burned down the house and home. The song ends with the narrator talking about how it is time to live and let die and how something inside one's heart has died. The overall message of the song is to make the most of life's struggles and to find strength in one's faith.
Themes:
- Surrender
- Self-reflection
- Loss
- Pain
Analysis
The themes of surrender, self-reflection, loss, and pain in “21 Guns” are similar to themes present in other Green Day songs such as “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” In all three songs, the lyrics focus on the idea of surrendering and accepting the pain of life. In “21 Guns”, the lyrics ask the listener to consider what is worth fighting for, and ultimately to lay down their arms and give up the fight. In “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, the lyrics focus on the idea of surrendering to one’s own loneliness and sadness. Similarly, “Wake Me Up When September Ends” is about the pain of loss and the need to accept it. All three songs emphasize the idea of self-reflection and accepting the pain of life, which is a common theme in Green Day’s music.